Cemetery Town Hall Meeting-
Teacher Notes

Introduction

This activity is designed to give students a sense of how a community decision-making process can work and expose them to a community member's role in that process. Students will examine an imagined community issue and take part in a Town Hall meeting about the issue in a role as a member of a community organization. In preparation for the class discussion, students will outline the pros and cons of the issue and write a business letter explaining their position on the issue.

Objectives

• Students will demonstrate an understanding of a community decision-making process, and the role of community members in the process.
• Students will evaluate a community issue from a variety of perspectives.
• Students will present short statements which support their position on a community issue.
• Students will demonstrate use of a business letter for communication.

Time Required

3-4 class periods

Recommended Grade Levels

Grades 4, 6-8

Curriculum Fit

Grade 4- California: A Changing State

Students learn the story of their home state, unique in American history in terms of its many waves of immigration, and its continuous diversity.

4.5 Students understand the structure, functions and powers of the United States' local, state, and federal government as described in the U.S. Constitution

Grades 6-8 - Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills

Chronological and Spatial Thinking

1. students explain how major events are related to each other in time
2. students construct various timelines of key events, people, and periods of the historical era being studied
3. students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems

Research, Evidence and Point of View

1. students frame questions that can be answered by historical study and research
2. students distinguish from fact and opinion in historical narratives and stories
3. students distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information, essential from incidental information, and verifiable from unverifiable information in historical narratives and stories
4. students assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound conclusions from them
5. students detect the different historical points of view on historical events and determine the context in which the historical statements were made (the questions asked, sources used, author's perspectives)

Historical Interpretation

1. students explain the central issues and problems of the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place
2. students understand and distinguish cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in historical events, including the long- and short-term causal relations
3. students explain the sources of historical continuity and how the combination of ideas and events explains the emergence of new patterns
4. students recognize the role of chance, oversight, and error in history
5. students recognize interpretations of history are subject to change as new information is uncovered
6. students interpret basic indicators of economic performance and conduct cost/benefit and analyses in order to analyze economic and political issues

Materials

General:
Student directions
Newspaper article

Books:
Holden, William M. Sacramento: Excursions Into Its History and Natural Rivers, Two Rivers Publishing, 1991.

Software:
People of Sacramento CD-ROM or Web site

Internet Resources:
The USGenWeb Project: http://www.usgenweb.com/
The Tombstone Transcription Project: http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemetery/
Sacramento City Cemetery: http://www.sacmuseums.org/cemetery

Instructional Procedure

• Present the proposal to the class and conduct a brief discussion to extract key issues surrounding the proposal.
• Assign community roles to students. Each student should be given one of the eleven roles. There will be approximately 3 students in each role who will form an interest group. Students should work independently on developing their roles before meeting as interest groups.
• Distribute student directions. Allow students time to complete the essay questions and to conduct research, if desired.
• Review business letter purpose and format and allow students time to complete business letters. Remind students that letters should be written in the role the students have assumed for this activity.
• Provide time for students to meet in interest groups to share the arguments they have generated independently. Each interest group should prepare a presentation for the class Town Hall Meeting. Each member of the group will present one argument to support their group's position. The groups should also be prepared to answer questions from the class related to their statements.
• The Town Hall Meeting should culminate in a vote of the community members, in their roles, on the proposal. The teacher may also wish to allow the students to vote on the issue from their actual perspectives.
• Allow time for students to complete the assessment essay questions. The teacher may wish to have the students share their answers with the class.

Evaluation/ Assessment

Students should complete the assessment essay questions. The teacher may wish to extend the class discussion to give students time to share their thoughts about the activity. Students may also be evaluated on business letters, oral presentations, and listening skills. Teacher may choose to use and/or modify the attached analytical rubrics for assessment of social science thinking and language arts skills.

Note: The assessment essay questions may need to be modified depending on the grade level and experience of the students.

Extensions

• Students may wish to research organizations similar to their interest group for background information
• Students may determine other community issues for discussion or may choose to write letters to community agencies about issues that they find interesting
• Have students create their own simulated debate about a local issue and identify key community stakeholders who might debate the issue

Return to Town Hall Meeting

Lesson developed by Heidi Dettwiller, San Juan Unified School District, and researched by Andrea Key, Sacramento County Office of Education. Photograph provided by Dr. Bob LaPerriere, Old City Cemetery Committee and California Historical Cemetery Alliance.