Unit Plan 8 (Grade 3 Social Studies): Sharing What We Learn

Focus: Create short oral or visual presentations to explain findings about our community, using evidence from sources and citing where information came from. Students turn the questions and information from earlier inquiry units into clear claims, simple explanations, and presentations (posters, slides, mini-speeches, or PSAs) that communicate what they learned and, when appropriate, suggest small actions to improve or care for the community.

Grade Level: 3

Subject Area: Social Studies (Inquiry/Skills)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students move from gathering and sorting information to sharing what they have learned. They practice turning facts and ideas about their classroom, school, or local community into short claims (“I think… because…”) supported by evidence from maps, photos, charts, and texts. Students learn to name or show their sources (title, author, or type of source) and to choose a presentation format—such as a poster, slide, or short oral report—that fits their message. By the end of the week, each student or group creates a brief Community Sharing Project that explains one finding about the community and suggests, if possible, one small action or idea for improvement.

Essential Questions

• How can we turn facts and information about our community into clear claims and explanations?
• Why is it important to use evidence and tell others where we got our information?
• What are some effective ways to share what we learn (posters, talks, slides, PSAs) so others can understand and care?
• How can our presentations help inform others and maybe even improve our classroom, school, or community?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Use gathered information about a community topic (from previous or current units) to write a simple claim and explanation.
2. Select at least two pieces of evidence (facts, details, or examples) from sources to support their claim.
3. Cite sources in simple ways (e.g., “According to the map…,” “In the article ‘Our Park,’ it says…”).
4. Plan and create a short oral or visual presentation (poster, slide, speech, PSA, or display card) that communicates what they learned.
5. Include, when appropriate, a simple action idea or suggestion based on their findings (e.g., “We should…” or “It might help if…”).
6. Practice speaking skills (clear voice, eye contact, staying on topic) and visual organization (titles, labels, pictures, bullet points).

Standards Alignment — 3rd Grade (C3-based custom)

• 3.C3.Inq.4 — Use evidence to make claims and explanations; cite source titles or authors.
  • Example: Write a claim about why a river is important, citing a map and a park sign.
• 3.C3.Inq.5 — Communicate conclusions and propose informed actions (posters, slides, letters, podcasts).
  • Example: Create a class PSA about crosswalk safety with two evidence-based reasons.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can write a claim or main idea about my community topic.
• I can choose evidence from sources and explain how it supports my claim.
• I can name my sources, like the title of a text or the type of map or chart I used.
• I can create a poster, slide, or short talk that clearly shows what I learned.
• I can share at least one idea or suggestion for our classroom, school, or community based on my findings.