SS Notebooking: Famous Americans

I am finally getting around to posting pictures of our Famous Americans unit. Today definitely left me with a headache as I came to the realization that I had a few girlfriend/boyfriend couples in my room. I had no idea that they were even there yet. Oh the knowledge that comes from reading passed notes! The drama that followed was unbearable, "We broke up yesterday but I know he still has feelings for me." WHAT?!?! However, after my "third graders are too young for boyfriends and girlfriends" spiel I did have some students say "ewww gross". So thankfully they're not all there yet!
Anywho back to social studies.....The way most of my lessons for the unit went were:
-Read page in text (This is their first year with a Social Studies textbook so they are super excited and love to look at all the glossy pictures!)
-Find definition/description of person on vocabulary sheet
-Brainstorm ideas for a brain picture to represent that person
-Independent or partner work in notebooks

Title Page & Table of Contents (This student loved to decorate every page!)

In the library pocket are famous American trading cards we made for every person we studied.

Trading Cards: Picture and name are on the front, 3 facts are on the back

Vocabulary/Brain Picture Page & KWL

George Washington CLOZE activity (we did this before reading)

3-2-1: 3 things I learned, 2 thing I found interesting, 1 question I have

Thomas Jefferson booklet and acrostic poem

Inside the Thomas Jefferson booklet

Lincoln Blanks-Fill-In, Campaign Poster

Rosa Parks Newspaper Article (The students wrote as if they were on the bus with her and were writing a column for the next day's paper.),

Interview with Thurgood Marshall (The students had to come up with 4 thick questions and answer them as they think Marshall would have.)

Movie Strip from MLK Jr.'s life,

5W (who, what, when, where, why) for Cesar Chavez

Holiday Grid, NB Rubric

The students and  I really had fun with this unit. I can't wait to teach it again next year so I can tweak and improve the unit.

Book Spotlight: Martin's Big Words

I recently read Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport to my third graders and they LOVED it. Martin Luther King Jr. is a famous American that third graders in VA must learn about. After have discussed MLK Jr. for weeks and read many books about him I was surprised to see my students so engaged as I read this book. This illustrations in the book (by Bryan Collier) are phenomenal and after I finished reading the book the students keep asking to borrow it throughout the day to reread it and study the illustrations.

The book tells the story of Martin's life from childhood through his death. Each page has one of his quotes (that applies to the text on that page) in big colored letters. A couple pages into the book I stopped to explain to my students that the big words (as hinted by the title) are words that MLK Jr. actually said, that is why they are in quotation marks. Once I made this connection for my kiddos the light bulb turned on and they thought the connection was so cool.

I highly recommend you check this book out! Your kiddos will love it and it has received awards as a Caldecott Medal Honor Book, ALA Notable Children's Book, and of course a Coretta Scott King Award Honor Book. (This book has won many other awards as well!) Enjoy!