Title III Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

REVISIED

Overview | Content Knowledge | Essential Questions | Connection To Standards | Initiating Activity | Learning Experiences | Culminating Performance | Pre-Requisite Skills | Modifications | Schedule/Time Plan | Technology Use

OVERVIEW

 The grade five social studies program stresses geographic, economic, and social/cultural understandings related to the United States, Canada, and nations in Latin America today. Through this unit, students will use their research skills to develop an understanding of these countries. This unit is designed to be an independent project with an oral presentation as a culminating activity. This unit should take approximately 3 to 4 weeks to complete.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

 Who are our neighbors?

What are the names of the countries that make up North, South, and Latin America?

What information can you give about these countries?

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS
List Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or Benchmark(s)

 ELA Standard # 1.1

• Interpret and analyze information from reference books, magazines, textbooks, electronic bulletin boards, audio and media presentations, oral interviews, and from such forms as charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams.
• Compare and synthesize information from different sources.
• Use a wide variety of strategies for note taking, organizing, and categorizing information.
• Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information and between fact and opinion.
• Relate new information to prior knowledge and experience.

ELA Standard #1.2

• Present information clearly in a variety of oral and written forms such as summaries, paraphrases, brief reports, stories, poster, and charts.
• Organize information according to an identifiable structure, such as facts, details, illustrative examples or anecdotes, and exclude extraneous material.
• Observe basic writing conventions, such as correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as sentence and paragraph structures appropriate to written forms.

SS Standard 1.2

• Understand the relationship between the relative importance of United States domestic and foreign policies over time.

INITIATING ACTIVITY

 As an anticipatory set, discuss with students the meaning of neighbor. As the discussion progresses have the students go from the idea of a neighbor being someone who is close by and known well to a larger concept of first communities, regions, states, and finally countries. Have students fill out a KWL graphic organizer.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Each student will be researching an individual country. They will be expected to research the following information.

DIRECTIONS:

You are going to be constructing a "profile" on a country of North, South, or Latin America. Use the directions below to assemble an informative summary which is suitable for display.

Introductory Paragraph:

Using the graphic organizer provided, research all information. Please be accurate and use the bibliography page provided to list all research materials. Once the information has been found write a paragraph to introduce the reader to the country that you are profiling.

MAP:

Locate a map of your country and carefully copy it on to a 9" X 12" piece of paper. You may ask the teacher to copy the map you find in order for you to place it on the overhead to trace it. However, you must be the one to find the map.

The map must be as accurate as possible. You must use color and all labels must be spelled correctly. Label all important cities, rivers, lakes, oceans, etc. Make sure your map has a key.

FLAG:

Locate a flag of your country and carefully copy it on to a 9" X 12" piece of paper. You may ask the teacher to copy the flag you find in order for you to place it on the overhead to trace it. However, you must be the one to find the flag.

Graphs:

You are going to construct graphs to show the following information. You must decide on the type of graph that will best show the information you are being asked for. (examples: pie, bar, pictograph, line graph, etc.) These graphs must be made on plain white ditto paper. You must use color, make sure your information is correct, all words are spelled correctly, the graph has a title, there are labels stating what information you are giving, and everything must be neatly done.

Graphs that are required:

1. Population 2. Occupations 3. Economy 4. Crops

PARAGRAPHS:

You must write a paragraph of 6 to 10 sentences giving important information you find for each of the following topics:

1. An early civilization
2. The people of your country
3. Government
4. An important person in your country’s history
5. Your country today

Each paragraph must contain facts that you found. You may choose anything you found interesting in each of the categories to write about. Requirements:

1. You must have a topic sentence.
2. You must have a concluding statement.
3. You must document the resource you used.
4. Your paragraphs must be typed.

LAND AND CLIMATE

The teacher will be giving you several pages for you to complete. Research the information and place it accurately on the papers. Spelling, color, and neatness will count.

Once you have completed all the required parts, put it together in an attractive format to be displayed. You will also be asked to orally present your project.

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE
Include rubric(s)

 As a culminating activity you are going to create an oral presentation of all the information you have gathered. This presentation may be done in one of two ways.

The first way:

A picture book that will give the information in a clear format. Each page must contain written text as well as pictures. The book format should be used. (i.e. cover, title page, copyright page, bibliography, etc.) The book will be read aloud to the class by the author.

The second way:

Using Microsoft PowerPoint, the student will create a slide presentation of the information they have gathered. The design of the program will be the author's own but must include some pictures and graphics as well as text. The program will be presented in front of the entire class.

While each student is presenting their project the rest of the class will take notes as well as ask questions to gain an understanding of the country that is being presented.

Once all students have presented their project, a compare/contrast essay will be assigned. The students must choose one country that interested them to compare and contrast to the country that they researched. Information that is being compared and contrasted should be the information that was asked for throughout the project. Students may also choose to compare/contrast their researched country to the United States. However, this may lead to more research on the students part. Students who choose to create a picture book may make their books available after the presentation for others to use as they write their compare/contrast essay.

ASSESSMENT

Each part of the project will be assessed. See the attached rubrics for each part. The culminating activity will be assessed in two ways. The students will be assessed on the actual hard copy of the project. They will also be assessed on the oral presentation of the project.

PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS

 Skills that will be needed for this unit are:

Basic research skills

Writing skills

Basic computer knowledge of word processing program

Knowledge of Power Point Program

Knowledge of designing graphs

Note taking skills

Knowledge of graphing programs

MODIFICATIONS

 Modification of this unit would be for students with special needs. Modification would consist of extra help from support people.

UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN

 This unit is designed to take three to four weeks. The first three weeks for the required research projects. The fourth week would be for the culminating activity. Students will know of the culminating activity from the onset of the unit and will be encouraged to work towards that goal as they are doing their research activities.

TECHNOLOGY USE

 The use of technology will be the use of the computer in the following ways:

• Basic research to include: encyclopedias on the computer as well as the internet.
• Word processing: Final project should be typed whenever possible
• Graphs: Students are encouraged to use a graphing program to design their graphs.
• Microsoft's PowerPoint program for those students who choose to present their culminating activity using this medium.

RUBRICS

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH RUBRIC

RUBRIC FOR MAP

FLAG RUBRIC

OCCUPATION GRAPH

POPULATION GRAPH

ECONOMY GRAPH

CROPS GRAPH

THE FOLLOWING RUBRIC WILL BE USED FOR ALL THE PARAGRAPHS:

LAND AND CLIMATE PROJECT

1. Copy a map on a sheet of paper.
2. Label all major rivers and lakes.
3. Label any oceans, seas, etc.
4. Create a map key.
5. Provide a direction finder.
6. Make your map colorful.
7. Using a physical map as a guide label any physical features that are necessary.
8. Write a paragraph describing the climate of your country. Be sure to include all areas that are different.

RUBRIC FOR PROJECT

COMPARE/CONTRAST COMPOSITION RUBRIC

(Culminating activity)

 RUBRIC FOR CULMINATING ACTIVITY

(HEY, NEIGHBOR)