TITLE OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE: Where's That From? Submitted by Patricia Nojaim

1. LEARNING CONTEXT
This Learning Experience is based on the N.Y.S. Social Studies:

Standard #3 - GEOGRAPHY

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live-local, national, and global-including the distribution of people, places, and environments over the earth's surface. Performance indicator: describe the relationships between people and environments and the connections between people and places.

Standard #4 - ECONOMICS

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making unit function in the U.S. and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms. Performance indicator: understand how people in the United States and throughout the world are both producers and consumers of goods and services.

This Learning Experience is preceded by the Learning Unit - An Analysis of the Past and Present Economic Systems in the United States and Throughout the World as well as the Learning Experience - Take Note of Our Economic Terms! it will aid students in gaining knowledge and skills in locating a variety of countries on a World map, at the same time, realizing that the people of that country produced the clothing they are currently wearing. Students also will have a visual reminder of the percentage of clothing purchased in the United States that is made in other countries.

2. PROCEDURE
The students will be able to answer the questions:
1. What is the relationship between people and environments and people and places?
2. How can people in the United States and throughout the world be both consumers and producers of goods and services?

The students will, in teams of two, check the manufacture label of each others' outerclothing e.g., bookbags, watchers, eyeglasses, belts, shirts, etc. The students will then identify the article and the country where it was produced and write this information down on a "Post it" (one "Post it per item of clothing). As soon as all of the items of clothing have been identified with the country of origin, the students will place the "Post its" on the World wall map in the classroom. The students will enter data into the computer calculator and graphing program to create a bar graph showing the percentage of textiles produced for each country represented with "Post its" on the map.

The teacher will give the students the directions for the learning experience and monitor their progress. The students will be instructed to return to their desks when all "Post its" are on the World wall map. the teacher will ask students to observe where the largest percentage of "Post its" are located on the map and suggest why there and not somewhere else. The students will then be asked to assess the impact on the American economy when goods are purchased in the United States, but made in another country. Then, students will compare this data with textile production in the United States.

3. INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS
Instructional modification: Students may need assistance in locating some countries not familiar to them.

Physical modifications: Students' desks will be rearranged in the classroom in teams of two.

4. TIME REQUIRED
Planning time requirement for this Learning Experience is approximately five minutes. Implementation of the Learning Experience is approximately 35-40 minutes, with assessment taking place during the Learning Experience.

5. RESOURCES
Material for the students: Mini size "Post its" (approximately 5 per students), pens, computer with capacity to develop graphs and calculate statistics, computer printer.

Material for the teacher: Large World wall map, directions for task expectations.

6. ASSESSMENT PLAN
The teacher will take observation notes of students as they place "Post its" on the World wall map followed by a class discussion answering the questions stated in the Procedure.

7. STUDENT WORK
Since this Learning Experience is a hands on activity followed by a discussion, there is no sample of students work.

8. REFLECTION
This Learning Experience might better meet the needs of all learners with additional map location practice prior to an following the activities, as well as continued map learning experience throughout the school year. This Learning Experience can be expanded to include additional lessons with connections to Economics.

This Learning Experience reflects current scholarship as well as exemplary classroom practices through assisting students in real life experiences through a "hands-on" learning experience.