Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 9 days
¿Cómo ayudan a nuestra ciudad los buenos ciudadanos?
Lesson Synopsis:
Students continue to learn about historical figures who were good citizens. The figures studied in this lesson, W.E.B.
DuBois and Amelia Earhart, also exhibited a love of individualism and inventiveness, qualities that Americans value.
Students will also learn about the historical progression of Thanksgiving as a holiday.
TEKS:
2.1
2.1A
2.4
History. The student understands the historical significance of landmarks and celebrations in the community, state,
and nation. The student is expected to:
Explain the significance of various community, state, and national celebrations such as Veterans Day, Memorial
Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving.
History. The student understands how historical figures and other individuals helped shape the community, state,
and nation. The student is expected to:
2.4B
Identify historic figures such as Amelia Earhart, W.E.B. DuBois, Robert Fulton and George Washington Carver who
have exhibited a love of individualism and inventiveness.
2.13
History. The student understands how historical figures, patriots, and good citizens helped shape the community,
state, and nation. The student is expected to:
2.13A
Identify characteristics of good citizenship including truthfulness, justice, equality, respect for oneself and others,
responsibility in daily life, and participation in government by educating oneself about the issues, respectfully
holding public officials to their word, and voting.
2.13B
Identify historical figures such as Paul Revere, Abigail Adams, Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) of WWII,
and Navajo Code Talkers and Sojourner Truth who have exemplified good citizenship.
Social Studies Skills TEKS:
2.18
2.18A
2.18B
2.18
2.19B
Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a
variety of sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
Obtain information about a topic using a variety of valid oral sources such as conversations, interviews, and music.
Obtain information about a topic using a variety of valid visual sources such as pictures, maps, electronic sources,
literature, reference sources, and artifacts.
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
Create written and visual material such as stories, poems, maps, and graphic organizers to express ideas.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicator(s):

Write a headline and a brief newspaper article giving an explanation of how a good citizen has impacted the
community. (2.1A, 2.13AB, 2.18AB)
2.2D; 2.2E; 2.5B
Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:

Las decisiones de los buenos ciudadanos cambian comunidades.
— ¿Quiénes son algunos personajes históricos que han mostrado ser buenos ciudadanos?
— ¿Qué decisiones tomaron?
— ¿Cómo sus decisiones son ejemplo de buen civismo?
— ¿Cómo sus decisiones cambiaron comunidades?
— ¿Qué hace a un buen ciudadano?
Vocabulary of Instruction:

buen ciudadano
©2013, TESCCC

comunidad
05/07/13

peregrino
page 1 of 10
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Materials:

Refer to the Notes for Teacher section for materials.
Attachments:






Handout: W.E.B. DuBois
Teacher Resource: Helping Hands (optional)
Teacher Resource: PowerPoint: Amelia Earhart
Handout: Note Taking Organizer
Handout: Thanksgiving Timeline (1 per student, cut apart)
Handout: First Thanksgiving Primary Source
Resources and References:
None identified
Advance Preparation:
1. Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson, including W.E.B. DuBois, Amelia Earhart, and local
innovators and individualists who have influenced the community.
2. Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
3. Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.
4. Collect books and websites about Amelia Earhart and W.E.B. DuBois.
5. Research information about local innovators and individuals who have influenced the community. Prepare
information to present. Include newspaper articles where possible.
6. Preview available resources and websites according to district guidelines.
7. Prepare materials and handouts as needed.
Background Information:
W.E.B. DuBois was a co-founder of the NAACP, a civil rights activist, the first African American to earn a doctorate from
Harvard University, a writer, and a college professor.
Amelia Earhart was a record-breaking pilot, an advocate for women’s education and career development, and a published
author.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT
Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners.
The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus
Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page.
All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE – Innovator
1. Ask the class what an innovator is. Allow students to guess at
the meaning of innovator.
2. Students look for the meaning of the word in the dictionary,
glossary, and in online dictionaries and share the definitions
with the class.
3. As a class, construct a kid-friendly definition of the word
innovator. Record this on the board.
4. Distribute manila paper.
5. Students fold the paper into four equal parts.
©2013, TESCCC
05/07/13
NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
Suggested Day 1 – 15 minutes
Materials:
 dictionaries
 manila paper
Instructional Note:
 Make sure to use the internet in accordance
with district policy.
 An innovator is someone who does something
new, or is the first to do something.
 Be sure to model the vocabulary activity for
students, demonstrating how to record the
definition, write the sentence, draw the picture,
and draw a non-example. 1st grade students
may have difficulty with the concept of “nonpage 2 of 10
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
6. In the first rectangle, students record the kid-friendly definition.
example. Scaffold that concept for them as
appropriate.
7. In the next rectangle, students construct a sentence using the
word innovator such as: Steve Jobs was an innovator in the
world of computers. Or: Jon Scieska is an innovator in
children’s books. A local example would be an excellent
choice.
8. In the bottom left rectangle, students draw an example of
someone being an innovator, or doing something in a new
way.
9. In the bottom right rectangle, students draw a non-example.
This illustration should show someone doing something in an
old way, such as someone cutting grass with a push mower
instead of one with an engine.
EXPLORE – Innovative Good Citizens
1. Review historical figures studied so far this year from the
perspective that they were good citizens and innovators
whose choices and actions changed communities (See TEKS
Clarification Documents and IFD).
2. Students, in pairs or small groups, recall what they have
learned about a historical figure who was a good citizen and
whose innovative ideas and choices changed communities. If
desired, distribute index cards to groups with the names of
people studied.
Suggested Day 1 (continued) – 20 minutes
Instructional Note:
 People studied so far this year include:
 Thurgood Marshall (unit 1)
 Irma Rangel (unit 2)
 John Hancock (unit 3)
 Paul Revere (unit 3)
 Abigail Adams (unit 1)
 Sojourner Truth (unit 1)
3. Facilitate a discussion where pairs or small groups share their
ideas.
EXPLAIN – Innovative Good Citizen Conversations
Suggested Day 1 (continued) – 15 minutes
1. Students choose one historical figure and pretend to be that
person. (Provide students with choices based on historical
figures they have studied in this lesson or in previous
lessons.)
2. Form small groups of 3 or 4 where students are different
historical figures.
3. The historical figures then have a discussion using sentence
stems such as:
 I am ____________.
 A choice I made that changed my community was
_______________________________.
 This was a hard choice, but __________________.
 My choice changed my community by ___________.
 I am a good citizen.
EXPLORE – W.E.B. Dubois
1. Introduce this section of the lesson by telling students that they
will be learning about an innovator. (An innovator is someone
who does something new, or is the first to do something.) Ask
the students if they can think of anyone that they have learned
about who is an innovator.
©2013, TESCCC
05/07/13
Suggested Day 2 – 35 minutes
Materials:
 books and information about W.E.B DuBois
 paper
Attachments:
page 3 of 10
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher

2. Provide each student with a copy of the Handout: W.E.B.
Dubois or project it for students to see.
Handout: W.E.B. DuBois (1 per student or 1 to
display)
Purpose:
Students learn about W.E.B. Dubois and look at his
work as an innovator and a good citizen.
3. Read the short biography as a class.
4. If other materials are available, allow students time to look at
books and websites about Dr. DuBois.
5. Provide each student with a blank piece of copy paper.
6. Students carefully trace their hand, or teachers may use the
Teacher Resource: Helping Hands (optional.)
 Label the first finger as who. Ask: Who did you read
about? (Students provide responses and record the
answer: W.E.B DuBois)
 Label the second finger as when. Ask: In what year was
DuBois born and in what year did he die? (Students
provide response and record the answer: born in 1868 and
died in 1963.)
 Label the third finger where. Ask: DuBois was the first
African American to receive a doctorate degree from
which university? (Students provide responses and
record the answer: Harvard.)
 Label the fourth finger what. Ask: How did DuBois
contribute to his community as a good citizen?
(Students provide responses and record one of the
following answers: first African American to get a
doctorate, founding the NAACP, working for civil rights,
and being a professor.)
 Label the fifth finger why. Ask: What makes Dr. DuBois
an innovator. (Students provide responses and record
answers that may include him being the first African
American to earn a doctorate from Harvard or fighting for
Civil Rights long before others.)
EXPLAIN – W.E.B. DuBois
TEKS: 2.13A, 2.18B, 2.19B
Instructional Note:
Students will need to trace their hands with their
fingers spread widely apart in order for them to have
enough room to write inside the “fingers.” Teachers
may choose to use the Teacher Resource: Helping
Hands (optional) rather than ask students to trace
their own hand for this activity.
Suggested Day 2 (continued) – 15 minutes
1. Students talk and turn with a partner to share information
gained about W.E.B. DuBois.
EXPLORE – Amelia Earhart
1. Show newspaper headlines and articles about Amelia Earhart.
2. Read aloud a grade level appropriate book about Amelia
Earhart (fiction or nonfiction).
3. Discuss how to find valid information and sources. Include in
the discussion primary and secondary sources and valid
sources such as the Library of Congress.
Suggested Day 3 – 50 minutes
Materials:
 information on Amelia Earhart
 books about Amelia Earhart
 newspaper articles about Amelia Earhart,
including those available through the Project
Share Content Repository (New York Times
archives)
4. Show the Teacher Resource: PowerPoint: Amelia Earhart.
Attachments:
 Teacher Resource: PowerPoint: Amelia Earhart
 Teacher Resource: Helping Hands (optional)
5. Students carefully trace their hand, or teachers may use the
Teacher Resource: Helping Hands (optional.)
 Label the first finger as who. Ask: Who was the
PowerPoint about? (Students provide responses and
record the answer: Amelia Earhart.)
Purpose:
Students learn about Amelia Earhart as an innovator
and a good citizen.
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05/07/13
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Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures




Notes for Teacher
Label the second finger as when. Ask: In what year was
Earhart born and in what year did she die? (Students
provide response and record the answer: born in 1897 and
died in 1937.)
Label the third finger where. Ask: Where did Earhart
want to fly here plane? (Students provide responses
and record the answer: around the world.)
Label the fourth finger what. Ask: What
accomplishments did Earhart have? (Students provide
responses and record one of the following answers: first
woman to fly a plane across the Atlantic Ocean.)
Label the fifth finger why. Ask: What makes Earhart an
innovator? (She proved women were brave and could fly
planes. Her success helped the WASP possible during
WWII.)
EXPLAIN – Amelia Earhart
1. Review the “helping hand” chart that was completed on Day 2.
2. Write the sentence stems on the board:
 Amelia Earhart was an innovator because…
 She influenced the community by …
TEKS: 2.13A, 2.18AB, 2.19B
Instructional Note:
Students will need to trace their hands with their
fingers spread widely apart in order for them to have
enough room to write inside the “fingers.” Teachers
may choose to use the Teacher Resource: Helping
Hands (optional) rather than ask students to trace
their own hand for this activity.
Suggested Day 4 – 20 minutes
Materials:
 drawing paper
Purpose:
Students will have the opportunity to explain what
they have learned about Amelia Earhart.
3. Students complete this sentence and write two more
sentences about Amelia Earhart.
TEKS: 2.4B, 2.13A, 2.18B, 2.19B
4. Students illustrate their sentences with a picture that helps the
reader know more about Amelia Earhart.
EXPLORE – Geography of the Innovators
1. Provide each student with a blank map of the U.S.
2. Have students title the map: W.E.B. DuBois and Amelia
Earhart.
3. Students place a capital E for equality in New York City. This
is where W.E.B. DuBois co-founded the NAACP.
4. Students draw a graduation cap on Massachusetts. Harvard
University is located in Massachusetts and this is where Dr.
DuBois earned his doctorate.
5. Next, students draw an apple in Atlanta. In Atlanta, Dr. DuBois
was a college professor or teacher.
©2013, TESCCC
05/07/13
Suggested Day 4 (continued) – 20 minutes
Materials:
 blank map of the U.S.
 atlases or a projectable map
 map pencils
 previous U.S. maps the students have labeled
Purpose:
Students review some of the important locations in
the lives of the historical figures as well as practice
their geography skills.
TEKS: 2.4B, 2.19B
page 5 of 10
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
6. Students label Atchison, KS, with an A for Amelia. This is
where Amelia was born.
7. Students label Indiana with a capital P. This is where Purdue
University is. Ms. Earhart worked at Purdue University and her
archives are there.
Instructional Note:
When using maps, support student learning about
map elements by ensuring maps include TODAL
(title, orientation, date, author, labels and legend). If
all pieces are not on a given map, students should
add them.
8. On Hawaii, students to draw a small airplane. Ms. Earhart was
the first pilot to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
9. Place a star on Washington, D.C. Both Amelia Earhart and
W.E.B. DuBois visited our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.
10. Add appropriate map elements (TODAL) as needed to
complete the map.
11. As a class, review other maps created this year and see if any
of them have locations in common.
12. Discuss any commonalities.
EXPLAIN – Geography Skills Review
Suggested Day 4 (continued) – 10 minutes
1. Students, in pairs, review their geography skills.
2. Lead and model the following tasks:
 Trace the borders of the United States and state, “This is
the United States.”
 Trace the borders of Texas and state, “This is Texas.”
 Point to Washington, D.C. and state, “This is
Washington, D.C. It is the capital of the United States,
our nation.”
 Point to the map elements (TODAL), name them, and
state that “All maps should include a title, compass
rose, date, author, and labels and a legend.”
 Add other instructions as appropriate and depending on
prior learning and map used.
3. Students share with one another at least one more piece of
information that can be gained from interpreting the map.
4. Introduce the idea that there are innovators in the local
community who act as good citizens and change the
community.
5. Brainstorm some ideas of local people.
6. For homework, students continue the brainstorm about local
people who are innovators, good citizens, and who changed
the community.
EXPLORE – Local Innovators
1. Present information about local innovators and individuals who
have influence the community.
Suggested Day 5– 35 minutes
Materials:
 information about local innovators
 newspaper articles about local innovators
2. Students gain knowledge of local innovators by noting
information on a graphic organizer such as the one in the
©2013, TESCCC
05/07/13
page 6 of 10
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
Handout: Note Taking Organizer.
Attachments:
 Handout: Note Taking Organizer
3. Facilitate a discussion where students discuss the innovators
presented during class and add their own information,
especially addressing the guiding questions and providing
evidence to support the key understanding.
 The choices of good citizens change communities.
— Who are some historical figures who have
exhibited good citizenship?
— What choices did they make?
— How did their choices exemplify good citizenship?
— How did their choices change communities?
— What makes a good citizen?
EXPLAIN – Local Innovators
Instructional Note:
 If possible, invite a local innovator to visit the
class and discuss innovation, good citizenship,
and influence on the community.
Suggested Day 5 (continued) – 15 minutes
1. Students think about the innovators they have learned about,
including information about how they acted as good citizens
and how they influenced the community.
ELABORATE – Thankful to be Americans
1. To close this portion of learning and prepare students for the
next, tie prior learning about individuals and American values
together by facilitating a discussion that includes questions
such as:
 What do Americans value? What are Americans
thankful for in the way our country is designed?
(freedom; individualism; inventiveness and innovation; our
Constitution, which provides high ideals and a way to
achieve them – we the people, amendment, voting, voice
of minorities is heard)
 How did W.E.B. DuBois exhibit characteristics that
Americans value? (2.13A: truthfulness, justice, equality,
respect for oneself and others, responsibility in daily life,
and participation in government by educating oneself
about the issues, respectfully holding public officials to
their word, and voting; individualism and inventiveness)
 How did Amelia Earhart exhibit characteristics that
Americans value?
 How did other people we have studied exhibit
characteristics Americans value? (Paul Revere, Abigail
Adams, Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) of
WWII, and Navajo Code Talkers and Sojourner Truth)
 How did individuals we have studied change
communities?
Suggested Day 6 – 30 minutes
Instructional Note:
 Address Thanksgiving as a significant cultural
celebration and an opportunity to revisit some of
the ideas and ideals that are worth fighting for
and defending.
Individual
Good Citizen
Characteristic
How changed
community
2. A chart such as the one in the Notes for Teacher section can
be used to capture student ideas.
EXPLORE – Thanksgiving Timeline
1. Students think of one thing they know about Thanksgiving.
2. After a few moments to think, students share their thoughts
with a partner.
Suggested Day 6 (continued) – 20 minutes
Materials:
 scissors (optional)
 glue
 construction or manila paper
3. After both partners have a chance to share, students
contribute to a class discussion about Thanksgiving, including
Attachments:
 Handout: Thanksgiving Timeline (1 per
©2013, TESCCC
05/07/13
page 7 of 10
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
traditions and customs, purpose for celebrating, etc.
student, cut apart)
Purpose:
Students briefly look at Thanksgiving’s history as a
patriotic holiday.
4. Provide each student with a copy of the Handout:
Thanksgiving Timeline.
5. Introduce the activity with words such as:
 Some Thanksgiving traditions are new and some
Thanksgiving traditions have been around for a very
long time.
6. Read the entries on the timeline handout aloud. If students cut
the strips apart themselves, point out that the entries are
printed in their wrong order.
7. In groups of four, students create a timeline with the entries in
the proper time order. If desired, provide scissors so students
can cut out their entries.
TEKS: 2.1A, 2.19B
MISCONCEPTION:
Students have many misconceptions about
Thanksgiving, from the food served to the clothing
worn. Check the accuracy of any Thanksgiving
materials you are sharing with your students.
8. Students post their work when they have the entries in the
correct order.
ELABORATE – Comparing Thanksgiving Traditions
1. To introduce the idea of comparing Thanksgiving traditions,
allow students to speculate on what the first Thanksgiving was
like.
Suggested Day 7 – 30 minutes
Materials:
 paper plates (for templates)
 manila paper
2. Read excerpts from the Teacher Resource: First
Thanksgiving Primary Source, which is a transcript of a
letter from Edward Winslow in Plymouth, dated Dec. 21st,
1621 to George Morton in England, giving an original account
of the Pilgrim Thanksgiving.
Attachments
 Teacher Resource: First Thanksgiving
Primary Source
3. Students look for similarities in the original celebration (what
people celebrated, what they ate, etc.) and differences (what
they ate, how long the celebration lasted, etc.).
4. Model creating a Venn diagram to compare Thanksgiving
celebrations then and now.
Purpose:
Students compare and contrast the way they
celebrate Thanksgiving with a classmate. They
should find commonalities as well as differences.
Students examining their traditions will help build a
broader understanding of how Thanksgiving is
celebrated in their community.
TEKS: 2.1A, 2.19B
5. Divide students in pairs. Provide each pair with a large piece
of manila paper and a paper plate.
6. Model for students how to draw a Venn diagram using the
paper plate as template.
7. Have each partner label one circle with their name. Then have
students label the Venn diagram as Thanksgiving traditions.
8. Explain to students that they will be looking for three things
that are the same and three things that are different. Offer
students some examples such as: some families eat ham for
Thanksgiving; other families eat turkey. Some families stay
home for Thanksgiving; other families travel to visit relatives.
9. Give students a few moments to discuss their family’s
Thanksgiving.
10. After both partners have had a chance to share, ask students
©2013, TESCCC
05/07/13
page 8 of 10
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
to label differences in the outside of the Venn and similarities
in the middle. It might help to label the intersecting part of the
diagram as SAME and the outside parts of the diagram as
DIFFERENT.
11. As students finish, encourage them to share what they have
discovered with other groups.
12. When all the groups have finished, gather the class back
together. Allow students to share what the traditions that they
have recorded. Scribe a list of traditions.
13. The class will have a list of many of the Thanksgiving
traditions celebrated in their local community.
14. Continue the discussion to include things we are thankful for
as Americans. (freedom; individualism; inventiveness and
innovation; our Constitution, which provides high ideals and a
way to achieve them – we the people, amendment, voting,
voice of minorities is heard)
EXPLORE – Thanksgiving Geography
1. Distribute blank U.S. maps.
Suggested Day 7 (continued) – 20 minutes
Materials:
 blank U.S. maps
2. Lead students to:
 Label Plymouth Rock
 Label the local community
 Label any other locations that came up in the students
Venn diagrams (Grandma’s house where they celebrate,
where they attended the football game, etc.)
 Label Washington D.C.
Purpose:
Students will connect locations with the historical
events related to celebrating Thanksgiving as well
as learning geography.
TEKS: 2.1A, 2.19B
3. Students add map elements to complete the map (TODAL).
4. Students share their maps with a family member as
homework, explaining the locations they have marked.
ELABORATE – Good Citizens
Suggested Day 8 – 30 minutes
1. Students summarize their learning by answering the guiding
questions and providing evidence to support the key
understanding. Include evidence from earlier lessons as well.
 The choices of good citizens change communities.
— Who are some historical figures who have
exhibited good citizenship?
— What choices did they make?
— How did their choices exemplify good citizenship?
— How did their choices change communities?
— What makes a good citizen?
EVALUATE

Write a headline and a brief newspaper article giving an
explanation of how a good citizen has impacted the
community. (2.1A, 2.13AB, 2.18AB)
2.2D; 2.2E; 2.5B
Suggested Day 8 (continued) Day 9 – 80 minutes
Purpose:
Provide students an opportunity to show what they
have learned.
TEKS: 2.1A, 2.13AB, 2.18AB
1. Show students newspaper articles with headlines as a model
©2013, TESCCC
05/07/13
page 9 of 10
Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 06 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
for their writing.
2. Consider all good citizens studied so far this year, historical
and current, including local good citizens.
Instructional Note:

This would be an excellent writing assignment
to do on the computer to practice keyboarding
skills.
3. Students decide which good citizen to write about and use a
graphic organizer for prewriting such as a flow map or thinking
web.
4. Students draft their article and may refer to reference
materials to get specifics such as dates and the names of
places.
5. Students revise their article and it can be published and put on
display.
6. Illustrations may be included with the articles.
7. If desired, post student work by creating a large newspaper
page of many student articles.
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