Social Studies Concept Plan

Objectives: Week 1: Canada Hook: Brain-Pop video about Canada, introduction to French words and sayings, KWL chart. -Students will take notes in their Flip Books using the information they learn from the Our Neighbors to the North Powerpoint presentation. -Students will explore both a geographical map and a regional map of Canada by finding given places on their own maps. -Students will individually use a map, atlas, globe, and informational trade books to create a geographical map of Canada. (ex. Provinces, capital cities, rivers, lakes, mountain ranges, surrounding oceans.) Menu Options: (Students are expected to choose at least one anchor task and three center options) Anchor Tasks: -Students will use Encyclopedias, trade books, supplemental reading material, and the internet to create a travel brochure for a specific province of Canada. Brochures will be presented to the class. -Students will create a poster comparing and contrasting the cultures of Canada and the U.S. Center Options: -Students will pair with a classmate and present a simple French conversation to the class. -Students will write a Haiku poem about Canada. - Students will cut and paste pictures from magazines to create a maple leaf collage depicting Canada’s exports. - Students will create two true maple leaf cards and two false maple leaf cards about the geography of Canada. Cards will be collected and I will quiz the class based on the questions. -Using the Universal Currency Converter and the Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada websites, price tags, and Canadian money samples, students will compare the value of a dollar by converting U.S. prices to Canadian prices. Week #2: Mexico -Hook: As a class, we will read and discuss an article on the Maya culture, KWL chart. -Students will take notes in their Flip Books using the information they learn from the Our Neighbors to the South Powerpoint presentation. -Students will explore a geographical map and of Mexico by finding given places on their own maps. -Students will individually use a map, atlas, globe, and informational trade books to create a geographical map of Mexico.(ex. Provinces, capital cities, rivers, lakes, mountain ranges, surrounding oceans.) Menu Options: (Students are expected to choose at least one anchor task and two center options) Anchor Tasks: -After reading the book Mexican Immigrants in America, students will write a poem about what it would feel like to be a Mexican immigrant in the United States. -Students will read several articles about Mexico’s most industrialized cities. They will create a chart choosing five reasons why they would like to live in Mexico City and five reasons why they would not like to live in Mexico City. Center Options: -Students will use supplemental reading material and various menu examples to create a dinner menu using traditional Mexican cuisine common among their culture. -Students will use articles, trade books, and pictures to learn about the Maya Indians and the Aztec Indians. They will create a poster comparing and contrasting the two ancient civilizations. - Students will read an article about the difference between the city life and the village life of Mexico. They will write a journal entry from either a “city child” or a “village child” point of view. -Students will read an article about Mexico’s fiestas and what they mean to their culture. Students will choose one day of celebration to share with the class. Week #3: Immigration - Students will watch a video on immigration. - Students will learn about the documentation needed to travel, work, or even permanently move to the U.S. -Students will read about Amnesty and the Affirmation Action and explains their thoughts and feelings towards both laws.

Measurement Topics: -Explain and exemplify the influences of bordering countries (Canada and Mexico) on the U.S. -Use standard reference to books gather information and to write notes that might be used in composition. -Explain comparisons and contrasts among two or more subjects. -Conduct research from a variety of resources for assigned self-selected projects. -Writing brief notes to collect ideas. -Understand that oral presentations need to include support for the main idea. -Employ basic visual aids such as pictures, charts, or graphs during the presentation to help the audience create a mental picture of the topic.

Assessment:

-Students will be assessed by their ability to follow assignment directions.

- Students will be assessed based on the completion of their menu (depending on how many center choices they chose to complete on their contract).

-Students will be assessed by their ability to read maps and record information.

-Students will be assessed by their ability to present information that they have learned.

-I will collect work samples for assessment.

-Students will be assessed both individually and in small groups. I will informally asses students by asking question and by observing their work pace. I will assess anchor tasks, center choices, homework assignments, and menu.

Methodology:

-Material: Informational trade books, encyclopedias, atlas, maps, globe, supplemental reading material, Powerpoint presentation, pictures of Canada and Mexico, computers, scissors, glue, magazines, maple leaf template, butcher paper, paper, pencils.

-Grouping: Students will work individually and there will also be group work assignments/presentation.

-Each student will have a folder for their unfinished and finished work. Students will leave their folders in class and they will be turned in on the date that they agreed to on their contracts.

-Both whole group and individual lecture will be given, followed by individual/small group center options.(Tues.-Thurs.).