Leaving Certificate Applied
Social Education
Module: My Community
Approaches to teaching
“My Community”
My Community
Module Description
This module seeks to develop the students’ sense of identity and
pride in their local area, and a positive attitude towards what it
has to offer.
1
It also provides an opportunity to acquire and develop some of
the research skills that will be required throughout the two
years of this course.
It is a very practical, hands on, research and activity based
module that provides many opportunities for interesting classroom
activity and research projects and fun.
Because it is community based, students enjoy going out into
their community researching facilities, family histories, tourism
opportunities etc.
Activities can include: Local history tour, Photographing the
locality, Family Tree projects, Visits to the Council offices,
Library tour, Newspaper collages, Art work.
Module Units
Unit 1
Research Skills
Unit 2
My Own Place
Unit 3
My Family in the Local Area
Unit 4
My Own Place in the Past
Unit 5
Community Amenities/Resources
Unit 6
Planning in My Own Place
Recommendations for timetabling:
My Community should be allocated three (3) classes per week in
Session 1, from September to January of Year 1.
Questions around the Module
2
Do I have to complete all learning outcomes?
Yes but, choose those which best suit your students and which are
possible to complete in your locality. Focus on those outcomes which
meet the aims of the module and also which help the students to
complete the key assignments for the module.
Use local resources; family members, senior citizens, historians,
local library, local councillors, town development committee
members, tourist offices, volunteers in local organisations etc…
Assessment
Four key assignments to be completed over the duration of the
module.
Complete these as you go, do not leave all assignments until the end
of the session.
The assignments are varied and offer the students a variety of
options e.g. participation in discussion, interview, collage,
photography etc….
Encourage students to complete the assignments to the best of
their ability.
One credit will be awarded on completion of all 4 assignments and a
90% attendance record.
Resources:
Social Education Module Descriptor pp.28-42
Most resources for this module are sourced locally –
newspapers/old photographs/census report/the local library/local
tourism office/town planning office.
3
Methodologies:
As with all Leaving Certificate Applied subjects, it is
recommended to employ as much variation in methodology as
possible in the teaching of this module.
The following activities could be used : pair and group work/ vox
pop/ running debates/ word searches/ puzzles
The following websites may be useful for preparation of
worksheets:
www.puzzlemaker.com
www.webwinder.com
www.history.com
.
4
Unit 1 Research Skills
Learning
Outcomes
Conduct simple
survey
Vox pop – use
taped responses
Prepare
questionnaire
Record an
interview
Bar/Pie charts
Methodology
Resources
Integration
Survey a year
group at break
about school
lunches/uniform
etc
Choose
topic/Yes/No
questions etc
Use dictaphone
Prepare 5
questions
English
English
Prepare 10
questions
Chart results of
survey
Library/Internet Visit library/
Computer
search
introduce search room/Local
engines ..
library
English
Maths
ICT
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the basic
research skills.
5
Unit 2 My Own Place
Learning
Outcomes
Locate own
county, own area
Locate local
geographical
features
Identify access
routes
Methodology
Integration
Map of Ireland
Social Education
Blank map
Plot journeys
using various
routes
Identify local
towns
Census
comparison
Ordnance survey
work
Resources
Road map
KEY
ASSIGNMENT
Road map
Compare old and
recent figures
Library census
reports
Ordnance survey
maps of local
area
Maths
Resources:
Blank Ireland maps, road maps and atlas.
Local library will carry census reports
Useful websites:
www.osi.ie - ordnance survey maps can be ordered on-line- ask for
schools discounts.
www.irishmaps.ie
Activities:
Much of the map work can be completed using a class set of local
ordnance survey maps which the school geography dept. may have.
Unit 3
My Family in the Local Area.
6
Be sensitive to varying family structures within the class group.
Allow students freedom to work within their comfort zone regarding
their own family structure.
This is usually a fun and interesting unit for students as they
discover their family history.
Learning
Outcomes
Research own
family
Identify family
members locally
and elsewhere
Investigate
family ties in
the area
Interview a
senior family
member
Present family
story
Methodology
Resources
Integration
Do family tree
Library/Internet/family
Social Education
Family tree
scrapbook
Family network
Places of
work/sporting
ties/army etc
Interview /
Grandparent/aunt/uncle… KEY
prepare and
ASSIGNMENT
record
Present story to Art work/ My Family
English
class
Scrapbook/ FamilyTree/
Genealogy search report
Resources:
Family photo albums/family tree research reports already at
home/local history books.
Local library/ local genealogy office.
Useful websites:
www.kinair.ie
www.youririshroots.com
www.goireland.com/genealogy
www.irishabroad.com
Unit 4 My Own Place in the Past
Learning
Methodology
Resources
7
Integration
Outcomes
Present local
history report
Describe
transport in the
past
Locate local
historical sites
Research local
families of
interest
Now and then
photo display
Guest speaker
from local
community
Contact local
history
group/library
records
Talk to
grandparents
Library/ local
history group
Map work/local
history tour
Local history
books
OS maps
Take
photos/compare
with old pics
Contact elderly
community
member invite
into class
Library/ local
history group
Library
Social Education
KEY
ASSIGNMENT
Grandparents
Resources:
Local library/ local historian/history group.
Websites:
www.irishhistoricmaps.ie
www.www.kinair.ie
Activities:
Students could prepare an excellent ‘Then and Now’ photo display for other year
groups in the school library/ assembly hall.
To take a morning local history walk/tour with a local historian as guide is
another excellent learning opportunity for students.
Invite a senior member of the community to talk to the class and answer their
questions about life in the past.
Unit 5
Learning
Community Amenities /Resources.
Methodology
Resources
8
Integration
Outcomes
Identify local
groups/clubs etc
Identify local
natural resources
Go out read
Students’ own
noticeboards/local local knowledge/
notes/ contact
local newspapers
people
Visit tourism
office
County Tourism
officer/ County
engineer
Local
development
officer/County
councillor
Local tourism
board/ Local
business people
involved in
tourism
Report on local
Invite town
facilities/business council member to
opportunities
address group
Prepare a local
tourism guide
Take tourism
tour/invite guest
speaker/web
search/take
photos/take a
junior year group
on local tour
KEY
ASSIGNMENT
ICT
HCT
Enterprise
ICT
KEY
ASSIGNMENT
HCT
ICT
Resources:
Local newspapers/ library/ tourism office/ County-City Councillors/
Local Enterprise Officer/
Websites:
www.citizensinfo.ie
www.local.ie
www.tourismireland.com
www.ebookireland.com
Unit 6
Planning in My Own Place
Learning
Outcomes
Identify local
Methodology
Resources
Integration
Net
Maths
9
authority
contact numbers
Read map of
locality
Look at future
local plans
Look at town
development
plans
Identify
planning
application
terms
Identify local
zoning areas
Conduct local
catchment
survey
Os maps
search/phone
book
O.S.Maps
Find planning
notices locally
Local
newspapers/
library lists
Visit library for
Copy of Town
town plan
plan/ town
planning office/
Look in local
Local
newspapers/write newspapers/site
to council for
notices
terms and
conditions
Invite local
Town plan
councillor to
speak about local
zoning
Visit
Vox pop
supermarket /
identify where
people come from
to shop
Social Education
English
Maths
Resources:
Local county council offices- /local newspapers for planning notices/
library for 5 year town plans/ O.S. maps.
Activities:
Invite councillors to speak to group about zoning n the area
Websites:
www.environ.ie
www.irishplanninginstitute.ie
SAMPLE
WORKSHEETS
MY COMMUNITY
Unit 1 Research Skills
----------------------------------------------------------------------Worksheet 1 Name…………………………..Date……………………………..
10
Food Survey
1.Do you eat meat?
2.Do you eat potatoes?
3.How often do you eat chocolate?
4.How many times a week do you eat fast food?
5.List 5 foods you eat every day.
From this I have learned…………………………………….
My Community U1
Worksheet 2 Name……………………….Date………………………………………..
Research Skills Vocabulary
Research means………………..
A survey is………………………….
A questionnaire is…………………………
A bar chart is used for ……………………………………
A pie chart looks like ……………………………………………
Results are …………………………………………………My Community U1
Worksheet 3 Name…………………………………Date……………………..
Interview Questions
Task: You are interviewing a rock star who is visiting Ireland to
perform in the Point on Friday night.
11
Write 10 questions you would ask him or her.
From these questions I will learn………………………….
My Community U1
Worksheet 4
Name……………………………..Date………………………….
I did a vox pop on…………………today.
I wanted to find out ………………………………
The question I asked was……………………………..
I learned……………………………………………..
My Community U1
Unit 2 My Own Place
-------------------------------------------------------------------Worksheet 1 Name……………………………Date…………………….
Draw a map of County……………………..
12
Mark in three towns, a river , a lake, mountains.
MY Community U2
Worksheet 2
Name………….Date………………………………….
From O.S. map name 4 historical features near …………………
Draw the symbols for these
Write 3 sentences about one of these places.
MY Community U2
Worksheet 3
NAME………………………..Date…………………………….
Describe 2 ways you could get from …………..to ………………… and
calculate the distance by road using the scale guide.
My Community U”
Unit 3 My Family in the Local Area
----------------------------------------------------------------------Worksheet 1 Name……………………Date………………………..
Jobs in my family.
Write about the jobs members of your family have had in this area
over the past 50- 100 years
MY Community U3
Worksheet 2 Name……………………….Date…………….
My Mam’s/Dad’s family story
Where they lived/ went to school/worked/went out/played sport/
how they met……………………….
13
My Community U3
Worksheet 3
Collage of family pictures (photocopy photos)
Put together a collage telling your family story.
My Community U3
Worksheet 4
Tell the story of one character in your family e.g a famous
sportsman, traveller etc……………
My Community U3
Unit 4 My Own Place in the Past
---------------------------------------------------------------------Worksheet 1
From our tour to……………………5 things I have learned are…………..
My Community U4
Worksheet 2
Five history books of this area I found in the library are ..
MY Community U4
Worksheet 3
On……………..….we had a guest speaker to our class.
Name of speaker……………………………………..
14
…..spoke about………………
The questions I asked were…………………………………
From this speaker I learned ……………………………………
My Community U4
Unit 5 Community Amenities/Resources
Worksheet 1
5 sports clubs in my area are……………………………….
3 clubs for U12’s are………………………………
3 clubs for U18’s are…………………………………
3 groups for adults are……………………………………..
My Community U5----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worksheet 2
To complete my leaflet on local organisations I loooked up facilities
for …………age group.
The 5 organisations I learned about are.
15
Name……… Day
Venue
Contact person
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
My Community U5
Worksheet 3
Tourism in My Area
Contact the tourism office/do a web search/look at local papers and
prepare a guide for tourists to one local place.
Give information on the history/cost/opening times and what you can
do there.
My Community U5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unit 6
Planning in My Area
Worksheet 1
The 6 steps to apply for planning permission to build a house are:
16
The cost of applying is:
The address I send my application to is ……………………..
The length of time I must wait for a reply is ………………..
My Community U6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worksheet 2
Zoning
Zoning means…………………………………..
The different types of zoning are………………………………………………
In my area land is zoned for…………………………………………………………….
Local people feel………………………about the zoning
because……………………………..
My Community U6
17