Case Study - Peggy Dunn

Pre-videotaping reflection:

I have never felt that I do a good job of planning for and teaching Social Studies. I comforted myself with the knowledge that, at lower Elementary where children are first learning how to be "civil beings", nearly every aspect of the curriculum is inherently "Social Studies". It was always what I put into my plans last, after I had included lots of Reading and Technology and Science--what I really enjoyed teaching. I am quite sure I was asked to be part of the Civics on Line Advisory group because of my experience and expertise with using computers and the internet in my lower elementary classroom, not for my credentials as a Social Studies teacher. But I have felt the recent pressure and responsibility to be more intentional about my Social Studies curriculum and specifically inclusion of the Core Democratic Values. I felt that taking part in the advisory group would force me to take a closer look at what and how I was teaching the Values. When we were asked to consider taking part as a Case Study for the Civics On Line site I realized that this would be the perfect impetus to make me plan intentionally for how I would teach the two values that the Okemos District requires of second grade curriculum--Equality and Diversity. I was also excited about making use of the Social Studies Framework to include in my lessons some of the standards, goals and objectives. And so I invited Rodney to come and videotape my Activity Centers which I would build around the theme of The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior and what we can learn from him and his life about Equality and Diversity.