Aim
The aim of this lesson
is to provide fourth (4th) grade students with an engaged learning travel
experience using the internet as a resource.
Rationale
Many students are geographically unaware of the location and boundaries of the states, nor use the computer as a resource and navigate. Many elementary age students have never traveled outside of the state of Illinois or experienced the diverse cultural benefits that other states have to offer. This unit was developed to students with a web based engaged learning experience of touring self chosen states within the continental United States.
Goals
Tour The States is a unit that integrates social
studies, language arts and mathematics. The
Chicago Public Schools State Goals(SG), Chicago Academic Standards(CAS),
Chicago Framework Standards(CFS) are addressed in this unit as follows:
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| Social Studies |
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| Language Arts |
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| Math |
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#'s1-4 & 1,6,&7 |
Objectives
Social Studies
Students will:
Students will:
Students will:
This unit is intended to be used with fourth (4th)
grade students but it can be adapted for older or younger students.
It can be used in a self-contained classroom or departmental setting. The
locations can be changed to other countries to match other curricular requirements.
Pre-requisites
Required prior knowledge includes:
Instructional Plan
Step 1
Pre task activities: The class will review cardinal
and intermediate directions by going to various areas of the classroom
such as the northwest or southeast locations when asked by the teacher.
The teacher will reinforce cardinal and intermediate directions and label
the directional locations within the classroom. The teacher will
ask some of the students to walk to various areas of the classroom such
as the north, southwest, east, etc. (Whole group. 30 minutes).
Step 2
The teacher will review the concept of a map key and
explain that like a door key, it unlocks information on a map. The
teacher will introduce each symbol on the map key using a large wall map
of the United States. The teacher will then ask various students
to find certain symbols on the wall map and find and what they are by using
the map key. The teacher will help students make a map of the classroom
and design a map key to explain the symbols on their classroom map.
Whole group and small group. 40 minutes per day for 2 days).
Step 3
The teacher will explain the purpose and use of map
scales and demonstrate how to use a map scale to figure and calculate distance.
The teacher will provide students with many different kinds of maps and
ask students to calculate and record distances between various places on
each kind of map. The students will practice calculating distance
using various kinds of maps and keys such as an aerial map, topographical
map, and a pictorial map. Students may use a calculator if necessary.
(Whole group and small group. 40 minutes per day for 2 or 3 days.)
Step 4
The teacher will give students a political outline
of the continental United States and instruct them to label the northern,
southern, eastern, and western boundaries. Next, students will identify
the central and midwestern states, the northeastern states followed by
the southern states, gulf states, western states, plain states, mountain
states, southwestern states, and northwestern states. Finally, students
will add the capitols and major cities to their maps. The class will
discuss the boundaries, states, capitols, major cities and climate before
they begin each region of their maps. The teacher will assist the
students with making each part of their map and labeling them. (Whole
group, small group, and individual. 40 minutes per day for 5 days).
Step 5
The teacher will introduce and demonstrate how to
search the World Wide Web (WWW) using URL resources for this unit.
United
States Image Map
Content@nationalgeographic.com
Travel
supermarket to 50 states
History
on the 50 states
The weather page
Math practice
Step 6
The students will use the Image Map URL to help them
pick five (5) states that they would like to put on their itinerary.
They will use a map scale to measure the distance in miles between their
five chosen states to insure that they will be traveling at least one thousand
miles. Next the students will do some preliminary research on their
five states using the Image Map and other URL resources. From this
research the students will decide what time of year they will be travel
and what type of clothing they will need. The teacher will help students
do their preliminary research, choose their states, travel times and clothing,
length of stay in each state, make a budget
and the necessary calculations. (Small group
and individual. 40 minutes per day for 4 or 5 days).
Step 7
The teacher will review with the students the steps
in writing a formal letter and arrange multiple opportunities for practice
writing a business and friendly letter. The students will write the
Bureau of Tourism in each of their five states to get information on the
cultural activities offered in each state (advanced students may e-mail
their letters). The teacher will help the students to obtain the
necessary addresses, write letters, and make cultural activity choices
as needed. Students may use the URL resources to obtain cultural
information about their states. Brochures may be obtained from travel
agents as well. (Whole group and individual. 40 minutes per
day for 4 or 5 days. Some time must be allowed for a response to
the letters).
Step 8
After receiving the information from the Bureau of
Tourism the students will pick two (2) they plan to attend in each o their
five (5) states and put the information on their travel itinerary.
Student will then start to compile researched information for their itinerary
such as how many days they will spend in each location and the total number
of days for the entire trip.
Step 9
Students must now pick at least two modes of transportation
in their travel plans. In order to do this students will need to
first understand highway maps, mileage charts, bus, airplane, cruise ship
and train schedules. The teacher will discuss each of these modes
of transportation and students will practice using them. Finally,
students will pick their chosen modes of transportation and add them to
their itinerary. If a car is chosen the student must list the major
highways they will travel. If a train, bus, airplane or ship is chosen,
students must list the time, date, departure and arrival for each form
of transportation used. The teacher will provide URL resources and
opportunities to practice reading various kinds of maps and schedules as
well as help the students make choices and add them to their itinerary.
(Whole group, small group and individual. 40 minutes per day for
3 to 5 days).
Step 10
After finalizing their travel plans, students will
begin to work on their budgets. They have been given a $10,000 budget
limit. Students may use the practice list below to calculate the
cost of their trip:
Hotel $75 per night
Food $50 per day
Rental car and gas $250 a week
Airplane flight $300
Bus or train $200
Cruise $1,200
Spending money $75 per day
The teacher will help students put together a budget
and make the necessary calculations. The teacher will make a sample
budget using the price list above to help the students get started.
The students will use the URL travel site to get the prices for all items
listed on their travel plan. (Whole group and individual. 40
minutes per day for 2 or 3 days).
Step 11
Students will organize all parts of their travel plans
and assemble their itinerary and budget. Students will submit a written
report as well as present orally to the class and visitors. The teacher
will help students with and arrange for presentations. Students and
visitors will use the rubric to assess the presentations. (Individual.
40 minutes per day for 3 days).
Materials
Students will be assessed with a rubric.