TITLE: Leapin’ Landmarks

GRADE LEVEL: 4/5th

CONTENT AREAS: Geography, history

LEARNING TARGET/GOAL: Be able to locate specific landmarks on a map and demonstrate knowledge of one specific landmark.

EALR’S AND GLE’S:

Social Studies – History: 2.1 Investigate and research

Locate, gather, and process information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including photographs, drawings, artifacts, oral accounts, and documents

Social Studies – Geography: 1.2 Recognize spatial patterns on Earth’s surface and understand the processes that create these patterns

Locate places, major physical features, and human spatial patterns, such as states, cities, rivers, and population distribution using maps, globes and other sources

DAY TWO:  40 minutes

KEY CONCEPTS:

Manmade Landmarks

OBJECTIVE(S):

Through discussion and research students will demonstrate understanding of some manmade landmarks by writing a paragraph on a specific landmark, including it’s location.

RATIONALE: Recognizing landmarks and knowing where they are can help you identify things you see on the news and t.v.

Knowledge of landmarks can help you to understand why people have taken the time to build such elaborate structures – fulfill your curiosity

EALR’S AND GLE’S:

Social Studies – History: 2.1 Investigate and research

Social Studies – Geography: 1.2 Recognize spatial patterns on Earth’s surface and understand the processes that create these patterns

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Ben’s Dream by Chris Van Allsburg

World map

Many resource books on landmarks

Encyclopedias

Computer encyclopedias

Atlases

Leapin’ Landmarks worksheet

Study guide worksheet

PROCEDURES:

            Introduction:

            “Today we are going to learn more about specific landmarks”

            Activating Prior Knowledge:

            “What are some landmarks that you can think of that are in the United States?”

            examples: Space Needle, Mount Rushmore, Statue of Liberty

            Learning Target: Knowledge

            Learning Activity (list context, steps, accommodations for differing needs):

1)      (30 seconds) Have students get into a group on the floor in preparation for reading

2)      (3 min.) “Throughout reading see if you recognize any landmarks.  Keep your discoveries to yourself, we will have time to share when I am done reading.”  Read the book Ben’s Dream out loud. 

3)      (10 min.) Discussion: students still in a group where they can all see a world map.  “Now I am going to go back and show you a picture from the book.  Raise your hand if you think you know or want to guess what the landmark in the picture is or where it is.”

Turn to the first picture and ask the above question.  Wait time (10 seconds).  Call on a few students.  “Ok, I heard some very good answers.  This is a picture of ________, it is located in __________.  Who can find that on the map?”  Have student come point on the map.  Assist students who have trouble finding it.  Continue with rest of pictures in same way.

4)      (5 min.) “Now I am going to give you a worksheet to do.  You will have 30 seconds when I say go to get back to your seat and have nothing on your desk except for a pencil.” 

Hand out worksheet.  Do the first problem together as a class.

“Now circle any answers you remember from the discussion we just had.  Don’t worry if you don’t remember, we are going to go over them again before we turn these in.”

5)      (4 min.) Re-read the book.  Stop on pg. 12 and ask who can tell you what the landmark is and where it is located on the map.  “This is a great opportunity to double check your answers.”

6)      (2 min.) “Now I want you to choose one of the landmarks on your sheet that you would like to know more about.  Write the name of the landmark in the blank spot on your sheet.  We are going to use encyclopedias, books and the computer to find more information about our landmarks.  You will need to share resources with others who have chose the same landmark as you.  You are looking for at least 4 details about your landmark.”  *Have all of these directions available on the board or overhead*

7)      (1 min.) Hand out and explain study guide worksheet.  See attached.  “this will help you to stay focused and to keep your facts in one place.”

8)      (11 min.) “You will have the next ten minutes to get at least one book and fill out as much of the sheet as you can.  Do the extra credit piece last.  We will have 30 minutes tomorrow to keep working on this.  Someone tell me what you are going to do right now.”  Call on a few people.  “Are there any questions about what we are doing right now?” 

9)      Provide assistance to those who need help locating books, etc.

            Closure: (3 min)

             “What did we do today?”  (knowledge)

             “What is something new that you learned today?” (comprehension)

             “What do you think we are doing tomorrow?” (comprehension/prediction)

             “Tomorrow we are going to have 30 minutes to continue researching our

               landmarks and also begin taking our information and putting it into a descriptive

               paragraph that we will discuss tomorrow.”

            Crystallization:

            Day 3: Finish research.  Start paragraphs.

            Day 4: Finish paragraphs. Report out/ share with class.

POST ASSESSMENT:

• Rubric for paragraphs touching on:

Ø      All facts from worksheet included

Ø      Correctness of facts

Ø      Grammar

Ø      Paragraph structure

• Map of world with numbers where landmarks are located.  Students would have to match 8 out of 10 landmarks listed with their location