CHILDHOODPOVERTY

YourName:AmberlyMarcus
TitleofLesson:ChildhoodPoverty
Grade:5thgrade

STANDARDS

(5.W.10)Writeroutinelyoverextendedtimeframes(timeforresearch,reflection,andrevision)
andshortertimeframes(asinglesittingoradayortwo)forarangeofdisciplinespecifictasks,
purposes,andaudiences.

(5.W.7)Conductshortresearchprojectsthatuseseveralsourcestobuildknowledgethrough
investigationofdifferentaspectsofatopic.

LESSONSUMMARY/OVERVIEW

Thislessonwillbefocusedaroundputtingpovertyintoperspectiveandwillprovidestudents
withtheopportunitytoreflectonwhatwehavediscussedaboutpovertyinthepastfewdays.
Thislessonofferstimeforstudentstoworkindependentlytocompletetheirreflectionpapers
theystartedthedaybefore.Then,wewillgetbacktogetherasaclassandhaveadiscussion
aboutwhatstudentswroteandreflectedon.Then,Iwillconductanexperimentthatwillallow
studentstoseeandfeelfirsthandaboutwhatimpoverishedchildrengothrough.

OBJECTIVES

SWBATconstructareflectionpaperbasedupontheirlearningofpovertystatistics,thereality
ofdaytodayexpenses,andtheonlinesimulationfromthepreviousday.

SWBATputthemselvesintotheshoesofchildrenlivinginpovertywhilebeingrespectfuland
keepinganopenmind.

SWBATengageinclassdiscussionandtakeintoconsiderationthefeelingsoftheirclassmates
(becausetherearemorepeoplethanyouknowlivinginpovertyandtheycouldbeintheseat
rightnexttoyou!)

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION

ToensurethatmystudentshavemettheobjectiveIwillendtheexperimentwithaseriesof
questionsthatwillgetmystudentsthinkingdeeperandmoremeaningfullyintotherealityof
povertyandhomelessness.Sincemylessononthisdayconsistsmostlyofanexperimenttoget
themthinking,Iwillgaugewhattheyhavelearnedbythequalityandthoughtfulnessoftheir
responsesduringtheclassdiscussion.Thisexperimentshouldbeverymovingandopentheir
eyes.Oncethediscussionisover,Iwillshowstudentsavideoaboutimpoverishedyoungpeople
sharingtheirstoriesandhardships.Whenthevideoends,Iwilltellstudentstheywillbewriting
apaperinournextclassmeeting.Studentswillbeinstructedtogohomeandsimplythinkabout
theexperimentandvideotodayandjotdownnotesbaseduponhowitmadethemfeel.

PREREQUISITEKNOWLEDGE

Priortothislesson,studentswillneedtoknow:
Thedefinitionofpoverty
Whopovertyeffects
Theirownpersonalfeelingsonpoverty
Iwillaccessstudentspriorknowledgebyaskingstudentstoraisehandstoremindtheclasswhat
povertyisandwhoiteffects.Wewillalsohaveadiscussionontheirreflectionpapers.

MATERIALS

Reflectionpaper
Bowls
M&Ms
Computerandprojectortoviewvideo

VOCABULARY/KEYWORDS

Poverty
Homelessness
ValuesThinking

TEACHINGPROCEDURES

1.Have2030minutesofindependentworktimetocompletereflectionpapers.
2.Askforvolunteerstosharewhattheyhavewrittenintheirreflections.
3.Haveadiscussionbasedonwhatstudentshaveshared.
4.Distributepaperbowlstostudentswithouttellingthemwhatitsfor.
5.WalkaroundtheroomwithabigbagofM&Msandputdifferentamountsineachstudents
bowl.
6.WhiledoingthisIwillpaycloseattentiontothereactionofmystudentswhentheyseethatI
haverandomlygivensomestudentsoneM&M,givensomeasmallhandful,andgivensomea
heftyamount.
7.Aftergivingstudentsanuneven,unfairamountofcandyIwillaskforvolunteerstoraisetheir
handstoseehowitmadethemfeel.
8.AftergettingopinionsfromthosewhoonlygotoneM&M,afew,andalargehandful,Iwill
explainthatkidsdonthaveanypoweroftheamountofmoneytheyhave.
9.Iwillexplainthatchildrenjustlikethem,whogotoschool,andlivewhatseemtobenormal
lives,mayonlybereceivingoneM&Mandtheyhavenocontroloverthat.
10.TellstudentswhoreceivedasmallamountofM&Ms,tothinkandshareabouthowtheyfelt
watchingsomeoftheirclassmatesreceivealargehandfulandrelateittomoneyandreallife
situations.
11.Iwillstresstheideathatstudentswhoarelivinginpovertydonthaveachoiceoranoption.
Thatistherealitytheymustlivewith.
12.IwillencouragestudentswhogotalargehandfulofM&Mstosharewiththosewhodidnt
getasmany.
13.Iwillhavestudentrelatethattoreallife,inthatiftheyareabletohelpothers,theyshould!
14.Onceeveryonehashadthechancetosharetheirfeelingsandideas,Iwillshowavideoabout
youngpeopleinpovertytellingtheirstories.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=MLrTZ5IG_Eg)
15.Afterthevideoisover,IwillexplainwhatValuesThinkingisandtelltheclasstothink
abouthowtheactivityandvideomadethemfeel.Iwilltellthemtheywillbewritingapaperin
ournextclassmeeting.
16.Studentsshouldgohomethatnightandjotdownideasforthepapertheywillbewritingthe
nextday.
RESOURCES

ALessonPlanforChildhoodPovertyandChocolate.(2016,March17).RetrievedApril20,
2017,fromhttp://www.candidslice.com/alessonplanforchildhoodpovertyandchocolate/

WAYSOFTHINKINGCONNECTION

ThislessonconnectstoValuesThinkinginthewaythatIcontinuallyhavestudentsthink,talk,
andreflectabouthowthistopicmakesthemfeel.ValuesThinkingisbeingabletoexaminethe
effectsourvalueshaveonourdecisions.InonepartofthelessonIencouragestudentstodo
anythingtheycaninordertohelpthoseinneed.Manypeopledontrealizehowmanypeopleare
livinginpovertyandhowmanychildrenjustintheirschoolsarelivinginpoverty.Iwilltryto
getmystudentsintotheshoesofotherkidswhoareinpovertytobetterhelpthemunderstandthe
wayitmakesthemfeelandthattheyhavenocontroloverit.Ialsowantthislessontohelp
studentsbecomemoresensitivetothetopicofpovertyespeciallywhenitcomestotheirpeers.