Lesson
Plans Overview:
Day 1 Introduce and explain the topic and break students into groups
that they will be working in on to research the states assigned to them.
The remainder of the hour will be used to research in the library.
Day 2 Ask students how the research went and make sure to get
feedback. The remainder of the hour
will be spent in the library.
Day 3 Begin presentations and short verbal quizzes given by the
presenters.
Day 4
Finish up the presentations and quizzes.
If there is any time left in the hour it will be used for reviewing for
the overall quiz that will be given the next day.
Day 5
Teachers quiz and assessment of researching and learning by the students.
Grade:
7 Date:
April 24, 2000
Time:
1:00-1:50
Subject:
Geography
Objectives:
1. At the end of the lesson students will understand what is expected of them to obtain a good grade for the subject.
2.
At the end of the lesson students will have a good start on researching
the states that they drew for.
Introduction:
The teacher will explain to the students that they will be studying the
states the make up the Midwest. The
students will be numbered off into six groups.
One member of the group will pick a piece of paper out of a can that has
two states listed on it. These two
states will be the states that the students will be researching and soon
presenting on. Also a group member will pick out another can and on this
piece of paper will be a number. The
number signifies the order that they will be presenting.
For each state that the group has they will need to find information such
as the capital, industrial cities, major lakes and rivers, popular tourist
attractions and landmarks, and major sources of income for the state such as
crops and major companies in the central business district.
They may also include any neat fun facts about their states, such as
state bird, or state nicknames such as Land of 10,000 Lakes, etc. The group will
be presenting their findings in a 10-15 minute presentation to the class.
At the end of their presentation they should prepare five to eight
questions to ask the rest of the class about the information they covered.
The group is required to hand in their notes on their findings to the
teacher. The groups are recommended
to use creativity in their presentations. Bringing
in visual aids from a trip they have taken to this state is an example.
The teacher should also inform the students that they would only be given
two days of class time to use the library.
If they so wish they meet outside of class.
Activities:
1.
The
teacher will go over the introduction and break the students into groups and
have them pick states and also the number they will be presenting in.
2.
The
teacher will take the students to the library and assist them in their research
Closure-Review:
The teacher will ask the students how they felt the first day of research
went and inform them that they only have one class period left for research the
rest is up to them. He will ask for
any comments that they may have about the project and answer any questions they
have.
Materials
Needed:
1.
Small
pieces of paper with two states listed on them.
2.
Small
pieces of paper with the numbers 1-6 listed on them.
Grade:
7 Date:
April 25, 2000
Time: 1:00-1:50 Subject:
Geography
Objectives:
1.
The teacher should have feedback from the students how they feel they
are doing in their project.
2.
The teacher should make personal contact with each group to see how they
are doing and what information they have retrieved.
Introduction:
The teacher will announce that this will be their last class period to
use research, however, they may meet outside of class if they wish. He
will announce that group presentations will begin on Wednesday and finish on
Thursday. On Friday will be the
overall quiz given by the teacher.
Activities:
1.
The teacher will walk around and communicate with each of the groups and
assists them in finding some information that they may be having trouble with.
Closure-Review:
The teacher will have walked around and make contact with each group.
Hopefully each group is finishing up their research and that they have
divided the work up amongst the group. They
will also be grade on group participation.
Materials
Needed:
1.
Paper and pencil to use to write down information they find about their
states.
Grade:
7 Date:
April 26, 2000
Time: 1:00-1:50 Subject:
Geography
Objectives:
1.
The first three groups should give their presentations and verbal short
review questions.
Introduction:
The teacher will announce that this is the first day of presentations.
As each group is presenting the rest of the students are encouraged to
take notes for they will be taking an overall quiz on Friday.
Activities:
1.
The first six groups will present while the rest of the students listen
and take notes. Also the teacher
will be taking notes on how the group presented.
Closure-Review:
The first six groups should have presented and given their verbal review.
The teacher should as the class as a whole how they thought the format
was and if they thought the review helped them.
Materials
Needed:
1.
Paper and pencil to take notes on the information being presented by the
groups.
Grade:
7 Date:
April 27, 2000
Time: 1:00-1:50 Subject:
Geography
Objectives:
1.
The last three groups should give their presentations and verbal short
review questions.
Introduction:
The teacher will announce that this is the last day of presentations.
As each group is presenting the rest of the students are encouraged to
take notes for they will be taking an overall quiz on Friday. If there is any time left over at the end of the period the
time will be used for a class review for the quiz the next day.
Students may ask each other questions and also the teacher to ensure they
are prepared for the quiz.
Activities:
1.
The last six groups will present while the rest of the students listen
and take notes. Also the teacher
will be taking notes on how the group presented.
2.
The remainder of the period will be used for an overall review.
Closure-Review:
The last three groups have presented and given their verbal review
questions. The time left in the
period the class should have asked questions to help them review for the test
the following day. The teacher should quiz the students to see if they are
prepared for the quiz and give them a short briefing on what type of questions
are going to be on the quiz and what the expectations are.
Materials
Needed:
1.
Paper and pencil to take notes on the information being presented by the
groups.
2.
Paper for taking notes during the whole class review.
Grade:
7 Date:
April 28, 2000
Time: 1:00-1:50 Subject:
Geography
Objectives:
1.
The teacher will give the overall quiz.
2.
The teacher will hand out his notes to the group on their presentation
after they have completed the quiz.
Introduction:
The teacher will announce that today is the day of the quiz overall of
the states that were presented by their classmates.
They have the whole period to complete the quiz.
After they have completed the quiz the teacher will hand back the notes
he took on how each group presented the information they found.
Activities:
1.
The students will take the quiz.
Closure-Review:
The students will complete the quiz and hand it in to the teacher.
The teacher will hand back her assessment on how they did on presenting
their information on their states. The
teacher will then take a few minutes at the end of the hour to ask what the
students thought of the project as a whole.
If they liked teaching their classmates or if they would rather the
teacher did all of the teaching and presenting.
Materials
Needed:
1.
Pencils will be needed to take the quiz.
2.
The appropriate number of quizzes so that each student has one.
Quiz
for Project
Assessment
Strategies:
The students will be assessed on different aspects of their project. They will be graded on their notes that they hand in on their researching of their assigned states. Along with being graded on the outcome of the final quiz which will be given on the last day over all of the states that were covered. The teacher should also take note of how well the students work in a group setting and their listening skills while other groups are presenting.
Ř
Members
of the group:
Ř
Date of
presentation:
Ř
States
researched:
Ř
Did each
group member play a part in the presentation?
1.
3.
5.
Poor
fair
good
Ř
Was the
information the group presented helpful and accurate for the overall quiz?
1.
3.
5.
Poor
fair
good
Ř
Did the
group use creativity and any visual aids?
1.
3.
5.
None
some
a lot
Ř
Additional
Comments on group presentation:
1.
Name a major tourist attraction in South Dakota.
2.
What main crops are grown in Minnesota?
3.
Name 2 of the 5 Great Lakes.
4.
Name an industrial city in Iowa other that the capital.
5.
What is the capital of Indiana?
6.
Name a major river in North Dakota.
7.
What is a major source of income for the state of Nebraska?
8.
What major river flows through Kansas?
9.
Name the capital of Ohio.
10.
Name an industrial city in Illinois other than the capital.
Geography and
Citizenship
Minnesota Graduation Standards
A student shall demonstrate an understanding of:
1.
The
interaction of people, places, and locations.
2.
How to
locate regions of the Untied States and selected regions of the world and
identify geographic features and cultural characteristics of regions
3.
Characteristics
of various world regions by:
a.
interpreting
and using information based on maps and graphic representations
b.
creating
mental maps or graphic representations showing knowledge of locations and
c.
comparing
ways that people from different cultures deal with their physical environment
and
4.
Characteristics
of the student’s local community by:
a.
describing
how local resources and products are used in the region or the world
b.
researching
the origins of groups represented in the local community and
c.
participating
in an activity that contributes to the local improvement of the student’s
community
Discussion and Cooperative Learning Textbook Unit 6. Aronson, Stephan, Sikes, Blaney, and Snapp, 1978, 1986. Jigsaw
Geo
Links. 1999. Internet. www.macalester.edu/~geograph/mage/
Minnesota
Graduation Standards
Nystrom
Desk Atlas. Janet Winkler, Jeff Jackson. 1994