Second Grade Skokie Community Unit

developed by Mrs. Carol S. Gottlieb

copyright 1999

Goals and Objectives

Illinois Learning Standards: Social Studies Goal 14: Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States.

Standard B: Understand the structure and functions of the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

Benchmark 14 B1: Identify the different levels of government as local, state and regional.

Objective 1: Students will identify the political structure of Skokie.

Objective 2: Students will navigate web sites to learn new, interesting facts about Skokie.

Computer Functions

Students will use hyperlinks to reach identified web sites to use as resources.

Students will use the scroll bars to scroll up and down pages of a web site.

Students will use the "back" arrow to return to a previous screen.

Problem

A friend's family is thinking about moving to Skokie. As someone who lives in Skokie, you can tell them a lot about the village we live in, but you need some more information.

Data Manipulation

Students will read information from web sites.

Students will write answers to questions on a given worksheet.

Results Presentation

Students will use information they have written down to make a brochure about Skokie.

Activities Prior to Using the Computer

Students will click on hyperlinks to move from one web site to another. Students will use the scroll bar to scroll up and down a screen. Students will use the "back" arrow to go back to a previous screen.

Students will list information they know about Skokie. Students will develop a list of questions of information they would want to know if they were moving to Skokie.

Activities While At the Computer

In groups of three, students will work at the classroom computer. They will read the directions on the screen and will have a hard copy of the directions as well. Students will use hyperlinks to reach identified web sites to use as resources. Students will read information from web sites in order to write answers to questions on a given worksheet. To navigate through the web sites, students will use the scroll bars to scroll up and down pages of a web site. Students will also use the "back" arrow to return to a previous screen.

An Internet Treasure Hunt

First, read all of the directions.

You will go to two (2) different web sites to learn about Skokie. There are three jobs in each group. You will take turns.

1. Reader - You will read what is on the screen, out loud, to your group. Other group members should read along quietly.
2. Recorder - You will write down the answers to the questions on your worksheet.
3. Keyboarder - You will use the mouse and the keyboard. Remember, to move down to see more of the page on the screen you can use the down arrow or the scroll bar on the left side of the screen.

Follow these steps:

1. Keyboarders: To go to a web site, put the cursor in front of the blue words. These blues words are called a link.
2. When you are ready to go to a web site, left click two (2) times on the mouse. Wait! Then you will be at the right web site.
3. Readers will read the page on the screen out loud to the group. Other group members should read along quietly.
4. Recorders write down the answers to the questions for this web site.
5. When you have the answers you need, Keyboarders will click on the back arrow at the top of the screen. You will go back where you were. Now it is time to change jobs.

Follow these steps for each link.

The Village of Skokie

When you visit the Village of Skokie web site you will be able to find the answers to these questions:

• Who is the Mayor of Skokie?
• Who is the Village Manager of Skokie?

At "Community Profile" under "About the Village of Skokie" you will find the answers to these questions:

• What is the population of Skokie
• How many restaurants are there in Skokie?
• How many books are there in the Skokie Public Library?

1. Keyboarder: You are ready to go to a web site! Put the cursor in front of the blue words. Remember, this is called a link. Left click two times on the mouse. Wait! Then you will be at the right web site. Do it now! Village of Skokie
2. You are at the home page of the Village of Skokie. Reader and Recorder do your jobs!
3. When you have answered the first two (2) questions, Keyboarder: left click one time on "Community Profile" under "About the Village of Skokie." You will find information about population here. Then scroll down to "Food and Water" to find out about restaurants in Skokie. Then scroll down to "Library" to answer the next question. Reader will read the information on the screen. Recorder will write down the answer to each question.
4. When you have the answers you need, Keyboarder: click on the back arrow at the top of the screen two (2) times. You will be back at the screen with these directions.

Now it is time to switch jobs!

The Skokie Public Library

At this web site you will be looking for the titles of two (2) funny books we should borrow and read in our classroom.

1. Keyboarders: You are ready to go to the next web site! Put the cursor in front of the blue words. Remember, this is called a link. Left click two times on your mouse. Wait! Then you will be at the right web site. Do it now!   Skokie Public Library
2. You are at the home page for the Skokie Public Library. It looks the same as the postcard.
3. Keyboarders: Left click one time on "What's Here For Kids." Then left click one time on "Good Reads." Then left click one time on "Guaranteed to Make You Laugh Out Loud." Scroll down the page as the Reader reads the titles of the books.
4. Together, choose two (2) books we should borrow for our classroom.
5. Recorder, write down the titles and the authors of the two (2) books.
6. When you have the titles you need, Keyboarder click on the back arrow at the top of the screen four (4) times. You will be back at the screen with these directions.

Now it is time to switch jobs!

Back to the Village of Skokie

Back at the Village of Skokie web site, you will visit the " Kid's Corner" of the Police Department where you will be able to find the answers to these questions:

• Does Skokie have a police dog?
• What is its name?
• What is its job?

At the "Kid's Corner" of the Public Works Department you will be able to find the answers to these questions:

• How many miles of alley are there in Skokie?
• How many trees are there in Skokie?

1. Keyboarder: You are ready to go to the web site! Put the cursor in front of the blue words. Remember, this is called a link. Left click two times on your mouse. Wait! Then you will be at the right web site. Do it now! Village of Skokie
2. You are back at the home page of the Village of Skokie. Keyboarder: scroll down to the Police Department. Left click one time on this link. Now you are at the home page of the Police Department. Left click one time on "Kid's Corner" on the left of the screen, in the blue box. Scroll down to find the information you need to answer the questions.
3. Reader and Recorder do your jobs!
4. Keyboarder: go back to the Village of Skokie home page. To do this, at the bottom of the page find the little blue words that say "Back to Home ." Remember, blue words means this is a link! Left click on the link one time. Or click on the back arrow two (2) times. You should be back at the Village of Skokie home page.
5. Keyboarder: scroll down to Public Works. Left click on this link one time. Left click one time on "Kid's Corner" on the left of the screen, in the blue box. Scroll down the page unitl you find the information you need.
6. Reader and Recorder do your jobs!
7. Keyboarder: go back to the Village of Skokie home page. To do this, at the bottom of the page find the little blue letters that say "Back to Home ." Remember, blue words means this is a link! Left click on the link one time. Click on the back arrow until you get back to this page (about eight (8) times).

You are done! Great job!

After Computer Use

Students will review the answers from the Internet Ttreasure Hunt. Students will design a brochure that tells about Skokie, using some of the information from their Internet search. Students will write the information in complete sentences. Students will create illustrations that correspond to the text of the brochure.

Supporting Activities

While groups of students are working at the computer, other students will work in groups on these activities:

• Play a memory game reinforcing information about Skokie that includes the name of the mayor of Skokie, the names of the communities on Skokie's boarders, and Skokie's name before 1940.
• Read a teacher-made history about Skokie and write answers to questions related to the reading
• Play a board game that requires answering questions about Skokie in order to move across the game board

Evaluation

Teacher will observe computer work groups. Students will receive a + or - for cooperation.

Teacher will review student worksheets for completeness and accuracy.

Teacher will evaluate brochure using these criteria: following directions; accurate information; illustrations that correspond to the text of the brochure.