Reducing Behavior Problems in the
Elementary School Classroom
Recommendation 5:
Assess Whether School-Wide
Behavior Problems
Warrant Adopting School-Wide
Strategies or Programs
Classroom teachers, in coordination with other school personnel (such as administrators, grade-level teams, and special educators), can benefit from adopting a school-wide approach to preventing problem behaviors and increasing positive social interactions among students and with school staff. This type of systemic approach requires a shared responsibility on the part of all school personnel, particularly the administrators who establish and support consistent school-wide practices and the teachers who implement these practices both in their individual classrooms and beyond.
Level of evidence: Moderate
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BRIEF SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION
Currently, more than 7,400 schools nationwide are implementing school-wide behavior supports.(109) Although these practices vary with the nature of the problems schools experience and the specific needs of their students, the core of many of school-wide programs consists of a commitment and ongoing collaboration between administrators, teachers, other school personnel, and families and a systems-level approach focused on teaching positive social behaviors rather than using punitive tactics for disciplinary infractions. These two components were apparent in the six studies that explored school-wide approaches to reducing negative behaviors and improving social outcomes.(110)
One quasi-experimental study examined the effects of school-wide reform measures that restructured and reorganized the use of school time and space in an effort to increase students' in-school and school-family interactions, as a way to promote positive academic and behavioral outcomes.(111) The numerous changes in organizational and educational practices included establishing a building-level steering committee to support the implementation of the school-wide approach, mainstreaming students with learning disabilities into regular education classrooms, increasing peer coaching and collaborative opportunities for teachers, and providing new academic curricula that promoted positive social values. Results of the impact of these changes on behavioral outcomes revealed an increase in the number of student social relationships, which authors interpreted as suggesting that the school-wide approach had a positive impact on students' social competence.
Several of the studies exploring school-wide approaches evaluated curriculum-based programs, designed to be implemented by teachers in all classrooms throughout the School (112) (see recommendation 3 for additional information on classroom-based intervention programs). Additionally, one school level program addressed behavior problems that occurred outside the classroom.(113) The findings from this single-subject study revealed that a peer mediation program effectively reduced aggressive behavior on school playgrounds.
HOW TO CARRY OUT THE RECOMMENDATION
1. Address school-wide behavior issues by involving a school improvement team.
Building-level steering or advisory committees can provide valuable input on the design and implementation of school-wide behavior practices.(114) Accordingly, we recommend that school principals charge a newly-formed or existing school improvement team with considering prevention and intervention strategies to address school-wide behavior issues. A typical team should be comprised of an administrator, a teacher from each grade level, and a representative of the school support staff. It also could benefit from a behavioral expert, such as a school psychologist or counselor, and representation from a parent group.
The school improvement team has several responsibilities. Initially, its role is to assess the existing school-wide discipline program or, if one does not exist, conduct a needs assessment that addresses specific behavior problems experienced throughout the school. Next, the team should develop an action plan involving school-wide discipline policies and procedures that are positively stated and based on high behavioral expectations and present their plan in an effort to garner the support and commitment of the entire school staff. When the practices have been implemented throughout the school, the team will play an important role in monitoring the progress of the school-wide approach by meeting regularly to review and update the action plan as needed, in an effort to ensure the sustainability of these practices in the school.
Although school principals must allocate time and support for this team, teachers also play a key role in the success of a school-wide approach. They have knowledge of and influence on their students' behaviors, which enables them to provide information necessary to develop and implement school-wide behavior practices, making their active participation on the team essential.
2. Collect information on the hot spots throughout the school -- namely, the frequency of particular school-wide behavior problems and when and where they occur.
To determine the most effective approach to address school-wide behavior concerns, the school improvement team needs to assess systematically where and when behavioral hot spots are apparent in the school. Hot spots often are areas where large groups of students gather with little supervision and no structured activities, such as hallways, bathrooms, the cafeteria, and the playground. Similarly, behavior problems are most likely to arise before or after school, during lunch, or at recess, when students congregate without structured activities or much adult supervision. These hot spots can be identified in a number of ways:
- Completing teacher surveys that provide general impressions of hot spots around teachers' classrooms and in other areas of the school (for example, the bathrooms closest to their classrooms).
- Allotting time during staff meetings to discuss school-wide behavior problems and identify specific times and locations when those behavior problems most often occur.
- Organizing teachers and other school personnel in charge of common areas, such as cafeteria and school yard staff, to observe and document behavior problems throughout the school.
- Collecting and analyzing office referral data.
Understanding when and where these hot spots arise is essential when developing and implementing a school-wide approach. However, even if school-wide systems are not in place, teachers can identify and monitor hot spots outside their classrooms and develop and implement strategies to overcome behavior problems in these areas (for example, revisit classroom behavioral expectations or use positive and negative consequences to reinforce positive behavior). Disruptions outside the classroom often can carry over and disrupt learning within it. Additionally, successful classroom management can rapidly deteriorate when students exit the classroom and encounter these hot spots, making it difficult to reestablish positive behavior when they return to the classroom. Thus, teachers can increase their ability to maintain positive behaviors in the classroom by recognizing and reacting effectively to behavior problems that ensue throughout the school.
3. Monitor implementation and outcomes using an efficient method of data collection and allow ample time for the program to work.
Changes made school-wide might initially result in seemingly imperceptible changes to student behavior, seen only through patterns that emerge from data. Thus, we believe that ongoing documentation of student behavior is fundamental to this recommendation. School improvement teams need behavior-related data to establish baseline behavior characteristics that help them appropriately identify and address the major behavior concerns within the school. Regular monitoring is then necessary to determine whether the programs and strategies implemented are successfully reducing the targeted behavior problems and maintaining positive behaviors. If not, the data can determine what elements of the program need to be revisited or revised.(115)
There are numerous sources of information that can inform school personnel about patterns of school-wide student behavior. For instance, office discipline referrals can be a useful source of data, as studies have shown that they are both sensitive to the general behavioral climate of the school and an accurate index of the effectiveness of behavioral interventions.(116, 117) To ensure that an effort to collect office discipline referral and other data is sustainable over time, data collection methods should follow several core principles. Namely, data collection systems should be:
- Efficient. For data collection techniques to be implemented widely and continuously, they should be easily learned and quickly administered. Efficient data collection techniques can range from simple procedures, such as tally marks for observed behavior problems on notepads carried by teachers, to more complex procedures, such as computerized data collection systems that automatically record office discipline referrals.
- Timely. A response to a reported behavior problem is most effective when it is administered soon after the behavior has occurred. Thus, data collection systems should incorporate strategies to promptly relay relevant information to all appropriate people (teachers, support staff, or parents) in order to provide a swift response to the child's actions. For example, if a student exhibits aggressive behavior during recess, a system should be in place to report this behavior to the student's teacher before the students reenter the classroom and to the student's family on the day the behavior problem occurs.
- Meaningful. A "less is more" approach to data collection often is more effective than attempting to collect a large amount of information that may become frustrating to digest and difficult to interpret. Data collection systems should focus on the few elements that are most valuable to the school (such as the frequency of occurrence of a behavior that is the focus of a school-wide intervention program), and consistently monitor those elements throughout the school year.
To augment information generated through a school-wide data collection system, teachers have an ideal vantage point to witness specific behavior incidents as they arise and provide informal, yet essential, data on students' behavior. By situating themselves in areas where problem behaviors are readily observed, teachers can document information about the specific behavior problems witnessed and report on the immediate results of any actions administered.(118)
No matter how effective a school-wide intervention strategy ultimately is, it might take several months or more before a school-wide behavioral intervention generates significant changes in problem behaviors school-wide. For example, the violence prevention curriculum used in the study by Grossman and others (1997) was taught in 30 lessons, given once or twice a week. The positive behavioral effects found in this and other experimental studies of school-wide programs cannot be expected to become evident until after completion of the entire curriculum or intervention or toward the end of the school year. Broader reform efforts can take even longer to reach fruition.
4. If warranted, adopt a packaged intervention program that fits well with identified behavior problem(s) and the school context.
As the school improvement team develops its action plan for a school-wide behavior program, it might find that the best approach to address the school's behavior issues is through one or more packaged intervention programs implemented school-wide. Many such programs contain the fundamental components needed to respond to a variety of behavior problems. For example, evidence-based interventions, such as Second Step(119) and Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies,(120) provide classroom-based curricula consisting of specific lessons aimed at increasing prosocial behaviors in students. However, to ensure that these programs will be implemented with fidelity and work effectively, the school improvement team should consider the appropriateness of a program, given the unique characteristics and capacities of the school. Some questions that may assist the team when selecting an intervention program are:
- What are the types of behaviors we want to promote in our school and what are some specific behaviors we want to reduce or eliminate? For example, do we want our students to develop social skills with peers and adults? Is bullying a problem that needs to be addressed?
- Is our school willing and able to spend money and other resources, such as time for training all teachers on the intervention procedures, to implement a packaged intervention program to address particular problem behaviors?
- Are we looking for an intervention that is administered by outside consultants or do we prefer to train existing school personnel?
- What are the unique features of our school (such as, size, geographic location, culture, and composition of staff and students), and how will the intervention fit these features? For example, if a school has a large percentage of bilingual students, can an English language intervention be modified to accommodate all students?
- What do our observations tell us? For instance, are there certain student populations, such as older students, that are particularly prone to behavior problems and that could benefit from specific interventions?
- How will an intervention fit into our current school schedule and curriculum? For example, are we willing to take time away from academic instruction to invest in a rigorous, year-long behavior curriculum or would a less intensive intervention that can be easily incorporated into our existing schedule better fit our school's needs?
To respond to these queries, the principal should be either a member of the school improvement team or readily available to meet and discuss these issues as the team develops its action plan. In addition, the school improvement team would benefit from broader input of other teachers and other school personnel, either through surveys or discussions during staff meetings. By addressing these types of questions, the team can tailor packaged intervention programs to fit within the school context, thereby increasing the chances that they will be readily implemented and sustained.
POTENTIAL ROADBLOCKS AND SOLUTIONS
Roadblock 5.1
"There's no school-wide system at my school, and it doesn't seem possible for me to change behavior problems outside my classroom."
Many teachers work in schools that do not have school-wide systems in place or administrators willing to consider implementing such a program. Consequently, these teachers feel stymied when it comes to applying disciplinary practices outside their classroom.
Suggested Approach
The panel believes that a school-wide approach to behavior issues is both feasible and advisable for many schools. Consequently, this recommendation encourages a sense of shared responsibility between teachers and administrators when supporting a school-wide approach to behavior management and support. However, for teachers in schools that do not plan to develop a school-wide system to address students' behavior, some of the implementation guidelines provide specific tasks that teachers can accomplish on their own. For example, teachers might notice that a few students often return from lunchtime with increased behavior problems. By stepping out of the classroom and informally observing lunchtime activities, they can identify the cafeteria as a hot spot where behavior problems tend to erupt and where increased adult supervision could improve the situation. They then could inform these students that they will continue to monitor their behavior in the cafeteria and that consequences will be administered in the classroom for those who misbehave and rewards will be provided to those who exhibit positive behaviors.
Roadblock 5.2
"It's too costly and burdensome to purchase and implement an intervention program or to maintain a data collection system."
Considerable time, energy, and cost can be involved in purchasing and implementing a packaged intervention program, an investment that can yield little benefit if school personnel do not know how to use the information appropriately.
Suggested Approach
Although the panel encourages all schools to consider a school-wide approach when addressing student behavior issues, whether that approach includes the implementation of a packaged intervention program depends on the particular needs of the individual schools. Finances and time are some concerns that the school improvement team should address when formulating their action plan. If the team decides that a packaged program is warranted, they should consider the questions posed in step 4 with input from administrators and other school personnel to determine the best fit for their school.
For teams that do not believe they have the finances or time to implement a formal data collection system, it is still possible to produce and analyze valuable information for decision-making and evaluation purposes as long as the general principles of data collection (efficient, timely, and meaningful) are applied. Teachers can play a vital role as both data collectors and analysts by observing student behavior in everyday situations (for example, monitoring the hallways during transition periods) and consistently documenting these observations. In doing so, teachers can make an important contribution to understanding patterns of problem behavior, and in turn, provide valuable input into formulating an intervention to manage these specific behavior issues.
Roadblock 5.3
"Nothing will work in our school. Our demographics and setting are too unique and challenging."
Administrators and teachers may feel it is too difficult to introduce a school-wide system, train people, and implement this system with fidelity.
Suggested Approach
When considering an approach to improving the behavioral climate of an entire school, the critical first step is to generate acceptance and active participation from all school personnel. It has been suggested that a commitment secured from at least 80 percent of the school staff is necessary to proceed with this approach.(121) To obtain this level of acceptance, school administrators must show enthusiasm for and commitment to establishing the structures and processes needed to change the behavioral climate of the school. In addition, administrators can proactively solicit input on concerns teachers and other personnel might have with a school-wide approach and engage staff in developing strategies to address them.
Some specific concerns might be teachers' belief that their only responsibility is to teach academic content, that implementing this approach will take time that should be invested in achieving academic goals, or that discipline policy and practices that emphasize positive reinforcement rather than punitive measures are ineffective.(122) Administrators can respond by emphasizing the fact that the school-wide approach is comprised of evidence-based practices and providing the evidence that addresses the concerns. This strategy has been applied successfully in a wide variety of school settings with a wide range of school populations.
Go to
Appendix A:
Postscript from the Institute of Education Sciences:
What Is a Practice Guide?
Footnotes
106. Stevens and Slavin (1995).
107. Conduct Problems Prevention Group (1999); Frey et al. (2005); Grossman et al. (1997); Ialongo et al. (1999).
108. Cunningham et al. (1998).
109. Bradley et al. (2007).
110. There is a growing body of literature that supports school-wide approaches to address student behavior. The panel recommends that readers consult the Office of Special Education Program's Positive Behavioral and Intervention Support Web site (https://www.pbis.org/research) for a list of current studies pertaining to school-wide positive behavior support.
111. Stevens and Slavin (1995).
112. Conduct Problems Prevention Group (1999); Frey et al. (2005); Grossman et al. (1997); Ialongo et al. (1999).
113. Cunningham et al. (1998).
114. Nelson (1996a); Stevens and Slavin (2005).
115. Scott and Barrett (2004).
116. Irvin, Tobin, Sprague, Sugai, and Vincent (2004).
117. The panel acknowledges that office discipline referrals are influenced by teacher judgment. Consequently, office discipline referral may be considered a measure of teacher behavior as well as student outcomes. Outcome monitoring that identifies the changes in student responses to interventions would provide a more accurate measure of program effectiveness.
118. See roadblock 5.2 for additional suggestions about teacher roles in data collection.
119. Frey et al. (2005); Grossman et al. (1997).
120. Conduct Problems Prevention Group (1999).
121. See the OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports for a description of the components of an effective comprehensive school-wide system, available at https://www.pbis.org/school.
122. McKevitt and Braaksma (2004).
Source: U.S. Department of Education; last accessed on 07/06/2009 at
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practiceguides/behavior_pg_092308.pdf
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You've reached the end of another grading period, and what could be more daunting than the task of composing insightful, original, and unique comments about every child in your class? The following positive statements will help you tailor your comments to specific children and highlight their strengths.
You can also use our statements to indicate a need for improvement. Turn the words around a bit, and you will transform each into a goal for a child to work toward. Sam cooperates consistently with others becomes Sam needs to cooperate more consistently with others, and Sally uses vivid language in writing may instead read With practice, Sally will learn to use vivid language in her writing. Make Jan seeks new challenges into a request for parental support by changing it to read Please encourage Jan to seek new challenges.
Whether you are tweaking statements from this page or creating original ones, check out our Report Card Thesaurus [see bottom of the page] that contains a list of appropriate adjectives and adverbs. There you will find the right words to keep your comments fresh and accurate.
We have organized our 125 report card comments by category. Read the entire list or click one of the category links below to jump to that list.
AttitudeBehaviorCharacterCommunication SkillsGroup WorkInterests and TalentsParticipationSocial SkillsTime ManagementWork Habits
Attitude
The student:
is an enthusiastic learner who seems to enjoy school.
exhibits a positive outlook and attitude in the classroom.
appears well rested and ready for each day's activities.
shows enthusiasm for classroom activities.
shows initiative and looks for new ways to get involved.
uses instincts to deal with matters independently and in a positive way.
strives to reach their full potential.
is committed to doing their best.
seeks new challenges.
takes responsibility for their learning.
Behavior
The student:
cooperates consistently with the teacher and other students.
transitions easily between classroom activities without distraction.
is courteous and shows good manners in the classroom.
follows classroom rules.
conducts themselves with maturity.
responds appropriately when corrected.
remains focused on the activity at hand.
resists the urge to be distracted by other students.
is kind and helpful to everyone in the classroom.
sets an example of excellence in behavior and cooperation.
Character
The student:
shows respect for teachers and peers.
treats school property and the belongings of others with care and respect.
is honest and trustworthy in dealings with others.
displays good citizenship by assisting other students.
joins in school community projects.
is concerned about the feelings of peers.
faithfully performs classroom tasks.
can be depended on to do what they are asked to do.
seeks responsibilities and follows through.
is thoughtful in interactions with others.
is kind, respectful and helpful when interacting with his/her peers
is respectful of other students in our classroom and the school community
demonstrates responsibility daily by caring for the materials in our classroom carefully and thoughtfully
takes his/her classroom jobs seriously and demonstrates responsibility when completing them
is always honest and can be counted on to recount information when asked
is considerate when interacting with his/her teachers
demonstrates his/her manners on a daily basis and is always respectful
has incredible self-discipline and always gets his/her work done in a timely manner
can be counted on to be one of the first students to begin working on the task that is given
perseveres when faced with difficulty by asking questions and trying his/her best
does not give up when facing a task that is difficult and always does his/her best
is such a caring boy/girl and demonstrates concern for his/her peers
demonstrates his/her caring nature when helping his/her peers when they need the assistance
is a model citizen in our classroom
is demonstrates his/her citizenship in our classroom by helping to keep it clean and taking care of the materials in it
can always be counted on to cooperate with his/her peers
is able to cooperate and work well with any of the other students in the class
is exceptionally organized and takes care of his/her things
is always enthusiastic when completing his/her work
is agreeable and polite when working with others
is thoughtful and kind in his/her interactions with others
is creative when problem solving
is very hardworking and always completes all of his/her work
is patient and kind when working with his/her peers who need extra assistance
trustworthy and can always be counted on to step in and help where needed
Communication Skills
The student:
has a well-developed vocabulary.
chooses words with care.
expresses ideas clearly, both verbally and through writing.
has a vibrant imagination and excels in creative writing.
has found their voice through poetry writing.
uses vivid language in writing.
writes clearly and with purpose.
writes with depth and insight.
can make a logical and persuasive argument.
listens to the comments and ideas of others without interrupting.
Group Work
The student:
offers constructive suggestions to peers to enhance their work.
accepts the recommendations of peers and acts on them when appropriate.
is sensitive to the thoughts and opinions of others in the group.
takes on various roles in the work group as needed or assigned.
welcomes leadership roles in groups.
shows fairness in distributing group tasks.
plans and carries out group activities carefully.
works democratically with peers.
encourages other members of the group.
helps to keep the work group focused and on task.
Interests and Talents
The student:
has a well-developed sense of humor.
holds many varied interests.
has a keen interest that has been shared with the class.
displays and talks about personal items from home when they relate to topics of study.
provides background knowledge about topics of particular interest to them.
has an impressive understanding and depth of knowledge about their interests.
seeks additional information independently about classroom topics that pique interest.
reads extensively for enjoyment.
frequently discusses concepts about which they have read.
is a gifted performer.
is a talented artist.
has a flair for dramatic reading and acting.
enjoys sharing their musical talent with the class.
Participation
The student:
listens attentively to the responses of others.
follows directions.
takes an active role in discussions.
enhances group discussion through insightful comments.
shares personal experiences and opinions with peers.
responds to what has been read or discussed in class and as homework.
asks for clarification when needed.
regularly volunteers to assist in classroom activities.
remains an active learner throughout the school day.
Social Skills
The student:
makes friends quickly in the classroom.
is well-liked by classmates.
handles disagreements with peers appropriately.
treats other students with fairness and understanding.
is a valued member of the class.
has compassion for peers and others.
seems comfortable in new situations.
enjoys conversation with friends during free periods.
chooses to spend free time with friends.
Time Management
The student:
tackles classroom assignments, tasks, and group work in an organized manner.
uses class time wisely.
arrives on time for school (and/or class) every day.
is well-prepared for class each day.
works at an appropriate pace, neither too quickly or slowly.
completes assignments in the time allotted.
paces work on long-term assignments.
sets achievable goals with respect to time.
completes make-up work in a timely fashion.
Work Habits
The student:
is a conscientious, hard-working student.
works independently.
is a self-motivated student.
consistently completes homework assignments.
puts forth their best effort into homework assignments.
exceeds expectations with the quality of their work.
readily grasps new concepts and ideas.
generates neat and careful work.
checks work thoroughly before submitting it.
stays on task with little supervision.
displays self-discipline.
avoids careless errors through attention to detail.
uses free minutes of class time constructively.
creates impressive home projects.
Related: Needs Improvement Report Card Comments for even more comments!
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Report Card Thesaurus
Looking for some great adverbs and adjectives to bring to life the comments that you put on report cards? Go beyond the stale and repetitive With this list, your notes will always be creative and unique.
Adjectives
attentive, capable, careful, cheerful, confident, cooperative, courteous, creative, dynamic, eager, energetic, generous, hard-working, helpful, honest, imaginative, independent, industrious, motivated, organized, outgoing, pleasant, polite, resourceful, sincere, unique
Adverbs
always, commonly, consistently, daily, frequently, monthly, never, occasionally, often, rarely, regularly, typically, usually, weekly
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Back to Geography Lesson Plan
Where Did Foods Originate?
(Foods of the New World and Old World)
Subjects
Arts & Humanities
--Language Arts
Educational Technology
Science
--Agriculture
Social Studies
--Economics
--Geography
--History
----U.S. History
----World History
--Regions/Cultures
Grade
K-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
Advanced
Brief Description
Students explore how New World explorers helped change the Old World's diet (and vice versa).
Objectives
Students will
learn about changes that occurred in the New World and Old World as a result of early exploration.
use library and Internet sources to research food origins. (Older students only.)
create a bulletin-board map illustrating the many foods that were shared as a result of exploration.
Keywords
Columbus, explorers, origin, food, timeline, plants, map, New World, Old World, colonies, colonial, crops, media literacy, products, consumer
Materials Needed:
library and/or Internet access (older students only)
outline map of the world (You might print the map on a transparency; then use an overhead projector to project and trace a large outline map of the world onto white paper on a bulletin board.)
magazines (optional)
Lesson Plan
The early explorers to the Americas were exposed to many things they had never seen before. Besides strange people and animals, they were exposed to many foods that were unknown in the Old World. In this lesson, you might post an outline map of the continents on a bulletin board. Have students use library and/or Internet resources (provided below) to research some of the edible items the first explorers saw for the first time in the New World. On the bulletin board, draw an arrow from the New World (the Americas) to the Old World (Europe, Asia, Africa) and post around it drawings or images (from magazines or clip art) of products discovered in the New World and taken back to the Old World.
Soon, the explorers would introduce plants/foods from the Old World to the Americas. You might draw a second arrow on the board -- from the Old World to the New World -- and post appropriate drawings or images around it.
Adapt the Lesson for Younger Students
Younger students will not have the ability to research foods that originated in the New and Old World. You might adapt the lesson by sharing some of the food items in the Food Lists section below. Have students collect or draw pictures of those items for the bulletin board display.
Resources
In addition to library resources, students might use the following Internet sites as they research the geographic origins of some foods:
Curry, Spice, and All Things Nice: Food Origins
The Food Timeline
Native Foods of the Americas
A Harvest Gathered: Food in the New World
We Are What We Eat Timeline (Note: This resource is an archived resource; the original page is no longer live and updated.)
Food Lists Our research uncovered the Old and New World foods below. Students might find many of those and add them to the bulletin board display. Notice that some items appear on both lists -- beans, for example. There are many varieties of beans, some with New World origins and others with their origins in the Old World. In our research, we found sources that indicate onions originated in the New and sources that indicate onions originated in the Old World. Students might create a special question mark symbol to post next to any item for which contradictory sources can be found
Note: The Food Timeline is a resource that documents many Old World products. This resource sets up a number of contradictions. For example:
Many sources note that tomatoes originated in the New World; The Food Timeline indicates that tomatoes were introduced to the New World in 1781.
The Food Timeline indicates that strawberries and raspberries were available in the 1st century in Europe; other sources identify them as New World commodities.
Foods That Originated in the New World: artichokes, avocados, beans (kidney and lima), black walnuts, blueberries, cacao (cocoa/chocolate), cashews, cassava, chestnuts, corn (maize), crab apples, cranberries, gourds, hickory nuts, onions, papayas, peanuts, pecans, peppers (bell peppers, chili peppers), pineapples, plums, potatoes, pumpkins, raspberries, squash, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet potatoes, tobacco, tomatoes, turkey, vanilla, wild cherries, wild rice.
Foods That Originated in the Old World: apples, bananas, beans (some varieties), beets, broccoli, carrots, cattle (beef), cauliflower, celery, cheese, cherries, chickens, chickpeas, cinnamon, coffee, cows, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, ginger, grapes, honey (honey bees), lemons, lettuce, limes, mangos, oats, okra, olives, onions, oranges, pasta, peaches, pears, peas, pigs, radishes, rice, sheep, spinach, tea, watermelon, wheat, yams.
Extension Activities
Home-school connection. Have students and their parents search their food cupboards at home; ask each student to bring in two food items whose origin can be traced to a specific place (foreign if possible, domestic if not). Labels from those products will be sufficient, especially if the products are in breakable containers. Place those labels/items around a world map; use yarn to connect each label to the location of its origin on the map.
Media literacy. Because students will research many sources, have them list the sources for the information they find about each food item. Have them place an asterisk or checkmark next to the food item each time they find that item in a different source. If students find a food in multiple sources, they might consider it "verified"; those foods they find in only one source might require additional research to verify.
Assessment
Invite students to agree or disagree with the following statement:The early explorers were surprised by many of the foods they saw in the New World.
Have students write a paragraph in support of their opinion.
Lesson Plan Source
Education World
Submitted By
Gary Hopkins
National Standards
LANGUAGE ARTS: EnglishGRADES K - 12NL-ENG.K-12.2 Reading for UnderstandingNL-ENG.K-12.8 Developing Research SkillsNL-ENG.K-12.9 Multicultural UnderstandingNL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills
SOCIAL SCIENCES: EconomicsGRADES K - 4NSS-EC.K-4.1 Productive ResourcesNSS-EC.K-4.6 Gain from TradeGRADES 5 - 8NSS-EC.5-8.1 Productive ResourcesNSS-EC.5-8.6 Gain from TradeGRADES 9 - 12NSS-EC.9-12.1 Productive ResourcesNSS-EC.9-12.6 Gain from Trade
SOCIAL SCIENCES: GeographyGRADES K - 12NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial TermsNSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions
SOCIAL SCIENCES: U.S. HistoryGRADES K - 4NSS-USH.K-4.1 Living and Working together in Families and Communities, Now and Long AgoNSS-USH.K-4.3 The History of the United States: Democratic Principles and Values and the People from Many Cultures Who Contributed to Its Cultural, Economic, and Political HeritageNSS-USH.K-4.4 The History of Peoples of Many Cultures Around the WorldGRADES 5 - 12NSS-USH.5-12.1 Era 1: Three Worlds Meet (Beginnings to 1620)NSS-USH.5-12.2 Era 2: Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763)NSS-WH.5-12.6 Global Expansion and Encounter, 1450-1770
TECHNOLOGYGRADES K - 12NT.K-12.1 Basic Operations and ConceptsNT.K-12.5 Technology Research Tools
Find many more great geography lesson ideas and resources in Education World's Geography Center.
Click here to return to this week's World of Learning lesson plan page.
Updated 10/11/12
Having a tough time finding the right words to come up with "areas for improvement" comments on your students' report cards? Check out our helpful suggestions to find just the right one!
The following statements will help you tailor your comments to specific children and highlight their areas for improvement.
Be sure to check out our 125 Report Card Comments for positive comments!
Needs Improvement- all topics
is a hard worker, but has difficulty staying on task.
has a difficult time staying on task and completing his/her work.
needs to be more respectful and courteous to his/her classmates.
needs to listen to directions fully so that he/she can learn to work more independently.
is not demonstrating responsibility and needs to be consistently reminded of how to perform daily classroom tasks.
works well alone, but needs to learn how to work better cooperatively with peers.
does not have a positive attitude about school and the work that needs to be completed.
struggles with completing his/her work in a timely manner.
gives up easily when something is difficult and needs extensive encouragement to attempt the task.
gets along with his/her classmates well, but is very disruptive during full group instruction.
has a difficult time using the materials in the classroom in a respectful and appropriate manner.
has a difficult time concentrating and gets distracted easily.
is having a difficult time with math. Going over _____ at home would help considerably.
is having a very difficult time understanding math concepts for his/her grade level. He/she would benefit from extra assistance.
could benefit from spending time reading with an adult every day.
is enthusiastic, but is not understanding ____. Additional work on these topics would be incredibly helpful.
is having difficulty concentrating during math lessons and is not learning the material that is being taught because of that.
understands math concepts when using manipulatives, but is having a difficult time learning to ____ without them.
is a very enthusiastic reader. He/she needs to continue to work on _____ to make him/her a better reader.
needs to practice reading at home every day to help make him/her a stronger reader.
needs to practice his/her sight words so that he/she knows them on sight and can spell them.
needs to work on his/her spelling. Practicing at home would be very beneficial.
can read words fluently, but has a difficult time with comprehension. Reading with ______ every day would be helpful.
could benefit from working on his/her handwriting. Slowing down and taking more time would help with this.
is having difficulty writing stories. Encouraging him/her to tell stories at home would help with this.
has a difficult time knowing when it is appropriate to share his/her thoughts. We are working on learning when it is a good time to share and when it is a good time to listen.
needs to work on his/her time management skills. _______is able to complete his/her work, but spends too much time on other tasks and rarely completes his/her work.
needs reminders about the daily classroom routine. Talking through the classroom routine at home would be helpful.
is having a difficult time remembering the difference between short and long vowel sounds. Practicing these at home would be very helpful.
is struggling with reading. He/she does not seem to enjoy it and does not want to do it. Choosing books that he/she like and reading them with him/her at home will help build a love of reading.
frequently turns in incomplete homework or does not hand in any homework. Encouraging _______to complete his/her homework would be very helpful.
does not take pride in his/her work. We are working to help him/her feel good about what he/she accomplishes.
does not actively participate in small group activities. Active participation would be beneficial.
has a difficult time remembering to go back and check his/her work. Because of this, there are often spelling and grammar mistakes in his/her work.
does not much effort into his/her writing. As a result, his/her work is often messy and incomplete.
is struggling to understand new concepts in science. Paying closer attention to the class discussions and the readings that we are doing would be beneficial.
is reading significantly below grade level. Intervention is required.
does not write a clear beginning, middle and end when writing a story. We are working to identify the parts of the stories that he/she is writing.
is struggling to use new reading strategies to help him/her read higher level books.
is wonderful at writing creative stories, but needs to work on writing nonfiction and using facts.
has a difficult time understanding how to solve word problems.
needs to slow down and go back and check his/her work to make sure that all answers are correct.
is not completing math work that is on grade level. Intervention is required.
is struggling to understand place value.
is very enthusiastic about math, but struggles to understand basic concepts.
has a difficult time remembering the value of different coins and how to count them. Practicing this at home would be helpful.
would benefit from practicing math facts at home.
is very engaged during whole group math instruction, but struggles to work independently.
is able to correctly answer word problems, but is unable to explain how he/she got the answer.
is having a difficult time comparing numbers.
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