Summary
Students explore how different cultures have contributed to the United States of America. We are made of many, but we are one nation.
Essential Question(s)
How are we (The United States of America), "Out of many, one?"
Snapshot
Engage
Students individually construct art on their desk, then as a cooperative group, and compare the two experiences.
Explore
Students Jigsaw informational sheets about some of the diverse cultures that have contributed to the United States of America.
Explain
Students collaboratively create a poster to express many cultures' contributions to what we identify as "American."
Extend
Each student creates a paper quilt square exhibiting how they contribute to the class. All the quilt squares are put together to form a classroom quilt, illustrating how each individual is important to the whole group.
Evaluate
Students write a claim and three supporting pieces of evidence describing how the United States of America is, "Out of many, one."
Materials
3-2-1 strategy handout
Four envelopes per group with different colored 1-inch squares of construction paper for each group (around 30 squares in each envelope)
Internet access to show YouTube Coca-cola commercial (link below)
Note-Taking/Fact Sheet handout
9”x9” white paper squares for each student’s quilt square
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) handout
Transcontinental Railroad Information handout
Vaqueros Information handout
Tap Dance Information handout
Code Talkers Information handout
Engage
Begin by having students sit in groups of four. Give each group a set of four envelopes as prepped in the above Teacher's Note. Each student in the group receives an envelope with only one color of construction paper cut in 1-inch tiles (around 30 tiles per envelope).
Give students around four minutes to individually arrange their colored construction paper tiles on their desk to create a piece of art.
Next, ask the students to use their tiles collectively and to work together as a group of four to create one piece of art using all of the group's color tiles.