Walmart+Project

Walmart Project

** TCH 347 Walmart Project **


 * Lesson Plan Author ** Shayne Whitten


 * Lesson Topic/Title ** Walmart and Your Town


 * Subject Ares ** Social Studies (civics), Math (economics), and Language Arts


 * Grade Level ** 8th


 * Time ** One week


 * PA Standards **


 * 1.6.8.A: ** Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations. Respond with grade level appropriate questions, ideas, information, or opinions.


 * 1.6.8.B: ** Demonstrate awareness of audience using appropriate volume and clarity in formal speaking presentations.


 * 5.2.8.B: ** Describe how **citizens** resolve conflicts in society and government.


 * 5.3.8.I: ** Describe various types of projects and services provided through local, state, and national taxes.


 * M8.A.2.2.1: ** Solve problems involving percents (e.g., tax, discounts, etc) Do not include percent increase or decrease.


 * M8.A.2.2.2: ** Represent or solve rate problems (e.g., unit rates, simple interest, distance, etc.) Students may be asked to solve for any term (formulas provided on the reference sheet for distance and interest).


 * NCSS Standards **

5.2.9.C. Standard Statement: Analyze skills used to resolve conflicts in society and government.

5.2.9.G. Standard Statement: Analyze political and civic participation in government and society.

6.2.9.A. Standard Statement: Explain the flow of goods, services and resources in a mixed economy.

6.2.9.B. Standard Statement: Analyze how the number of consumers and producers affects the level of competition within a market.

6.2.9.E. Standard Statement: Explain the laws of supply and demand and how these affect the prices of goods and services.

6.2.9.F. Standard Statement: Analyze how competition among producers and consumers affects price, costs, product quality, service, product design, variety and advertising.


 * Essential Questions ** What effects can Walmart have on a local community and local businesses? What are the pros and cons of implementing a Walmart in your community?


 * Learning Objectives ** (list at least three objectives in categories of cognitive and behavioral)


 * Concept/Vocabulary: **


 * Economics/Civics: ** Capital gain, competition, supply, demand, deflation, efficiency


 * Role playing: ** Characters, concentration, cold reading, collaboration, context, cue, dialogue, diction, informal theatre, gesture, objective, rehearsal, run through, script, text


 * Materials ** Blackboard/whiteboard, chart paper, markers, Walmart articles (available online at www.reclaimdemocracy.com.), video camera (optional)


 * Learning station-A (Social Studies) Civics/Ethics **

**Purpose:** Walmart's CEO H. Lee Scott, Jr is quoted on the Walmart website: “Each day in our pharmacies we see customers struggle with the cost of prescription drugs. By cutting the cost of many generics to $4, we are helping to ensure that our customers and associates get the medicines they need at a price they can afford. That’s a real solution for our nation’s working families.”

Students will answer the following discussion questions:

What is Walmart's motivation behind making prescriptions available so cheaply? Are they simply trying to be good to their community? Are they other ways in which Walmart supports the community? What are some examples of ways in which Walmart appears to be simply a typical big business looking out for its own interests, rather than those of its employees or community? How can you reconcile these different images of the corporation?


 * Organization: ** The entire class will be involved. Students will sit in a discussion circle. The teacher will record points on the board.


 * Implantation Strategies: ** The teacher will lead an open discussion/debate about the topic. If the input from the class slows, the teacher will offer leading questions to help move it along.


 * Time: ** One class period with a brief review at the beginning of next class.


 * Learning Station-B (Math) Economics **

**Purpose:** Students will learn about the impact and effect a big-box department store chain has on a community. They will also analyze how chain stores impact/impacted their own communities.


 * Organization: ** The entire class will do the same project at one time. Students will be in small groups. They will work together to read, brainstorm ideas, and then form a chart displaying their results.


 * Implantation Strategies: ** Students will examine graphs and read articles showing the cost benefit analysis of local businesses both before and after Walmart’s arrival to their local town. They will then construct a chart displaying the totals and the differences. The students will make a list of pros and cons of Walmart coming to town.


 * Time: ** One class period


 * Learning Station-C (Language Arts) **

**Purpose:** Students will write a five minute script for a talk show. On this show, students will discuss their points of view on Walmart vs. local business owner.


 * Organization: ** Groups of 3


 * Implantation Strategies: ** Teacher will trigger prior knowledge to discuss talk shows. They will also role model how an interviewer asks questions. The teacher will discuss the traits of the characters and the issues for discussion. The class will discuss examples of questions that the interviewer could ask the characters. Let students break up in groups to complete questions and assign roles for the following characters: “Walmart,” “local business owner,” and “host.” Students can also think of names for their talk shows. The interviewer should ask a series of questions to each character. The questions should be related to the issue. The second day students should role play and practice for talk show. The third day students can make props and bring in costumes to resemble the characters. The fourth day, perform the talk shows. The teacher should video tape the talk shows and watch them all as a class.


 * Time: ** Four-five days


 * Assessment **

The first day/session’s assessment will be observational. The teacher will know by questioning whether or not the students understand the concept.

The second day/session’s assessment will be observational as well. The teacher will watch around the classroom, listen to student feedback and ask leading questions. The charts will offer evidence of understand and should be accompanied by classroom discussion of each chart.

The third day/session’s assessment is the completion of the script, the skit, and all parts involved.