Chelsea+Lupenec

=__a.) Overview: __=

-As educators it is important to understand how poverty affects the educational school systems and how to identify the major problems stemming from this issue. In order for our students to be successful, we must be aware of their perspectives and teach them how to be successful in school and the future. Before trying to understand poverty, it is important to consider that there are two definitions of poverty; generational poverty is defined as being in poverty for two generations or longer, situational poverty is being in poverty a shorter time and caused by certain circumstances. Many times, poverty is only viewed as being a financial issue only. However, these financial issues do not show how these differences will affect an individual’s success, if they do end up leaving or staying in poverty. Educators must learn what resources to use such as, the physical resources, support systems, spiritual resources, emotional resources, and most importantly by using teachers as the role model resource. Poverty is caused by interrelated factors: parental employment status and earnings, family structure, and parental education (Five Million Children, 1992). According to Renchler, the two most important ways to help a person move out of poverty are relationships and education.

 In this unit plan, teachers will be able to educate their students on the issues of poverty. Many times, students are ignorant toward poverty because they never had to experience it. Through this unit, students will be able to not only research poverty but also investigate their own questions towards poverty, placing themselves in a less fortunate social-economical situation, and will also be able to make a difference in their final assessment.

Sources used in Overview:


 * Einbinder, Susan D. (1993). Five Million Children: 1993 Update. New York, NY: National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University.
 * Renchler, Ron. (1993). Poverty and Learning. ERIC Digest. Number 83. Eugene, OR: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management.


 * __b.) Learning Objectives: __**
 * Students will organize their thoughts and feelings about how money influences our lives.
 * Students will reflect their thoughts and feelings about the true meaning to life without money. The objective is for students to understand that the most important things in life aren’t materialistic objects, etc.
 * Students will discover that poverty is very present.
 * Students will view two videos and participate in a discussion about the people living in poverty in the United States
 * Students will learn about the programs that are currently fighting poverty and make use of these programs.
 * Students will use other ways to show their understanding of poverty through visual aids, technology, and art.
 * Students will gain experience in their own community.
 * Students will show empathy for less fortunate citizens.
 * Students will understand the controversies behind poverty.
 * Students will participate in class by showing their new knowledge on poverty.
 * Students will read fictional novels that show examples of poverty.
 * Students will reflect and display their understanding of poverty using the novels.
 * Students will work will peers to learn more about poverty.
 * Students will have a socio-economical experience.
 * Students will practice their writing skills. As well as peer editing, drafting, and revising.
 * Students will learn more advanced vocabulary through their research.
 * Students will conduct their own research and investigate their own questions.
 * Students present findings on the causes of, effects of and possible solutions for poverty
 * Students will learn the effects of poverty.

__**c.) Poverty Unit- Recommended Week Outline: **__ 1. Go to computer lab, show Poverty: Data Across States and Gallup. Demonstrate how to use both. 2. Students will get in groups of 4 and complete the "Internet Hunt for Poverty" (Go to description for more detail) 3. Student's will record their group findings on Wikispace || __**Monday: **__ 1. Give 25 min reading time. 2. "Write a Letter" to the author assignment. (Go to description for more detail) 3. Assign "Changing Perspectives" assignment. (Go to description for more detail)
 * =Week 1- = || =Week 2- = || =Week 3- = || =<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Week 4- = ||
 * __**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Monday: **__
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Free write on "What Money Means to You?"
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Share with one peer on free write.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Group discussion over free write.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">//HOMEWORK:// Go home to a parent, sibling, or friend outside of class and ask them "What Money means to him/her?". Record their response. || __**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Monday: **__

//<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">4. Homework: //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Read for at least 30 minutes. + "Changing Perspectives assignment." || __**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Monday: **__ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Show the website Half in Ten <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. Show the YouTube video "United Way: Statisticks" <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">3. Assign final assessment project: "Making a Change in Poverty" (Go to description for more detail) || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Students will get in groups and present what their group found during the "Internet Hunt for Poverty" <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. Handout out "Key Point's to Poverty" from resource: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">3. Each student will choose one book to read from the "Fiction List" (go to resources). <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">4. Hand out books to students. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">5. Give 25 minutes of reading time. || **__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Wednesday: __** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Present "Changing Perspectives" assignment in class. (In a group circle) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. 30 minutes of reading time. || **__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Wednesday: __** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Get with a peer and discuss their final assessment project. (Teacher should try to reach out to every pair to discuss project ideas). <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. Begin final assessment project. (Give 2-3 weeks to complete) || <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">1.) Internet Hunt for Poverty: <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Materials: Computer lab <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Put students in groups of 4 and demonstrate how the internet can serve as a significant resource in finding research. Show the website, Poverty: Data Across States and show examples of how to use it. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">-Hand out worksheet to each group: <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">-Have each post their research on Wikispaces
 * **__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Wednesday: __**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Free write on "What Money Can't Buy."
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Share with one peer on free write.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Group discussion over free write.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Show YouTube video: "Waging a Living: Working Poor in America"
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Discuss the importance of poverty awareness.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">//HOMEWORK:// Go home to a parent, sibling, or friend outside of class and ask them to answer "What can money not buy you in life?" || **__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Wednesday: __**
 * __<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">d.) Descriptions: __**

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">2.) Write a Letter to Author: <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Materials: Fiction book, paper, pencil. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Now that students have a better idea on the issue of poverty, students will take what they have read from their chosen fiction book and write a mock letter to the Author. This letter is open to multiple ideas, issues, and concepts. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Suggestions: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1.) How the issue of poverty is presented in the book. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2.) How the issues of poverty is unrealistic in the book. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">3.) How the main character should/shouldn't handle certain events, tasks, issues, etc. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">4.) Suggestions for the book to make a more realistic perspective. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">5.) Likes/dislikes over the book. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">6.) Focus on certain chapters, ex. "this chapter should have ended like...", "this chapter was terrible because...", "this chapter showed true struggle because..."

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">**Reminder**: The purpose of this assignment is to encourage deep reflection over their new knowledge on poverty and to compare/contrast that knowledge to their book. Being said, let the students have a wide range/ free choice over their topic.

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">3.) Changing Perspectives: //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">Student's will have the choice: // <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">1. Present their project from the perspective of their main character/any character in their book. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">2. Create a new character who lives in poverty. //__-<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">The Assignment: __// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Write a poem/narrative <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. Create a visual presentation of the chapter. Using paint, magazines, drawing, markers, clay, and ETC. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">3. OR- Use any of these genres if you'd like!

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">4.) Making a Change in Poverty: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">-Using these resources: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">-Students will get involved with their community by investigating their own search to get involved. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">-Along with participating with one these websites, the student must use a multi-genre presentation for their book they read during the unit. (Project should be due within 2-3 weeks). <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">-Students may have the option to participate with a partner or alone. However, their book must be done alone.

__**<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">e.) Standards Used: **__



__**<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">f.) Resources: **__

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Book List for Students: __


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Hassman, Tupelo. Girlchild. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. Print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Markandaya, Kamala. Nectar in a sieve: a novel. New York, N.Y.: J. Day Co., 1954. Print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Muller, Herta, and Philip Boehm. The hunger angel: a novel. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2012. Print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Steinbeck, John. The grapes of wrath. Repr. ed. Harmondsworth [u.a.: Penguin Books [u.a.], 1967. Print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Walker, Alice. The color purple: a novel. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982. Print.

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Book List for Teachers: __


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Banerjee, Abhijit V., Roland Benabou, and Dilip Mookherjee. Understanding poverty. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Jensen, Eric. Teaching with poverty in mind what being poor does to kids' brains and what schools can do about it. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2009. Print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Neuman, Susan B.. Educating the other America: top experts tackle poverty, literacy, and achievement in our schools. Baltimore, Md.: Paul H. Brookes Pub. Co., 2008. Print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Payne, Ruby K.. A framework for understanding poverty. 4th rev. ed. Highlands, Tex.: aha! Process, 2005. Print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Romano, Rosalie M., and Catherine H. Glascock. Hungry minds in hard times: educating for complexity for students of poverty. New York: P. Lang, 2002. Print.

__Website Sources__:

__Understanding Poverty-Key Points hand out: __

__<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">*CONTACT: __ //<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">For questions or more information on this unit plan, please contact Chelsea Lupenec. // //<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">E-mail: chelsea.b.lupenec@wmich.edu //