Municipal
Market
Grades: 3-6
Subject: Social Studies
Estimated Time of Completion: Seven 50 minute class
sessions
I. Summary
II. Objectives
III. Materials Needed
IV. Procedure
V. Classroom Assessment
VI. Extensions and Adaptations
VII. Relevant Standards
I. Unit Description
The stated learning gap
was identifying levels of government and learning and
retaining new and specialized vocabulary. Using the
familiar neighborhood grocery this set of lessons
demonstrates my sixth grade students’ awareness of
municipal services. Critical to the success of this unit
is the basic understanding gained by playing the PBS
interactive game, How Does Government Affect me? This game and other use of the
Internet will give students
opportunities to use Internet in my class to research
topics.This unit
fits the social studies content standards:
Students will understand and be able to explain the
purposes and structure of governments with an emphasis on
constitutional governments. Students will be able to
explain the extent to which Americans have incorporated
the principles of the Constitution into their daily
lives. Students will gain knowledge, skills, and
attitudes necessary to become contributing citizens in
our participatory democracy. It also addresses the
reading content standard:
The student will develop the reading skills necessary for
word recognition, comprehension, interpretation,
analysis, evaluation, and appreciation of the written
text. Students will create a market with aisles,
checkouts, and manager’s office that showcase
community services provided by local government. The
procedures and culminating activities of this unit will
help my students spot the important
facts, concepts and vocabulary when they are learning
something new. My students can connect what they learn in
school to what they do outside of school. My students
will understand how they can best demonstrate what they
know about topics through the development of their
store..
II. Objectives
v Students will identify how
government affects their everyday life.
v Students will identify
citizen’s need for government.
v Students will increase their
knowledge base about the workings of local government
and politics.
v Students will use political
terms and increase understanding of their meanings.
v Students will improve writing
and communication skills.
v Students will recognize
members of the local government and the services they
provide.
v Students will work
cooperatively to achieve tasks.
v Students will creatively
express their ideas through the arts.
III. Materials Needed
v Computers
v Internet Access
v Classroom, Work Area, and /or
Display Area
v White Board or Chalk Board
v Empty Cereal Boxes
v Masking Tape
v Grocery Sacks or Trash Bags
v Glue
v Cash Register Paper (New and
Used)
v Newsprint
v Crayons, Markers, or Coloring
Pencils
v Construction Paper
v A Penny for Your Thoughts Worksheet
v Roll of Pennies
v Crepe Paper (Optional)
v Store Sale Tags (optional)
v Store Displays (optional)
IV. Procedures
1. (Estimated time:
50 minutes) Distribute grocery store sales circulars.
Discussion: What products are advertised? How do
those products fit the needs of the consumer? Apply
this discussion to how citizens have needs that
government fulfils. These needs are met at the local,
state, and national level. Explain that students will
be completing activities that will show their
knowledge about how local government provides
services to fill the citizens’ needs. They will
set up a pretend grocery store that shows the
function and organization of the local government.
Divide students into six groups. Randomly select
students by using a grocery sack with student names
written on cash register receipts. Classroom or work
area should be divided into four aisles, a
manger’s office, and a checkout area. Groups
will rotate through the work zone to complete all
activities.
2. (Estimated time:
50 minutes) Play the interactive game, How Does Government Affect
Me? Discussion
should follow to further relate game to the
children’s locale.
3. (Estimated time:
Three to four 50 minute class sessions) Student
groups begin rotating through area to complete
activities.
AISLE 1: Schools and
Libraries
Students will make paper
cut outs of deli sandwiches. Each layer will be labeled
with services that relate to public education and media
services provided by local government.
AISLE 2: Parks and
Recreation
Empty cereal boxes will
be redesigned to reflect leisure activities provided by
these departments.
AISLE 3: Sanitation
and Roads
(Two activities) Trash
bag creatures will be constructed using recyclable
materials. Shopping cart drawings will be given the
""NASCAR" look with decals to advertise
services of this area.
AISLE 4: Police and
Justice Department
This aisle will feature
student-designed coupons for the services citizens need
from these branches of government.
MANAGER’S
OFFICE:
(Three activities) Make
manager’s special sale tags for entire store. Write
store announcements that highlight the store’s
products. Create a list of "store" (community
helpers) employees, jobs, and salaries.
CHECK-OUT:
(Three activities)
Complete a worksheet called A Penny for Your Thoughts showing what can be learned
about government from a penny. (See
reproducible Penny Worksheet and Answer Key) Complete design of money to use
in the store that depicts elements of local government.
This site might be useful for examples of
student-designed money http://www.pbs.org/newshour/on2/design.html. Complete online math activities
about taxes at http://www.econedlink.org/minute/teacher/T991125.html.
4. (Culminating
Activity: One 50 minute class) Grand Opening of
Municipal Market! Invite another class, group, or
civic organization to tour your store. Make manager
announcements and position class members as tour
guides.
V. Classroom Assessment:
v Teacher checklist of
completed tasks.
v One point deduction from
participation grade of 100 for each occurrence of
individual’s off-task behavior during group
work.
v Teacher evaluation of overall
appearance of store items.
v Student able to list local
government services.
v Teacher evaluation of online
math activities and penny worksheet.
VI.
Extensions and Adaptations
v Write store jingle for
commercial.
v Figure a store (town) budget.
v Interview local government
leaders.
v Hold a community helpers day.
v Make store sale circular.
v Take a city field trip and
make a flow chart of government leaders and services.
Use this site for ideas http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst99.txt
VII. Relevant National Standards
From McREL
http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/docs/contents.html
Social
Studies
Purpose, Structure, and
Function of Different Levels of Government
v Knows the major things
government do in one’s school, community, state,
and nation(e.g., make, carry out, and enforce laws;
manage conflicts; provide national security)
v Knows how to distinguish
among national, state, and local governments
v Knows major services provided
by national, state, and local governments (e.g.,
state services such as education and health services
and local services such as transportation, education,
recreation, public safety, public utilities), and
knows how these services are paid for(e.g., taxes,
fees, licenses)
v Knows how state and local
government officials are chosen(i.e., by election or
appointment)
Citizen Involvement
v Knows the fundamental
principles of American democracy (e.g., the people
are sovereign; the power of government is limited by
law; people exercise their authority directly through
voting; people exercise their authority indirectly
through elected representatives)
v Knows how people can
participate in their state and local government
(e.g., being informed, taking part in discussing
issues, voting, volunteering their time, and
understands why it is important that people
participate in their state and local government
(e.g., improve the quality of life in their
community, gain personal satisfaction, prevent
officials from abusing power)
Civics Standards: What
is Government and What Should it Do?
v Understands ideas about civic
life, politics, and government
v Understands the importance of
political leadership, public service, and a
knowledgeable citizenry in American constitutional
democracy
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