Grade Level: 5th

Overview: Using class discussion and a power point presentation, students will explore how the federal government works to provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, secure the blessings of liberty, and promote the “common good” (e.g., making, enacting, enforcing laws that protect rights and property of all citizens) through a case study of the East End Bridge Project north of Louisville. They will consider transportation needs and cultural resources of their own community. They will use analytical skills in analyzing one primary resource (a historic photograph) and comparing two map types (road and satellite).

Optional follow-up activities allow students to apply the essential questions to their own community and include the opportunity to conduct short research projects, write opinion pieces, and/or report on a topic to present an opinion. An additional follow up presentation introduces careers in Transportation Planning (Practical Living/Career Awareness).

This lesson plan can be used alone or as part of a unit including An Education for Our Children. As a unit, the lessons provide a case study of a rural, African American community in Kentucky and provide a springboard for exploring your local community through the lens of the Big Ideas in Social Studies. As an individual lesson, this can be used to provide an example of how the federal governments functions and partners with state governments, of the role of transportation in society, and/or of the importance of civic participation. It is particularly timely when road construction, improvement, or maintenance activities (such as snow removal) are taking place in your community.

The lesson can be enhanced by inviting a presenter from the Kentucky Cabinet for Transportation’s Kentucky Engineering Exposure Network (K.E.E.N.) to make a presentation to your class. Please see attached description (KEEN Bridge Building Description).

Standards Addressed (detailed bullets in lesson plan):

• Kentucky Core Academic Standards – Big Ideas in Government and Civics
• Common Core in English Language Arts
• C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards, National Council for the Social Studies

Essential Questions:
What is the role of transportation in society?
How does the federal government enact laws to protect the rights and property of all citizens?
What are some rights and responsibilities of citizens, including civic participation?

Contents:

• For the Common Good Lesson Plan
• For the Common Good Power Point
• For the Common Good Power Point in pdf Format
• For Optional Activity 4:
  • KEEN Transportation Eng Process 2013
  • Careers in Transportation

Handouts:
For each student:

• For the Common Good Word Bank (teacher version with definitions included)
• Looking at Maps (gray scale version for printing included)
• Photograph Analysis Worksheet
• For the Common Good Word Match (answer key on page 2)
• For the Common Good Writing Prompt

Optional Follow-up Handouts

• Transportation Needs in Our Community
• Cultural Resources in Our Community
• Transportation in Kentucky: Past, Present, and Future

Map Analysis NARA and Photo Analysis NARA are resources from the National Archives and Records Administration included for reference.

Resources
For a comprehensive analysis of the Harrods Creek community, see the African American Heritage Interpretive Plan for Jefferson Jacob School, Jacob School Road, James Taylor Subdivision & Harrods Creek Village at https://www.in.gov/indot/3696.htm

Helpful websites for Optional Activity 1 are:

• http://maps.kytc.ky.gov/bridgedataminer/ This site allows you to see the location and condition of all bridges in your county/city
• http://transportation.ky.gov/Planning/Pages/State-Primary-Road-System-Maps.aspx This site allows you to search for maps of state primary road systems by county, incorporated area, or district
• http://maps.kytc.ky.gov/SYP/ This site allows you to view the current highway plan by city or county
• http://maps.kytc.ky.gov/photolog/ Zoomable and searchable roadway photo log

Helpful websites for Optional Activity 2 are:

• http://www.kentuckytourism.com/things_to_do/history_heritage/historic_sites.aspx – searchable database of historic sites in Kentucky
• http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/KY/state.html List of sites included in the National Register of Historic Sites in Kentucky, searchable by county
• http://www.signsofhistory.com/kentucky/kentucky.htm This project lists Kentucky’s historical markers by county. The project also posts pictures of the markers as they are provided by participating schools, historical groups, and individuals.
• http://www.ket.org/kentuckylife/topics/kentucky-historical-markers.html Videos from Kentucky Educational Television related to selected historical markers.
• http://heritage.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/ACF24D83-59B1-4C83-AC25-80173291C4B8/0/RosenwaldSchoolsinKY.pdf On page 31 there is a list by county of schools constructed with funding from the Julius Rosenwald Fund for the education of African Americans from 1917-1932
• http://heritage.ky.gov/kas/kyarchynew/Site+Profiles.htm Site profiles for selected archaeological sites from different time periods

Also check with your local historical society and local tourism offices for materials.
If you plan to use Optional Activities, contact your district KEEN coordinator from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. S/he can tell you if there are any current or planned highway projects in your community or any identified needs. You might also want to arrange a classroom visit. KEEN coordinators can discuss transportation planning and careers in transportation and provide a grade level appropriate, hands-on engineering activity.

Kentucky Highway Districts
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet divides the state into 12 highway districts to optimize building, accountability, & maintenance of the transportation systems within.

This lesson plan was developed as part of the African American Heritage Interpretive Plan for Jefferson Jacob School, Jacob School Road, James Taylor Subdivision & Harrods Creek Village Jefferson County, Kentucky