Week one: Tidewater Region
Week two: Coastal Plains Region
Week three: Piedmont Region
Week four: Mountains Region
Tidewater Region
Day One: Region Day
Today you will be introducing the
Tidewater Region. Since this is the first day of the four week unit
on North Carolina and its regions, then a map of North Carolina is essential.
Discuss the different places in the Tidewater Region such as Wilmington,
New Bern, Elizabeth City, Wrightsville Beach, Manteo, Emerald Isle, and
Ocracoke Island, to name a few. Have the students choose a place
that they are interested in research information on the place. The
students will then write a one page paper on the information they collected.
Close the lesson by discussing the people of the region.
Day Two: Michael Jordan
Open today’s discussion to the students
by asking the question, “Think of a time when you asked more of yourself
than you thought you could do. What was the result?” Today’s
lesson is on Michael Jordan and his impact on North Carolina. Talk
to the students about his life in Wilmington, North Carolina, and his basketball
career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There
are many facts about Michael Jordan that the students will be very interested
in learning (see attached sheet). Students will use their computer
skills today by working on the internet. The internet sight the students
will use is http://ww1.sportsline.com/u/jordan/game/. The students
will have the option of three different games that they can play against
Michael Jordan on the computer: “One-on-one”, “Slam Dunk”, or “Be
like Mike.”
Day Three: DRTA with “Michael Jordan-23”
Today you will lead the students
in a DRTA (Directed Reading Thinking Activity). The students will
use the book “Michael Jordan-23” with this lesson. Discuss with the
students what the DRTA will include and they have questions to discuss
after each passage of reading. (See attached lesson plan)
Day Four: Weather
The discussion of today’s lesson
will be the weather that is very prominent in the Tidewater Region.
Ask the students what affects the coast more than any other type of precipitation.
Remind the students where the Tidewater Region is located in North Carolina,
and the effects of it being surrounded by water. Talk to the students
about flooding and hurricanes, and have an open discussion about the two
forms of disasters and ask if anyone has ever been involved in one of these.
Show the students the pictures of the hurricanes in the area (see attached
pictures). The students will learn how to track a hurricane and to
demonstrate sedimentation (the lesson plans are also included).
Day Five: The Outer Banks
The Outer Banks are the essential
core of the Tidewater Region. The towns that are included in the
Outer Banks are Corolla, Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head,
Manteo, and Oregon Inlet. Over the years, there have been many changes
that have occurred on the land and with the people on the Outer Banks.
Discuss with the students all the changes that have taken place.
A map would be very helpful in today’s lesson to point out all of the different
locations of the Outer Banks (see attached map). Talk about the importance
of time and discuss how to make a timeline. The students will use
the information about the Outer Banks and produce a timeline about this
area (see attached information).
The Coastal Plain
Day 1- Region Day
Today you are introducing students to the coastal plain. It is important to have a map of North Carolina and locate the Coastal Plain. Have the students map the Coastal Plain, mapping important places, such as the capitol and the sand hills. Map important things that are produced in the region, such as hogs. Talk about the people and what they do for a living. Discuss colleges and historic places in the region.
Day 2- Explore the Capitol
Focus & Review: Remind the students that you are studying the Coastal Plain. Ask students what the capitol of North Carolina is. Ask if they can tell you anything about it. You may wish to have students find Raleigh on a map.
Statement of Objectives: “Today we are going to take a virtual tour of Raleigh. We will learn about our capitol by using the Internet.”
Social Studies objective:
12.1 Identify people, symbols and events
associated with North Carolina’s heritage.
Computer /Technology Skills objectives:
2.1 Use technology tools used
to collect, analyze and display data.
3.5 Evaluate information found
via telecommunications for content and usefulness.
Teacher Input: Tell the students the class is going to tour five different areas of Raleigh. Explain that the class will be divided into five groups to research each area. The class will tour: The State Capitol, The Executive Mansion, The legislative Building, The Natural Science Museum, and the mall area of Downtown Raleigh. Each group should record the history of their specific area, important events that have happened and what it is used for now. Be sure each group knows they will present their findings to the class.
Guided Practice: Divide the class
into groups. Give each group a piece of paper with the URL for the sight.
<http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/9305/frame.html> Allow 25-30
minutes for students to find information and organize it to present.
Walk around and assess each groups ability
to use the computer, work together and progress on the assignment.
Independent Practice: Make sure students have completed the assignment and give each group a chance to present their findings.
Closure: Talk about any thing a group left out of their presentation. Give students a chance to ask questions, you may want to ask them some on the material the groups covered in their presentations.
Day 3 - State Government
Today you are familiarizing students with the states system of government. Make sure students know There is a Senate and a House of Representatives made up of people from all over the state. You may talk about local politicians that work at the state level. Be sure to mention the Governor as you are setting up the lesson for day four. Students can do an activity about how politicians are elected. You may wish to set up a campaign and election where the class votes. You may also wish to present a problem where half the class is on one side and half on the other and let them reach a compromise.
Day 4 - Politicians & Governor James B. Hunt
Focus & Review: Have the students briefly write a law they would make if they were a politician and why they would make the law. Ask students to share their laws and reasons.
Statement of Objectives: “Today we are going to focus on politicians while focusing on our governor James B. Hunt”
Social Studies Objectives:
7.1 Identify important services provided
by state government in North Carolina.
7.3 Evaluate professional characteristics
and skills necessary for effective leadership by state officials and political
leaders.
Teacher Input: Show a video clip
from C-SPAN featuring the mayor of Raleigh. After the video explain that
politicians have a lot of jobs. Ask the students if they can name some
politicians from North Carolina and what they do.
Guided Practice: Put students into groups of four or five. Distribute a copy of Governor Hunt’s biography to each student. You may choose to simplify the biography. Have students work together to write some important facts and major accomplishments in Governor Hunt’s life. Walk around the room and help each group. After 10-15 minutes, bring the class back together and let each group take turns sharing an important fact. Discuss the facts.
Independent Practice: Have each student write a letter to the Governor. Tell the students to write about what they admire most about the Governor or any questions they might want to ask him. Make sure each student has an envelope which they can address , if you are going to mail all of the letters. If not tell the students you will combine their questions and comments into one letter.
Closure: Review what the Governor does and a few important facts about Governor Hunt. Tell the students that when you get a letter back from Governor Hunt, that it will be shared with the class.
Day 5 - Farming
Farming is critical to the Coastal
Plain. Twenty two percent of North Carolinians are employed in agriculture.
This number is even higher in the Coastal Plain. Talk about hog farming
as well as turkey and chicken farming. Explain the amount of income that
farming provides and that it supports many families. If you know a local
farmer this would be a good activity to end up the week and give the community
a chance to work with the school.
The Piedmont
Day One: Region Day
Today students will learn about the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. Students will explore cities in the Piedmont of North Carolina and important places within the region. Cities such as Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem will be discussed. Show the overhead of the Piedmont region, and have students to make their own map putting important places onto the map.
Day Two: Author/ illustrator study lesson about Gail Haley
Students will learn about Gail Haley and discuss and compare her works. See attached lesson plan.
Day Three: Business and Economy of the Piedmont region
Students will research and discuss businesses of the Piedmont. Allow students to create their own business. Students and make business cards, advertisements, set up a budget, hire workers, work on committees, open up a store, sell merchandise to other students, set up a stock market, and keep an inventory of all stock.
Day Four: Transportation of the Piedmont region
Students will explore different kinds of transportation within the Piedmont, and compare the forms of transportation with the area they live in. Have students to write a short story about using all forms of transportation and how it is useful to them.
Day Five: Take a field trip to Discovery Place in Charlotte
This will allow students the opportunity
to experience the heart of the piedmont region, use transportation they
learned about, see businesses, and learn interesting things at Discovery
Place itself. Discovery Place will be a great way for students to
integrate science and other subject areas into this Social Studies Unit.
Title: Author/ illustrator Study Lesson Plan Day Two
Focus and Review:
Have students to discuss what authors
are and what illustrators are. Give examples by showing students
books and pointing out the author and the illustrator. Explain that
they will learn about author and illustrator Gail Haley who is from the
Piedmont region.
Objectives:
Teacher Input:
Read aloud the books in the author/illustrator
study. “Jack and the Bean Tree”, “Puss in Boots”, and “Dream Peddler.”
Discuss where Gail Haley is from in the Piedmont region. Discuss
her illustrations and her writing with the students. Give other examples
and explain to students that they will write their own book and illustrate
it. What kinds of things does the author include in her books?
What similarities are in her books? In her illustrations? How
would you find out information about the author and illustrator?
Where is the author/ illustrator from in North Carolina? What region
is that in? How would you write your own book and illustrate it?
What are the books about? How are the stories alike? How are
they different? What facts would you like to know about Gail Haley?
Discuss and answer these questions. Use the questions to build your
discussion and to invoke student response.
Guided Practice:
Help students to fill out worksheets
on the three books. They can use the “Pebble in the Pond” sheet
or the “Story Tree” sheet to fill out information on the book. Have
students to get into groups to discuss the books. Have students to
write and illustrate their own book (5-8 pages) and to write up information
about themselves as an author and an illustrator.
Independent Practice:
Students should complete their analysis
of the Gail Haley books and add her birthplace to their region map.
Students should also complete their books that they have written and illustrated.
Closure:
Discuss author/ illustrator with
the students and focus the discussion on Gail Haley as an author and an
illustrator, and themselves as an author and illustrator. As a closure
activity students can also run their own publishing company by having their
peers “publish” their work. All the books can be placed into a collective
published book by the teacher, and left in the classroom for all the students
to read.
MOUNTAIN REGION
Day one:
Region day: Today, we will
explore the mountains as a whole. The class will become familiar
with the geographical aspects of the region as well as with people and
customs of the region. Activities begin with a mapping activity of
landforms and cities within the region. Students will be exposed
to Grandfather mountain, Mount Mitchell, and the Smokies. We will
highlight areas that will be covered during the week while focusing on
geography.
Day two:
Today’s lesson focuses on two of
the regions most famous explorers: Eliza Mitchell and Daniel
Boone. Students will be split into four groups, two groups will be
focusing on each explorer. Groups will gather data from the books
and the Internet to learn about their subject. Each group must construct
a product, including typed information in paragraph form, drawings, and
"A day in the life . . . " story. To save class time, teachers may
wish to collect the research information rather than having students -search
for themselves. Speak with the school librarian to see if the posters
may be displayed in the library for a week or have groups present to a
younger class.
Day three:
Using Kid Pix, we created a lesson
to create awareness for the Spanish-speaking residents of this region.
The program allows us to convert from English to Spanish and back again
with ease.
Spend some time preparing for the
Wax Museum. Make sure all costumes are in tact and lines are rehearsed.
Day four:
(1) Begin the first days activities
of the lesson, Mountain Art. This includes group research on the Internet
and pencil sketches of the photographs found there. If students finish
early, have them begin on the descriptive paragraph.
(2) Talk about the weather!
What are mountains famous for? SNOW, of course! Go through
the lesson included in this packet on snow. This lesson was found
on the Internet site for the Discovery Channel. Students will learn how
to measure snowfall as it relates to water.
Have a dress rehearsal because tonight’s
the night for the Wax Museum.
Day five:
(1) Complete day twos activities
on Mountain Art. Have students construct pastel drawings and finish descriptive
paragraphs. Groups will prepare for and participate in the presentation.
Drawings will go on the bulletin board.
(2) Review the unit. Ask questions
from previous weeks activities. Find out what students learned and
what they enjoyed. Have each student write a letter to a student
in a younger grade, (i.e. Kindergarten). The letter should be about
their favorite region and should include detailed information about the
region.
Title: Mountain Art
Subject Areas: Art, Language Arts,
Computer skills, Science
Grade: Fourth
Focus and Review:
Statement of Objectives:
Social Studies Curriculum:
Computer Skills Curriculum:
Day 2:
Review search and pencil sketches.
Outline activities of the day: pastel drawing and descriptive paragraph.
For pastel drawing, have students refer to pencil sketch and Internet photograph
in order to create an accurate picture. Discuss elements to descriptive
paragraph, include subject, data, adjectives, complete sentences and proper
grammar.
Teacher should monitor work and
offer suggestions when the situation requires. Encourage students
to work in their groups to problem-solve.
Guided Practice:
Day 1:
Open and log onto the Grandfather
Mountain web site as a class. Step-by-step, explain procedures and
have students volunteer ideas on what to do next. Students will be
in groups of four. As a group, they will search the site to find
pictures of the mountain which will be used throughout the lesson.
Each group will choose one photograph to print out which will serve as
their model for their individual sketches.
Day 2:
Use colored chalk on the board to
create a class picture of Grandfather Mountain. Have each student
add to the drawing. Make references to the one they will create themselves,
including techniques and color choices.
Independent Practice:
Day 1:
Each student will use the web photograph
of Grandfather Mountain to create a pencil sketch of the picture.
Student drawings should emulate those found on the web. Note:
Teacher needs to explain thoroughly that only the pencil sketch will be
used in the next step.
Day 2:
(1) Students will create a pastel
replica of their pencil sketch. They will not be allowed to refer
to the original photograph. Students should concentrate on exactness.
(2) Using what they have learned
about fall foliage and their artwork, students will construct a paragraph
describing the scientific processes behind color changes. They will
make references to their art, relating color to science, in order to demonstrate
their understanding of why these changes occur and how they are visible
through their pastel pictures.
Closure:
Groups will collaborate their ideas.
They will prepare a two-five minute talk on what they learned through this
exercise. Students may chose to read their paragraphs and display
their pictures or to be more creative with their presentation.
THE END!