production and resources project istc667: instructional ... · grades k-3. the pebble-in-the-pond...

Production and Resources Project 1

Production and Resources Project

ISTC667: Instructional Development - Summer 2012

Maxine McCall

Towson University


Abstract

The principal objective of this paper is to demonstrate the planning, designing

and implementation practices in creating instruction. This paper explores the problems

involved in designing and developing instruction using an old folk tale titled The Little

Red Hen and an end product as basic as a loaf of bread. Historically, this story is

applied in teaching children the virtues of the work ethic and personal initiative. In

addition to character education, this story makes a sensible life science connection.

However, this project also highlights an interesting kickoff to discussions of economics for

grades K-3. The Pebble-in-the-Pond Model (Merrill, 2002), instructional activities, goals

and objectives presented here within, effectively enhances the all encompassing K-3

grade social studies/economics lessons regarding productive resources of natural

resources, human resources, capital and entrepreneurship. In addition, this report

articulates a newfound understanding of the instructional design process. Finally, this

report summarizes findings on various components within the instructional design

process from the psychological interventions to the learner and needs analyses to the

evaluation; in regards to their basic function, advantages and disadvantages, how

they compare to each other, and future application.


Section I: Overview

In the wake of financial crisis from which this nation is currently recovering, the

importance of economic and financial education is palpable. Americans are facing

major challenges because of the lack of economic and financial savvy. This is evident

by the growing record levels of credit-card and student-loan debt. In addition, too

many American workers are “unbanked” (Niederjohn, 2011). This is evident in the

overwhelming amount of payday-loan stores and check-cashing outlets. To add insult

to injury the trend of placing investment responsibilities in the hands of individuals is,

undoubtedly going to yield dismal results. Economic and financial literacy is beneficial

in numerous ways, and everyone needs to understand basic economics in order to

participate fully in this nation’s market economic system. Unfortunately, taking an

economics course or personal finance course is a graduation requirement in less than

half of this nation’s states. Fortunately, there is a national movement under way to

support effective instruction in economics and personal finance. In addition,

organizations outside of education have taken up the cause of strengthening

economic and personal finance education.

Just to put things in perspective, the state of the economy is the number one

issue amongst voters. Politics aside, people in all walks of life benefit from a practical

understanding of personal finance and even greater benefits arise from having some

understanding of supply and demand, costs, profits, and production. In short, the

“costs” of economic and financial illiteracy can be great (Niederjohn, 2011). Having

said that, what expert will mandate when it’s “too early” to begin economic and

financial illiteracy? It is for this reason that the classic story, The Little Red Hen, may be

used to provide a framework for illustrating and reviewing the concepts of productive


resources and incentives. This book effectively allows learners to identify and review

productive resources (CELL) – capital, entrepreneurship, land and labor.

Learners are taught that productive resources are limited and will develop an

understanding that people cannot have all the goods and services they want. As a

result, they must chose some things and give up others. The instructor/LMS will lead

guided discussions about productive resources – that they are the natural resources

(land, are "gifts of nature"), human resources (the quantity and quality of human effort

directed toward producing goods and services) and capital goods available to make

goods and services. As declared in the text, “As an instructional designer, it is important

to think beyond what has worked for you personally and consider what will work best

for your target audience” (Brown and Green, p. 117). There is an abundance of

methodologies and strategies easily adaptable to any subject and serve to transform

students from passive learners into active classroom contributors, problem solving

collaborators, and critical thinkers. The text asserts, “Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock’s

(2004) categories of instructional strategies are proven through research to have a

strong effect on student achievement” (Green and Brown, p. 125). Therefore, children's

literature, guessing games, puzzles, and a cooking activity contribute to making this an

interactive lesson on productive resources. The students will explore numerous books on

natural resources and the intermediate goods produced from these resources. They will

play a guessing game by identifying several capital goods and the human resources

who use these goods while doing their job. Working in groups, students will assemble

three teacher-made productive resource puzzles and discuss the natural, human, and

capital resources represented on the puzzle pieces. Students will identify and chart the

productive resources necessary to bake a loaf of bread, and then (because of


unfortunate time constraints) see one produced and watch a bakery making a pastry

in the classroom via the internet.

Front-end Analysis

Needs Analysis

The most effective needs analysis thoroughly investigates the issue, successfully

recognizes the target population and identifies the possible outcome/solution. The

person and/or group in charge of the needs analysis should be competent enough to

prioritize every step of the way and remain in constant communication with the target

population. Instructors and Library Media Specialists must think, “This is a means to an

end”. In this project, after reading the story, the instructional goal is for learners to sort

and categorize resources into land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship and be able to

identify what future incentives the dog, the cat and the mouse will have to help the

little hen in her work. In addition, there is an opportunity to explore bread making from

the ingredients, necessary equipment, etc. For this project, the needs analysis has been

modeled after Smith and Ragan (2004, Brown and Green, 2011, p. 49-50). These experts

declare their belief in bare bones, grass roots, common sense “clear investigation”. Of

their three models outlined, the one adopted for this project is the Problem-Finding,

Problem-Solving Model where the problem is identified and a solution is implemented.

The data collection, analysis and compilation stages are shortened as they advocate

going immediately to “what is” and “what should be”. Smith and Ragan (2004) goes

on to declare that instructors must (1) determine whether there really is a problem; (2)

determine the cause of the problem; (3) determine the solution; and (4) implement the

solution.


To put it into context, this instructional design project also highlights an instructor’s

examination of the production process and their attempts at explaining how producers

make choices because of limited natural, human, and capital resources. More

specifically, it will address the steps in producing a loaf of bread and what natural,

human and capital resources are needed in that production process. The target

audience (Brown and Green, 2011, p. 72) would be grades K-3 according to the rigor of

supporting instructional activities implemented. Lessons presented here support the K-3

social studies (economics) curriculum. Learners will develop economic reasoning and

explore the processes needed to be effective citizens, consumers, and workers

participating in local communities, the nation, and the world. Interdisciplinary

connections with math, art and English are easily obtainable.

Component/Knowledge Analysis (Task Analysis)

In the spirit of “learner-centered environments” (Bransford, Brown, and Cocking,

2000), this project provides ample opportunities for whole group discussions to answer

essential questions, think/pair share sessions, information literacy (i.e., click and drag

Venn Diagrams on the computer) and multimedia interaction (as the class reviews an

audio visual version of the noted book, The Little Red Hen). There are ample integrated

curriculum books to assist in introducing vocabulary and concepts (resources, needs,

wants; goods and services). Furthermore, the opportunities for technology integration

are plentiful and accessible in the classroom or in the media center for both the

general educator and the library media specialist to serve as “the guide on the side”

with simulations, games and reciprocal instructional activities.

Learner Analysis


The guidelines set forth in the Morrison, Ross, and Kemp learner analysis model

have been applied for this project. This model is extremely similar to the Smaldino,

Lowther and Russell (2008) model in that they both encourage a variety of instructional

and application/practice methods aimed to meet the learners’ distinctive needs. More

specifically, the “universal design for education which plans for instruction by planning

for active participation of culturally and physically diverse learners” (Brown and Green,

p.80) as outlined in the aforementioned model will certainly ensure the effectiveness of

instruction for this project. “While learning occurs in many different environments, it is

generally agreed that instruction requires that one first identify the goals of the

instruction” (Merrill, 2002, p. 39). Assessing prior knowledge, understanding the various

ways that each learner “processes” new information; more specifically, will they need

one on one versus whole group instruction? Will they need translated instructions or

visuals? Would they prefer a more hands-on approach or should one lecture?

Instructors could level their playing field by identifying the potential limitations and

planning for them ahead of time. To reiterate, the rigor and level of interaction for this

project is easily modifiable for special needs, standard and the gifted and talented

learners; grades K-3. “Providing learners with a structure that helps them interrelate the

required skills often makes their acquisition of the new set of skills more efficient and

facilitates their forming an appropriate mental model” (Merrill, in press, p. 13).

According to the Morrison, Ross, and Kemp (2007) learner analysis model, instructors

must take into consideration each learner’s distinctive needs including their skill, ability,

and readiness. Furthermore, with the Morrison, Ross and Kemp model, instructors must

consider the demographic uniqueness of each learner - beyond their age and sex.

Their ethnicity (culturally diversity, p.80) must be addressed. However, it should be


noted, in the absence of a richly culturally diverse environment, instructors are implored

to take heed of the suggestion of this learner analysis model and detail the prerequisite

skills their learners will need in order to benefit from instruction. For this project, the

selected title, The Little Red Hen, can be found in various culturally diverse versions. It is

believed to be of Russian origin but has been transformed repeatedly as a nursery

rhyme and folk song. The most renowned folk song version is by American folk/blues

singer-songwriter and political activist, Malvina Reynolds. This classic story is also found

narrated in “Gullah” by Aunt Pearlie-Sue. Gullah is a language spoken by a group of

African-American descendants of enslaved Africans located on the Sea Islands of

South Carolina and Georgia (Prather, 2008). Aunt Pearlie-Sue is the creation of

storyteller, educator, singer, actress and historian, Anita Singleton-Prather, who also

happens to be native of the Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Library

Media Specialists appreciate these two particular versions as they make an excellent

technology literacy connection for an independent learner or as a pair-share activity.

Learning Environment

Instruction for this Pebble in the Pond Graphic Organizer will be most effective in

an elementary school library media center. An ideal learning environment would have

at least 20 computers - enough to accommodate 16 pairs of students for an average

class of approximately 32 students. Additionally, the LMS would hopefully have access

to a separate teacher computer, interactive whiteboard and projector.

This will also be a learner-centered environment, which focuses on the attitudes,

skills, knowledge, and beliefs that students bring to an instructional setting. In this

environment, the instructor uses information about how the learners relate to the

content as well as the learners’ preconceived ideas or misconceptions to create


situations where the learners generate new conceptions of the content (Brown &

Green, 2011, p. 117).

Progression of Problems (PITP Model)

For the Pebble in the Pond model featured for this Production and Resources

Project, the Jonassen, Hannum and Tessmer (1998) (Brown and Green, 2011, p. 58-59)

task analysis model has been utilized because its approach and functions are more

comprehensive and flexible to address the varied and multiple needs of this target

audience. The JHT model obviously understands instruction is not one size fits all and

therefore, a cookie cutter approach to curriculum implementation will result in

confusion and failure for students. Jonassen, Hannum and Tessmer (1998) more closely

connect learning strategies to curriculum implementation and their model clearly

outlines crucial components including scaffolding, prioritizing, and chunking and skill

level appropriateness.

Again, although the focus of this project is the economics/social studies

connection, there are numerous other enrichment activities to create and build on.

The reading/literacy connection is obvious; however, using puppets and / or masks to

retell the story will allow for dramatic play would, in turn, appeal to kinesthetic / tactile

learners as well as enhance comprehension. Lower grade level students will

appreciate the puppets, masks and possible flannel board characters while higher

grade level/GT learners would favor creating their own version using clip art (Appendix

A) and PowerPoint, PhotoStory, VoiceThread or any comparable book creation

software or website. Learners can read, compare, and contrast different versions of the

Little Red Hen story (characters, artwork, text, etc.) and chart the findings using a graph

or Venn diagram. Should school health and curriculum guidelines and time allow, a


cooking connection - making bread from scratch, following a recipe and sampling the

finished product - would appeal to all learners and overlap with math and science! For

a more concrete science connection, lower grade level students will welcome

exploring and examining real wheat (wheat grass, not just the seeds) while higher

grade level/GT students would benefit from more tangible math connections by

measuring (manipulating) the ingredients. Also, ordinal numbers can be introduced

and/or reinforced in reference to the sequence of events in the story (Sequence Cards,

Appendix A) to the steps of preparing the bread. Certainly computer/technology

connections are widespread and interspersed frequently, from the aforementioned

instructional activities to the various multimedia versions of the title story available via

the internet.

There are multiple “prescribed instructional activities” (Brown and Green, 2011, p.

116) that can be incorporated for all phases. For example with vocabulary, instructors

can “play” with vocabulary by introducing new vocabulary (via charades, etc.) and

conducting word studies (have students look for ways to sort the words, i.e., rhyming,

beginning / ending sounds, etc.).

To redirect the focus to this PITP, for the economics/social studies connection, the

concluding task outlined for this project will have students go to a bread recipe, read

the recipe and make a list of the ingredients. BreadWorldCanda.com; a subsidiary of

the ACH Food Companies, Inc. provides an excellent resource of tips, terms and

ingredients in the bread baking process. Please reference Appendix C for an excerpt

from the BreadWorldCanda.com website. In addition, the Library Media Specialist

could share the book, Loaves of Fun: A History of Bread (with Activities and Recipes

from Around the World) (Harbison, Elizabeth M./Harbison, John, Chicago, 1999); which is


a collection of recipes for various kinds of breads (arranged in a timeline format that

charts the history of this staple food from the earliest civilization to the present day).

Other cross-curriculum literary resources whose subject matter is bread include: Tony's

Bread (dePaola, Tomie, 1996); Bread Comes to Life: A Garden of Wheat and a Loaf to

Eat (Levenson, George, 2008) and Bread, Bread, Bread (Around the World Series)

(Morris, Anne, 1993), just to name a few.

Hence, for Problem One, “Learners will recognize natural resources used to make

a loaf of bread.” The tasks are interdisciplinary and learner-centered. Lower grade

level students will identify the ingredients for making bread. The instructor/LMS, will

access background knowledge (KWL) and ask students what they know about wheat,

what is made with wheat and allow them time to tell a partner what they like to eat

that is made with wheat. Their responses will be recorded. (Higher grade level/GT

students could conduct this task independently.) Next, during whole-class discussion,

students will brainstorm theories about how wheat grows and how it is turned into

bread. (Higher grade level/GT students would be responsible for investigating this

independently or as a pair-share activity). Finally, students will brainstorm about the

process of making wheat into flour. (Higher grade level/GT students will perhaps

engage in a whole class discussion or this could serve as a journaling opportunity in

which they would be required to produce a brief constructed response).

For Problem Two “Learners will identify the natural, capital and human resources

used in the production of a loaf of bread.” Students will identify and review productive

resources (capital, entrepreneurship, land and labor). Students will hear (higher grade

level/GT students would be required to read independently) a retold version of the

classic story, “The Little Red Hen” used for illustrating and reviewing the concepts of


productive resources. Vocabulary needs to be introduced and/or defined but the

main task involved with this phase will have students review the tools (capital resources)

used in producing a loaf of bread. Please reference Appendix D for an additional

excerpt from the BreadWorldCanda.com website.

In Problem Three, learners “will investigate examples of how limited resources

affect the decisions producers make.” The task associated with this phase allows

learners to take a virtual tour of various still existing, sometimes functional, grain and

flour mills in over 30 states all across the United States. For example, there’s the Yukon

Flour Mill & Grain Co. in Yukon, Oklahoma or the non-existent Washington Flour Mill

formerly located in Georgetown. For more information, please reference Appendix E.

As for Problem Four, the goal is for learners to “examine the production process in

producing a loaf of bread.” As mentioned earlier, school health and curriculum

guidelines and time may not allow learners to make an interactive cooking connection;

following a recipe and making bread from scratch. However, students can still

investigate the production process. As the class expands on the tasks from Problem 2,

the higher grade level/GT students will review the story by completing a Kidspiration

Venn Diagram (Appendix F) or a Drag and Drop Activity (Appendix G) to determine

what steps were involved with the production of the loaf of bread. Lower grade level

students will welcome the (hand-created) puppets for this sequence activity; although

a lower grade level group of gifted and talented learners will be able to participate in

the technology integrated activities listed above.

In the End Problem, the class will just expand on what we started in Problem 4. In

addition to the ever-present literary resources, students will watch a favored multimedia

video titled, “Making Easy Bread with Fin”. This YouTube video presents one of their


peers as he demonstrates how to make simple homemade bread with only 4

ingredients. Note that students would have already reviewed ingredients, etc. in

phases one and two. Therefore, in this phase, they are able to concentrate solely on

Fin. In addition, the hope is that the students have been so engaged, they will be

inspired to create their own loaf of bread thus, solidifying the attempt at making this

lesson “purposeful and meaningful beyond the four walls of the classroom” (Dezmon,

2009). Obviously, The Little Red Hen has a baking theme but other social studies (and

interdisciplinary) connections involve community helpers. The baker, in this case, can

be explored through crafts projects, printable activities, etc. For lower grade level

students, as highlighted in Appendix H, one will find basic coloring pages, letter “B”

tracers, creating a bakers hat, etc. that will refine small motor and scissor cutting skills,

and reinforce shape knowledge. For higher grade level/GT students, instructor-

generated crosswords, or more effective, student-generated word searches to practice

vocabulary. They can also explore different career search engines to research and

compare and contrast job listings. For example, they can research pastry chef, hot-

bread baker, night baker, etc. on Monster.com, JobSpider.com or CareerBuilder.com.

Then they can research different responsibilities and skills required for these positions

(measures/mixes ingredients; prepares bread, rolls, muffins and biscuits; cuts, molds,

shapes, spreads, etc.) This could be an effective cooperative learning activity for

higher grade level/GT learners where they brainstorm, research and then conduct a

jigsaw or fishbowl discussion session to compare and share their findings. “Students

working together to accomplish a task is very popular and there is research to suggest

that cooperative learning is an effective and efficient instructional activity.” (Marzano,

Pickering & Pollock, 2004; Ellis, 2005) (Brown and Green, 2011, p. 130).


Please reference Appendix K for the Pebble-in-the-Pond Graphic Organizer

related to this project.

Standards addressed

The standards used in this instructional design project as stipulated by the American

Association of School Librarians Standards for the 21st Century Learner, the International

Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

NETS for Students, the Maryland State Department of Education School Library Media

State Curriculum Grade K-3; the Maryland Technology Consortium, Maryland Teacher

Technology Standards (MTTS), and the Maryland Common Core Curriculum Standards

for Social Studies are outlined in the following chart:

Source Standard Instructional Problem

Alignment

American

Association of

School

Librarians

Standards for

the 21st Century

Learner

Learners use skills, resources, & tools to:

1.1.6. Read, view and listen for

information presented in any

format (e.g., textual, visual, media,

digital) in order to make inferences

and gather meaning.

2.1.5. Collaborate with others to

exchange ideas, develop new

understandings, make decisions

and solve problems.

2.1.6. Use the writing process,

media and visual literacy, and

technology skills to create products

that express new understandings.

2.2.4. Demonstrate personal

productivity by completing

products to express learning.

3.3.4. Create products that apply to

authentic, real-world contexts.

PITP Problems: 1 - 5

PITP Problems: 1 -5

PITP Problems: 1, 3 -5

PITP Problems: 1 -5

PITP Problems: 1 – 5

International

Society for

Technology in

Education (ISTE)

NETS for

Students

6. Technology Operations and

Concepts Students demonstrate a

sound understanding of

technology concepts, systems,

and operations. Students:

a. Understand and use technology

Student use of technology is

integrated in PITP Problems 1 –

5


systems.

Maryland State

Department of

Education

School Library

Media State

Curriculum

Grade 1

2.0 Locate and Evaluate Resources

and Sources

A.1.a. With guidance, explore and

identify human, print, online and

multimedia resources

3.0 Find, Generate, Record and

Organize Data/Information

C.1.f. with guidance, use

technology to record and

organizing data/information

PITP Problems 1 - 5

PITP Problems 1 - 5

PITP Problems 1 – 2; 4 – 5

PITP Problem: 4

Maryland

Technology

Consortium,

Maryland

Teacher

Technology

Standards

(MTTS)

I. Information Access, Evaluation,

Processing and Application –

Access, evaluate, process and

apply information efficiently and

effectively.

4. Apply information accurately in

order to solve a problem or answer

a question.

V. Integrating Technology into the

Curriculum and Instruction. Design,

implement and assess learning

experiences that incorporate use

of technology in a curriculum-

related instructional activity to

support understanding, inquiry,

problem solving, communication

and/or collaboration.

1. Assess students’

learning/instructional needs to

identify the appropriate learning

instruction.

2. Evaluate technology materials and

media to determine their most

appropriate instructional use.

5. Select and use appropriate

technology to support content-

specific student learning

outcomes.

6. Develop an appropriate

assessment for measuring student

outcomes through the use of

technology.

PITP Problems 1 - 5

PITP Problems 1 - 5

PITP Problems 1 - 5

PITP Problems 1 - 5

PITP Problems 1 - 5

PITP Problems 1 - 5

PITP Problems 1 - 5


MD Common

Core

Curriculum:

Social Studies

4.0 CONTENT STANDARD: ECONOMICS

– Students will develop economic

reasoning to understand the

historical development and

current status of economic

principles, institutions, and

processes needed to be effective

citizens, consumers, and workers

participating in local communities,

the nation, and the world. (PreK-3 Standard) ECONOMICS -

Students will identify the economic

principles and processes that are

helpful to producers and

consumers when making good

decisions

A. Scarcity and Economic Decision-

making 1. Explain that people must make

choices because resources are

limited relative to unlimited wants

for goods and services 2. Examine the production process

a. Explain how producers make

choices because of limited

natural, human, and capital

resources

b. Give examples of when limited

resources affect the decisions

producers make

c. Describe steps in the production

process to produce a product d. Explain how specialized work

results in increased production 3. Examine how technology affects

the way people live, work, and

play b. Describe how changes in

technology have affected lives of

producers, such as robot-powered

assembly lines

PITP Problems 1 – 5


PITP Problem 1

PITP Problem 4 PITP Problem 3

PITP Problem 3

PITP Problems 4 and 5


PITP Problems 3 and 5 PITP Problems 3 and 5


Section II: Detailed Lesson Plan

Lesson Overview

As mentioned earlier, historically, this story, The Little Red Hen, is applied in

teaching children the virtues of the work ethic and personal initiative. However, the

purpose of this lesson is to plant a seed of understanding in young learners about

economics and personal finance. It addresses the process of how bread is made and

the sequence of steps and the hard work and resources involved in getting from grain

to bread. In addition, it touches on community responsibility and ways to help and

contribute positively. In an effort to teach this social studies/economics lessons

regarding productive resources of natural resources, human resources, capital and

entrepreneurship, multiple instructional strategies are administered; whole class

discussions, pair-share and small group brainstorming, reading/oral language; writing

and the PITP problems 1 – 5 allow for interdisciplinary connections in social studies (of

course) but also science, math, art/music/drama, and physical education (movement).

Teachers can be as diverse as possible – from making a toilet paper roll chef, discussing

what countries or states grow the most wheat, researching breads in different cultures

to singing a song about a bakery shop to the tune of Pat-A-Cake (Down around the

corner at the bakery shop, there were 10 loaves a bread with butter on top…). The

technology integration is noteworthy but leaves plenty of opportunity for the Library

Media Specialist to incorporate literacy resources. Most tasks are student-centered and

opportunities for collaborative learning are significant. The instructional goal is for

students to acquire some level of economic and financial literacy and grow into

successful and productive adults capable of making informed and responsible

decisions.


Lesson Outline

The tasks outlined in the entire PITP organizer for this project would cover a 4-5 day

visit to the library media center. Consequently, the following lesson outlined below

could span a 2-3 day visit to the library media center, depending on the speed and

cooperation of students. The objectives for these PITP Problem 1 and Problem 2

suggested lessons will require students to:

1. Define and draw two examples of natural resources and the intermediate goods

produced.

2. Identify human resources in their community.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of human resources and capital goods by stating

what human resource they want to be when they grow up and listing the capital

goods used in their job.

4. Identify the productive resources used to produce a loaf of bread.

5. Draw an example of each productive resource and describe how it is used to

produce a good or provide a service.

Topic Analysis

Once the selected story has been read, the suggested order of operation for a few

of the prescribed instructional activities (with accommodations and modifications,

accordingly) is as follows:

1. Production is carried out in a “sequence” or “steps.” What steps were involved with

the production of the loaf of bread? Review the story by completing the Drag and

Drop Activity.

2. Go to the suggested recipe(s); read and make a list of the ingredients.

3. Just for fun – have the higher grade level/GT students try the Oven Baked Bread

word find (or create one of their own as a pair-share activity).

4. The use of a recipe typically involves fractions and other measurements. Here is an

opportunity for me to apply a bit of math review. See Appendix I for a sample

“Knead Math?” doubling fractions enrichment activity for the higher grade level/GT

students.


5. Show students the “Making Easy Bread with Fin” YouTube video to see how to make

a loaf of bread.

6. Prove to students that there are still some mills around, take a look at the pictures of

local mills in Harford County and Owings Mills and share a few from the other 30

states, including Washington, DC.

7. Visit the BreadWorldCanada.com website and have students investigate the natural

resources used AND procedures/process (sequential order) involved in producing a

loaf of bread.

8. Return to the BreadWorldCanada.com website and look for all of the capital

resources (tools) used in producing a loaf of bread. (Tangible objects could be

brought in to share).

9. Visit the King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. website to review all of the mouth-watering

bread recipes. Compare and contrast ingredients, steps, bake times, etc.

10. Remember to make literary connections frequently.

Materials and Media

The following materials are especially essential to Problem 1 and Problem 2 and the

suggested lesson(s) noted above. However, as stipulated in the “Learning

Environment” section, the library media center and its technological resources

(computers, Promethean Board, Elmo, overhead, etc.) are pertinent to the success of

the learning objectives for the remaining PITP Problems 3 through 5.

1. Materials: white drawing paper, pencils, crayons and the Internet

a. the basic ingredients necessary for baking bread (flour, yeast, water, salt, butter,

eggs, and honey)

b. a few basic tools necessary for making bread (mixing bowl, measuring cup,

wooden spoon, timer and a baking pan)

c. a few random supplies: cell phone, stethoscope, paintbrush, cooking pot, police

badge, fire truck, etc. (to represent capital goods that students can make a real-

life connection to)

2. The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone (and 2 other versions of this classic story plus a

few other related literary resources such as Loaves of Fun : A History of Bread (with

Activities and Recipes from Around the World) (Harbison, Elizabeth M./Harbison,

John, Chicago, 1999), Tony's Bread (dePaola, Tomie, 1996); Bread Comes to Life: A

Garden of Wheat and a Loaf to Eat (Levenson, George, 2008) and Bread, Bread,

Bread (Around the World Series) (Morris, Anne, 1993).


3. Access to the pre-selected text set which highlights productive resources: From

Shoot To Apple, by Stacy Taus-Bolstad; From the Earth, by William Anton; Tomatoes

to Ketchup, by Inez Snyder; From Plant to Blue Jeans, by Arthur John L'Honnedieu;

From Cocoa Bean to Chocolate, by Robin Nelson; From Oil to Gas, by Shannon

Zemlicka; From Clay to Bricks, by Stacy Taus-Bolstad; From Mud to House, by Bertram

Knight; From Grass to Milk, by Stacy Taus-Bolstad; From Sheep to Sweater, by Robin

Nelson; Wax to Crayons, by Inez Snyder; From Cotton to T-shirt, by Robin Nelson.

4. One of each worksheet labeled ''Natural Resources", “Human Resources” and

“Capital Goods” (Reference Appendix J).

Planned Guidance/Instructional Strategies

The Library Media Specialist (LMS) will:

1. Display the pre-selected text set on natural resources.

2. Share some grains of wheat, real wheat stalks (hopefully), and a few products

made from wheat with the students. Students will share ways they think the grains

of wheat eventually became bread, etc. The LMS will explain that it is a long

process to produce bread (takes a lot of time and hard work to get from grain to

bread).

3. Introduce the selection, “The Little Red Hen”; show the cover and talk about what

the hen, cat, duck, and dog are doing. Students will “take a picture walk” and

discuss what is happening in each of the pictures as the LMS introduces a few

terms such as “sprout”, “thresh”, “ground”, and “knead”. The LMS will stop the

picture walk right after the hen places the dough into the oven and ask students

to predict what they think will happen next. The LMS will then read the selection so

students can enjoy and see what happens when the bread comes out of the

oven.

4. Introduce the vocabulary terms: human resources, and capital goods. (Explain

that human resources are the quantity and quality of human effort directed

toward producing goods and services. Capital goods are goods produced and

used to make other goods and services.)

5. Lead students in a discussion of "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Discuss some of the "tools" they would need to do their job.

6. Display the bag containing the capital goods and have a student come and pull

one capital good from the bag. The student will name the capital good and a

human resource that could use it in his/her job. The LMS will continue until all

goods have been shown.

7. Divide students into small groups and have them brainstorm additional community

helpers/careers and name the human resource and capital goods associated


with each one. (Lower grade level students can continue in the “whole class”

format; the higher grade level/GT students should record their answers on paper.)

8. Have the groups share their findings with the rest of the class. (The higher grade

level/GT students should record their answers on paper.)

9. Distribute the “Human Resources” worksheet to each student for them to write

about the human resource they want to be when they grow up and the capital

goods they will use. In addition, each student should illustrate their writing. (Higher

grade level/GT students won’t need this instructor-generated worksheet).

10. Display the ingredients and tools for baking bread and have the students do a

gallery walk to view them.

11. Make two columns on the board (overhead, Elmo, etc.). The word “flour” would

be written in the first column. Students will brainstorm ideas about where they think

flour comes from? The word “wheat” would be written in the second column.

12. Again, make two columns on the board (overhead, Elmo, etc.). The word “butter”

would be written in the first column. Students will brainstorm ideas about where

they think butter comes from? The word “cows” would be written in the second

column.

13. Explain to students that wheat and cows are given a special economic name

“natural resources”. Further explanation will reveal that natural resources are "gifts

of nature"; they are present without human intervention. More specifically, that no

one made them.

14. Allow students to brainstorm and think of other natural resources and the goods

they produce. Their responses will be recorded on the board (overhead, Elmo,

etc.). (Higher grade level/GT students can record their own answers).

15. Review The Little Red Hen and discuss how the natural resource (wheat) is used to

produce goods in the story. Students will be granted time to explore the collection

of natural resource books. Students will share what they have discovered.

16. Refer back to the list of natural resources. Students will be divided into pairs. Each

pair will draw a representation of one natural resource and the intermediate

goods produced. They will share with the class. Their drawings will be displayed in

the room.

17. Distribute the worksheet "Natural Resources" to each student. Students will choose

two different natural resources and complete the following sentences for each:

“____ is a natural resource. It is used to produce and _____.” They will illustrate their

sentences. (Higher grade level/GT students won’t need this instructor-generated

worksheet)


18. Higher grade level/GT students can handle one more task of defining and naming

at least two examples of natural resources and illustrate their writing in their

journals.

Assessment Activity

The following is a formative assessment appropriate at the conclusion of Problem 2

before progressing to Problem 3. The Library Media Specialist (LMS) will:

1. Review the productive resources: natural, human and capital human. Students

will orally give examples of each.

2. Display three large paper loaves of bread labeled “Natural Resources”, “Human

Resources”, and “Capital Goods”. It will be explained that the three loaves of

bread together are called “Productive Resources” and productive resources

include human resources, natural resources and capital goods.

3. Distribute three ½ sheets of paper to each student. They will draw and color an

example of each resource and add these to the correct resource “loaf”.

4. Grant students time to explain how each resource drawn is used in the production

of a good or service.

5. Display “loaves” in the classroom.

Rubric for Productive Resources Assessment Activity:

Alternate Assessment Activity


The higher grade level/GT students will use pictures or words and create cards of

the ingredients, tools and individuals involved in making bread. (Preferably, they should

prepare at least 15-30 in total.) Students will sort these into productive resources -

human, natural, capital (or entrepreneurial). Then, each student will be required to

write down their answers for review by another student (peer review = collaborative

learning). Students may use their word search to help in identifying many of the terms

used in this lesson.

In addition, students can create and use matching sets of cards to play

concentration. For example, if they had a picture of a mixing bowl and the word

capital, they would have a match.

Conclusion

In the midst of this nation’s economic slowdown, there is no better time then the

present to focus on the economic and financial education of future generations. These

lessons and the corresponding instructional activities and goals are appropriate and

align with the Maryland Common Core Curriculum for Social Studies in an effort for

“students to develop economic reasoning and identify the economic principles and

processes that are helpful to producers and consumers when making good decisions”.

This is a mere “Pebble-in-the-Pond” in the mission to ensure that kids know and

understand how finance works to help them make responsible choices when they grow

up and become participants in the global economy.


References

American Association of School Librarians (2007). Standards for the 21st-century learner.

Retrieved from

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/

learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf

Beginner's Kitchen. (2011). Bread World Canada. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from

http://www.breadworldcanda.com

Brown, A. & Green, T.D. (2011). The essentials of instructional design. Upper Saddle

River, New Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Council for Economic Education. (2012). About CEE: Financial Literacy and Economic

Education. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://www.councilforeconed.org/

Elementary Bread Science from Newton's Apple. (1983-1998). The Holy Tradition of

Prosphora Baking. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from

http://www.prosphora.org/page13.html

Enchanted Learning: Stories and Fairy Tales. (2006-2010). The Little Red Hen. Retrieved

July 2, 2012, from http://www.enchantedlearning.com

Florida Department of Education: Program Standards & Professional Development.

(2005). The Little Red Hen Lesson Plan. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from

www.fldoe.org/earlylearning/pdf/TheLittleRedHenLessonPlan.pdf

Goodreads, Inc. (2012). Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book

Clubs, Answer Trivia. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://goodreads.com

International Society for Technology in Education (2011). NETS for students. Retrieved

from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf

http://www.breadworldcanda.com/

http://www.councilforeconed.org/

http://www.prosphora.org/page13.html

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/

www.fldoe.org/earlylearning/pdf/TheLittleRedHenLessonPlan.pdf

http://goodreads.com/

http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx


Kehler, A. (2003, January 20). The Little Red Hen. Economics and Personal Finance

Resources for K-12. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from www.econedlink.org/

Maryland State Department of Education (2010). School library media state curriculum

9-12. Retrieved from http://mdk12.org/share/vsc/vsc_librarymedia_hs.pdf

Maryland State Department of Education (no date). MTTS Online: Maryland teacher

technology standards. Retrieved from http://www.mttsonline.org/

Merrill, M. D. (2002). A pebble-in-the- pond model for instructional design. Performance

improvement, 41(7), 39-44.

Moore, B. B. (1962). Arkansas Council on Economic Education. EconomicsArkansas.

Retrieved July 31, 2012, from http://www.economicsarkansas.org/

RubiStar Home . (2000-2008). RubiStar Home. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

Singleton-Prather, A. (2008). Gullah Net Overview. Welcome to Knowitall.org. Retrieved

July 2, 2012, from http://www.knowitall.org/gullahnet/main/index.html

The Monarch Award: Illinois' K-3 Children's Choice Award, 2010 Master List. (2010). Illinois

School Library Media Association. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from

http://www.islma.org

www.econedlink.org/

http://mdk12.org/share/vsc/vsc_librarymedia_hs.pdf

http://www.mttsonline.org/

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

http://www.knowitall.org/gullahnet/main/index.html

http://www.islma.org/


Appendix A: Clipart for Reading/Literacy/Math Connections Instructional/

Enrichment Activities

4th, 5th, 6th…make the dough, put the dough in the oven share the warm and delicious bread

1st, 2nd, 3rd…plant the seeds, cut the wheat, grind the wheat into flour…


Appendix B: Clipart for Reading/Literacy/Math Connections Instructional/

Enrichment Activities (Continued)

Bark

Little Red Hen

Meow

Squeak (not a character

in all versions)

Nosy Duck (referred to as a

goose in

some versions)

Oink

(a pig is present

in some versions)

Moo (a cow is a main

character in

some versions)


Appendix C: Sample of other versions suitable for read-aloud and other

aforementioned overlapping Instructional/Enrichment Activities

Folk song version (by

American folk/blues

singer-songwriter and

political activist, Malvina

Reynolds)

Utilize this technology literacy connection with this

Gullah Tales by Aunt Pearlie-Sue read-along.

Paul Galdone’s

picture book version

– perfect for reading

aloud!

Another picture book

version; illustrated by

infamous artist and 2010

Caldecott Medal

winner, Jerry Pinkney.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdrlT8FIATM

http://www.knowitall.org/gullahtales/tales/redhen/flash/index.html


Appendix C: Recipes to Explore

(1) One of many literary resources that will provide recipes for bread and cross

curricular connections. In this case; math, language arts and physical education.

(Amazon.com)

(2) Reference: BreadWorldCanda.com for directions from Kneading to Baking and then

some ways to make your bread come out looking picture-perfect after it’s rested,

shaped and cooled.

(King Arthur Flour Company, Inc.)

(3) Reference: King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. for recipes for top quality sandwich

bread and crisp/crunchy baguettes to delicious banana bread and other quick

and easy loaves. This company, founded in Boston in 1790, is America’s oldest flour

company and more than 220 years later, they are still the nation’s premier baking

resource.

http://www.breadworldcanada.com/tipsterms/begintipsd.asp

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/bread

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/clays-multi-grain-sourdough-sandwich-bread-recipe


Appendix D: BreadWorldCanda.com: Tips, Terms and Ingredients

http://www.breadworldcanada.com/tipsterms/begintipsi.asp


Appendix E: Technology integration opportunity accessible by General Educators

and Library Media Specialists.

The Washington Flour Mill (circa

1926) on K Street formerly Water

Street, in Georgetown, WDC.

Yukon, Oklahoma – presently

serves as a warehouse.

Real-life connection - this

old mill is located in Harford

County, Maryland!

You can’t get any closer than

this…this old mill is practically in

our backyard as it is located on

Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills!

(Control + Click on

picture to follow link to

access online search

by state)

http://millpictures.com/index.php


Appendix F: “Venn Diagram” for The Little Red Hen in “Kidspiration”


Appendix G: Drag and Drop Activity: This drag and drop activity can be use to

assess students understanding of the Little Red Hen Story.


Appendix H: Community Helper and Career theme educational activities.

Search forwards, backwards, up, down, and diagonally for words pertaining to bread,

ingredients, and directions in making bread.

Song: “We've Been Working On Production” (to the tune of: I've Been Working on the Railroad)

We've been working on production, All the

livelong day.

We've been working on production,

Just to make some goods this way.

We use natural resources, Such as land, and

oil, and trees.

We use capital resources,

Such as tools and factories.

Now we will work, Now we will work, When

we use our human resources. Now we will

work, Now we will work, When we use our

human resources.

OVEN

RACK

LOAVES

KNEAD

YEAST

DOUGH

FLOUR

WATER

MILK

MARGARINE

EGGS

PREHEAT

MAPLE SYRUP

BREAD

MILL

MILLER

HUMAN RESOURCES

CAPITAL RESOURCES

ENTREPRENEUR

NATURAL RESOURCES


Appendix I: Doubling fractions enrichment activity for the higher grade level/GT

students.

Knead math?

Yummy! Peanut Butter Bread…sounds too good to be true! Sadly, this recipe only

makes two loaves. Help the Little Red Hen adjust this recipe to make four loaves. Figure

out how much would she need of each ingredient and write it on the space provided.


Appendix J: Instructor-generated ''Natural Resources", “Human Resources” and

“Capital Goods” worksheets noted in the “Planned Guidance/Instructional Strategies”

section.

________________ is a

human resource.

I use these capital goods

when I am producing a good or

providing a service.

_______________________

_______________________

Natural Resources Natural resources are "gifts of nature."

They are used to produce goods and provide

services.

________________ is a

Natural Resource. It is used

to produce

_______________________

_______________________


Appendix K: Production and Resources Pebble-in-the-Pond Graphic Organizer

Instructional Problem: What is production? What are resources?

Instructional Goal: Students will be able to identify the steps in producing a loaf of bread

and what natural, human and capital resources are needed in the production process.

Tasks – P1 Tasks – P2 Tasks – P3 Tasks – P4 Tasks – End P

Students will

identify the

ingredients for

making bread.

Access

Background

Knowledge

(KWL) with lower

grade level

students…what

they know about

wheat (what is

made with

wheat, what they

like to eat that is

made with

wheat, etc.);

what we want

learners to know

(how wheat

grows and how it

is turned into

Students will

identify and

review

productive

resources

(capital,

entrepreneurship,

land and labor)

(General

Educator:

introduce new

vocabulary)

Task:

Students will

hear/read a

retold version of

the classic story,

“The Little Red

Hen” used for

illustrating and

reviewing the

Students will

explore still

existing,

sometimes

functional, grain

and flour mills.

Task:

Students will take

a virtual tour of

various flour and

grain mills in the

United States.

For example, The

Yukon Flour Mill &

Grain Co. in

Yukon,

Oklahoma or the

non-existent

Washington Flour

Mill formerly

located in

Georgetown.

Students will

investigate the

production

process.

Task:

Students will

review the story

by completing a

(Kidspiration)

Drag and Drop

Activity OR Venn

Diagram to

determine what

steps were

involved with the

production of the

loaf of bread?

(Technology

Integration &/OR

pair-share

activity: General

Educator OR

LMS)

Students will watch a

YouTube video as

one of their peers

demonstrates how to

make simple

homemade bread

with only 4

ingredients.

Task:

Students will watch

“Making Easy Bread

with Fin” in order to

create their own loaf

of bread.

(Technology

Integration: General

Educator OR LMS)

Learners

will

recognize

natural

resources

used to

make a

loaf of

bread.

Learners will

identify the

natural,

capital and

human

resources

used in the

production

of a loaf of

bread.

Learners will

investigate

examples of

how limited

resources

affect the

decisions

producers

make.

Learners

will

examine

the

productio

n process

in

producin

g a loaf of

bread.

Learners will

explore the

ingredients

and apply

their skills to

produce

their own

loaf of

bread.

Progression of Problems

Guidance Provided

Learners: Grades: K-3

http://millpictures.com/mills.php

http://millpictures.com/mills.php?millid=396





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCuWEMtB68o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCuWEMtB68o&feature=related


bread)

(pair-share

activity)

Task:

Students will go

to a bread

recipe, read the

recipe and make

a list of the

ingredients.

(Technology

Integration:

General

Educator OR

LMS)

concepts of

productive

resources. They

will also review

the tools (capital

resources used in

producing a loaf

of bread).

(Read-Aloud &

Technology

Integration:

General

Educator OR

LMS)

(Technology

Integration:

General

Educator OR

LMS)



http://www.breadworldcanada.com/tipsterms/begintipse.asp

http://www.breadworldcanada.com/tipsterms/begintipse.asp

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