Unit- Writing 3rd Grade
Unit Plan- Grade: third grade
Content Area (math, science, social studies):Social studies- Geography
Goals/Objectives (what do you want students to do, be specific, measurable):
The students will be able to make a brochure that includes the state, capital, cultural characteristics (population and major industries), physical features (rivers, mountains, lakes, plateaus), fun facts, and places to visit.
The students will be able to practice gathering different information from brochures, textbooks, books, or other websites.
The students will be able to develop collaboration skills in their assigned groups by helping each other collect information and review each others brochures.
The students will be able to present their brochure that includes their state, capital, cultural characteristics (population and major industries), physical features (rivers, mountains, lakes, plateaus), fun facts, and places to visit.
The students will be able to fill out a comparison worksheet about all the neighboring states of Indiana during the presentations.
Standards:
Social Studies
3.3.1: Use labels and symbols to locate and identify physical and political features on maps and globes. Label a map of the Midwest, identifying states, major rivers, lakes and the Great Lakes.
3.3.6-Compare and contrast the physical characteristics of Indiana to neighboring states using words, illustrations, maps, photographs, and other resources.
English
3.W.5- Conduct short research on a topic.
3.SL.4.2Create oral presentations that maintain a clear focus, using various media when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.
SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.3.2: Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Writing genre and product (narrative, informational, persuasive) (What will final product look like? Article, pamphlet, essay…):
The students will create an informative brochure about their assigned state. I will split the class up into small groups with students covering Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky. The class will then split into groups with the same state. This way the students with the same states can bounce ideas and do peer editing together. The final product will be done individually. The brochure will includes the state, capital, cultural characteristics (population and major industries), physical features (rivers, mountains, lakes, plateaus), fun facts, and places to visit.
The final product will be a brochure that describes the physical structure of their assigned state using words, illustrations, maps, photographs, and other resources. After the students have completed their brochures. I will split the class into groups with different states. The students will present their information to their group while their group fills out a worksheet that compares the states being presented.
Mentor Text Set (list at least 5 texts that you will use to model for students):
Has all the requirements
Texas Brochure (I made)
California Brochure (I made)
Does not have all the requirements
New Mexico Brochure (not for content but for it can be made my hand) http://theinspiredclassroom.blogspot.com/2011/10/state-brochure.html
Hawaii brief and black example http://oakdome.com/k5/lesson-plans/iPad-lessons/ipad-iwork-tri-fold-brochure-template.php
Trip brochure (half typed/ half made) https://middleschooltech.wikispaces.com/Ultimate+trip+brochure
Creative drawing brochure---http://littlelovelyleaders.blogspot.com/2013/10/ecosystems-brochure-project.html
Six Flags® brochure found at www.themeparkbrochures.net/2008/sfft2008.html
Tri-Fold Brochure Template- http://oakdome.com/k5/lesson-plans/powerpoint/tri-fold-brochure.php
California region brochures- http://room-8-news.blogspot.com/2008/12/california-regions-brochures.html
Background Knowledge/Prompts for notebook (what will students write about, or brainstorm to help them write their text?):
Books to use
Read: Road Trip by Roger Eschblacher
Write in Notebook: Write about a time you went a family vacation or road trip. Think of things you did and what you saw. Did you see any rivers or mountains? Did you see an ocean? How many states did you drive through?
Read: Oh the Places I Want to Go by Dr. Seuss
Write in Notebook: list destinations you want to go and what you want to see in the World? The United states? Midwest? Indiana?
Need to teach class about:
1.What are the states located within the Midwest on a U.S. map?
Watch segments of the video
In writing journal after video: list some of the agricultural products the Midwest, Why are certain products grown in one region more than the others? How important is agriculture to the Midwest's economy? Discuss as a class after
Interactive Map: http://mrnussbaum.com/united-states/midwest/
2.What are physical structures (mountains, plains, ect)? How to find them on the map?
Play This by Woody Guthrie and have students make a list of physical features referenced in the song in their After the song has concluded, discuss student responses in large group.
After distributing blank maps ( glue in writers notebooks) , students should receive five questions. Have student’s use an atlas or U.S. map for help. The students should read the question, , and write the answer next to the question after using the map to locate the answer. Students should then label the feature on the map. Go over after with the whole class. http://tools.fcit.usf.edu/lplannerFiles/71/Questions_for_the_United_States_Physical_Features_Mapping_A.pdf
Write in Notebook: Choose a continent you want to visit and write a persuasive letter to your parents convincing them to travel there on your next family vacation. Include places to visit such as mountains, peninsulas, canals, or cities, culture information, history, and economics of the continent.
3.What are cultural characteristics?
Age range,gender, race, population, major industries, religion
Determine the classes cultural characteristics
Write in Notebook: Write about where you see brochures? What are in brochures? If you need more ideas write about things that you would add if you made a brochure about you.
4. How to make a brochure?
Gather as many brochures, pamphlets or leaflets as you can find. Engage your child in the hunt. Scrounge for brochures at the doctor’s office, the local library, shopping malls, churches, supermarkets, and travel agents. Explain that the point of a brochure is to persuade the reader of some message—either to buy, to believe, or to do something.: Did the brochure convince you of its message? What one was your favorite? Write about what was similar about the brochures.
Talk about different text features ( word Document from http://www.pdesas.org/ContentWeb/Content/Content/22511/Lesson%20Plan)
Assign States:
Worksheet: Get to know your state pre-writing (word document)
Worksheet: List sources through out the research (http://freeology.com/wp-content/files/researchnotes.pdf)
Presentation (how will final product be presented?):
The students will present their brochure to their assigned group and have copies for their group. Each group will have one person with each state assigned to them presenting. As the presentations go on students are to fill out a comparison worksheet.
Worksheet: State Comparison (word document)
At the end: Hang Up all the brochures on the bulletin outside my room for all to see
Assessment: (how will you assess student learning throughout the writing process?):
Rubrics in word documents ( Writers Notebook, and Brochure)
Checklists in word document (Brochure Checklist, Writers Notebook Checklist, and Whole Unit Checklist)
Editing Checklist for students : http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson856/edit.pdf
Monitoring system- observation, journal checks, student teacher conferences with state groups and individuals- peer evaluations (worksheet: Peer evaluations-pdf)
How are you covering reading, writing, speaking and listening?
I am covering reading, because the students need to look up information about their states from at least two sources.
I am covering writing by having the students make brochures and write in their writer’s notebooks.
I am covering speaking, because the students are able to collaborate in their same states groups, but also have to present their brochure and facts to a group of students with different states.
I am covering listening by having the students fill out a comparison sheet as the students present their information to their assigned groups.
Resources (list all sources):
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states
http://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/standards/socialstudies/ss-2014-gr3-20140718.pdf
http://theinspiredclassroom.blogspot.com/2011/10/state-brochure.html
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/us-geography-the-midwest.cfm
http://oakdome.com/k5/lesson-plans/iPad-lessons/ipad-iwork-tri-fold-brochure-template.php
http://blogs.scholastic.com/top_teaching/2011/02/my-january-top-ten-list-writing-lessons-and-resources.html
http://freeology.com/wp-content/files/researchnotes.pdf
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson856/edit.pdf
www.pdesas.org/ContentWeb/Content/Content/22511/Lesson%20Plan)
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Student-Peer-Evaluation-256987
