A.+Unit+Overview

Unit Overview The main theme of this unit is the study of the missions of California. The overall unit objectives are that students will describe the mapping of, geographical basis of, and economic factors in the placement and function of the Spanish missions. The students will describe the daily lives of the people, native and non-native, who occupied the missions. The students will also learn about the individual missions of California.This unit will cover a three week time period. The California standards that will be covered in this unit include, Social Science 4.2, Math Number Sense 1.0, 1.5, and 1.7; Language Arts Writing Strategies 1.0, 1.1 and Writing Applications 2.1. This unit ties into previous learning because students have previously studied California's geographical features and native populations. This unit ties into future study of California because students will go on to study the Gold-Rush, how California became a state, and what influence the missions and the Spaniards had on California after it became a state. The main theme and objectives of this unit tie into the content areas of language arts and math. This unit will tie into math by incorporating fractions. The students will explain different interpretations of fractions, for example, parts of a whole, parts of a set, and division of whole number by whole numbers; and explain equivalence of fractions. Students will also write the fraction represented by a drawing of parts of a figure; represent a given fraction by using drawings; and relate a fraction to a simple decimal on a number line. Fractions will be likened to the missions by comparing how many mission Father Juinpero Serra founded to the total number of missions founded. The examples used for math instruction will draw upon features of the missions. Furthermore, the unit will tie into language arts. Students will write clear coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea. Their writing will show they consider the audience and purpose. In this case, students will write narrative in the form of a journal entry from either the perspective of a missionary or a native. Students will relate ideas, observations, or recollections of an event or experience. Students will provide a context to the reader to imagine the world of the event of experience. They will use concrete sensory details and provide insight into why the selected event or experience is memorable. The journal will not only require students to develop their writing skill but will tie into the overall unit them and objectives by requiring students to include an account of daily life at a California mission. The two subject areas will be incorporated to the main theme of the unit which focuses on the aspects of California missions.