team+3


 * Lesson plan

// Study of the Regions of the United States // ||  ||
 * INSTRUCTOR(S)

// Barbara Duda (duda at prsd.org), Joanne Queenan, Lisa Tabaracci // || LESSON DURATION Assessment piece for a six week unit (Students will need three weeks to complete the project) || Social Studies || How do the climate, physical features, and major resources affect the way the regions of the United States are grouped together? ||  ||
 * COURSE TITLE AND GRADE LEVELS //Grade 4// ||  ||
 * UNIT //Regions of the USA// || SPECIFIC TOPIC
 * ESSENTAIL QUESTIONS/KEY CONCEPTS
 * INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL (S)

· // Students will be able to describe how climate, major physical features, and major natural resources influence how a group of states become classified as a region. //

· // Students will work collaboratively with peers to construct knowledge about the United States, and specific regions. //

· // Students will use digital media to showcase their learning and present their findings. // ||  || Students will create a visual representation that clearly illustrates their understanding of the specific regions of the United States. ||  || ·
 * PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE (S)
 * RATIONALE

// Supports Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework Grade 4 Standards //

· // Supports building 21 century skills //

·

// Supports Massachusetts ELA Framework for Language Arts & Literacy // ||  || //In this unit, students will study the geography and people of the United States today. Students will learn how human and natural resources, climate, landforms, and historical parks and places shape the world we live in. Students will then research a particular region (Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, or West) to gain knowledge about how these elements influence this area of the United States.// Prior to this assessment, students will be taught how to use a multitude of digital tools, Animoto, Xtranormal, Glogster, VoiceThread. Working collaboratively with their group, students will create a “Glog” to demonstrate their understanding of their region. Students will use a variety of other digital tools linked to their “Glog” to present their findings. ||  ||
 * LESSON CONTENT
 * STANDARDS**:#**

Reading Standards CCR Standard 3- Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Grade 4-Standard 3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. CCR Standard 7- Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words Grade 4-Standard 7 Interpret information presented visually, orally or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears CCR Standard 9- Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches of two texts. Grade 4-Standard 9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably Writing Standards CCR Standard 2 -Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. Grade 4-Standard 2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly

Speaking and Listening Standards CCR Standard 1- Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. Grade 4-Standard 1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. CCR Standard 2- Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. Grade4-Standard 2 Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. CCR Standard 4- Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Grade 4-Standard 4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount and experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace. CCR Standard 5- Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations. Grade 4-Standard 5 Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. ||  ||
 * INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES

a. To begin this Unit students will be shown a model of a finished “Glog” on the Northeast that was created by the teacher. The teacher will present this “Glog” in order to model how the students’ final presentation s will look and sound.

b. During the creation of the student model of the Northeast “Glog” teachers will take the lowest four students in the class and involve them in the creation of the student model. They will become the “experts” in many aspects of creating the final project. Each of these students will then be the expert as students research the Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, and West.

c. Throughout the lesson teachers will monitor the research children are doing on their particular region, teachers will support the creation of their “Glogs,” and the use of other digital tools.

d. Each student will have a role within their group, geographer, meteorologist, economist, and technology expert. Each student role will be responsible for collecting the particular information associated with their role. The technology expert will make the final decisions regarding what digital tool will best support sharing the information learned on the “Glog.”

e. f. The culmination of this unit will be student presentations of their “Glog” ||  || A rubric will be used to assess students’ presentations and their understanding of regions. ||  ||
 * ASSESSMENTS
 * MATERIALS AND AIDS/WEBSITES/REFERENCES

[|//__www.epals.com__//]

[|//__www.animoto.com__//]

[|//__www.VoiceThread.com__//]

[|//__www.glogster.com__//]

Various resources for students to research the regions: books, Internet sites, primary sources ||  ||

media type="custom" key="10049027"

This is an Xtranormal video that demonstrates how a student could show their knowledge of the regions.

Team 3