Identifying Priorities for Younger Students
Authored by: Gail Perry, China Middle School

Grade Level: Elementary

The MLR performance indicators listed below are for illustrative purposes. Depending on the focus of the lessons as developed by individual teachers, these indicators may or may not be addressed. Conversely this is not a definitive listing of all of the performance indicators which could be addressed in this lesson.

MLR - Elementary: Social Studies: Grades 3-4 (Civics A - 3, B - 1, 2), (Economics A - 2); Visual and Performing: Pre-K - 2 (A - 8, 9, 10), Grades 3-4 (A - 4); Mathematics: Pre-K - 2 (A - 1, 3, C - 1, 2, G - 1, 2); Grades 3-4 (G - 1, 2, J - 1); Language Arts: Pre-K - 2 (E - 1, 3), Grades 3 - 4 E - 4, 6, H-1)

Task Description

Students first have to understand the term "priority" and then the process of prioritizing. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Students can understand what is important to them and can develop some criteria for establishing the importance. A teacher-generated diagram (four to six pages) could serve as the beginning of a discussion and practice for student produced diagrams. Topics for prioritizing could move outward (from the child) such as getting dressed to making something to eat, to being in school, to working in the community.

Student Products/Performances

Students will produce four to six picture diagrams and explain their pictures to a small group. Then they will cut out the squares and give them to another student who will demonstrate his prioritization skills by re-ordering the pictures and justify the ordering sequence. Process pictures would work well, since sequence is understandable in them. Raising the level of difficulty of the information to prioritize will enhance the understanding of the skill.

Students can list the services provided by a municipality such as fire and police protection, garbage collection, taxation, water supply, etc. After compiling a class list, students can create drawings to illustrate each service or function of municipal government. They would them arrange them in order of importance for themselves. The class would then compare and discuss their choices.

Resources

Local Government in Maine

Art supplies.

Criteria for Evaluating Quality of Product or Performance

The level of discussion can be evaluated through scoring the number of pictures ordered, the logical sequencing and the level of difficulty achieved.