Grade Level:  grade 5

Teacher Materials Needed:
Example of ABC Booklet (from previous class)
Resources for students to research (library/computer)

Student Materials Needed:
Notebook paper
Construction paper
Pencil/pen
Markers
Crayons
Magazines (for collages)
Glue

My Goals for this Lesson:
¨ Research the Dust Bowl using books, periodicals, video, internet, and music available to them.
¨ Use the electronic encyclopedias if available.
¨ Use appropriate language for grade level five.
¨ Make illustrations for the book.
¨ Publish the class’ book.
¨ Review the process when completed.

Related NC Standard Course of Study:
History
Competency Goal 11 The learner will analyze changes in ways of living and investigate why and how these changes occurred.
     11.1 Identify and describe changes which have occurred in ways of living in the United States, Canada, and Latin   America.
    11.2 Identify examples of cultural transmission and interaction within and among the regions of the Western Hemisphere.
    11.3 Evaluate the effects of change on the lives of the people of the United States, Canada, and Latin America.

Competency Goal 12 The learner will trace developments in the history of the United States, Canada, and Latin America and assess their impact on the lives of people today.
     12.1 Identify people, symbols, and events associated with the heritage of the United States, Canada, and Latin America.
    12.2 Associate an event or phenomenon in the history of the United States, Canada, and Latin America with a current situation or practice.
    12.3 Trace an economic, political, or social development through the history of the United States, Canada, or Latin America and judge its impact on society.

Language Arts
1.02 Select key vocabulary critical to the text and apply
        appropriate meanings as necessary for comprehension.
1.03 Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:

                                          wide reading.
                                          word study.
                                          word reference materials.
                                          content area study.
                                          writing process elements.
                                          writing as a tool.
                                          debate.
                                          discussions.
                                          seminars.
                                          examining the author’s craft.
1.04 Use word reference materials (e.g., glossary,
                                     dictionary, thesaurus, on-line reference tools) to identify
                                     and comprehend unknown words.
2.05 Evaluate inferences, conclusions, and
                                     generalizations and provide evidence by referencing the
                                     text(s).
2.07 Evaluate the usefulness and quality of information
                                     and ideas based on purpose, experiences, text(s), and
                                     graphics.
4.10 Use technology as a tool to enhance and/or publish
                                     a product.
5.07 Edit final product for grammar, language
                                     conventions, and format.
5.08 Create readable documents through legible
                                     handwriting and word processing.
 
 
 

Launch:
Read a previous class’ Alphabet book (possibly about a different topic).
Explain the process of creating a book.  Looking up information, artifacts of the time period, music, etc. that represent the era.

Explore:
Group students in groups of four.  Each group will be responsible for completing four of the pages to the alphabet book.  Students will be expected to write two to four sentences explaining their word or concept for each letter of the alphabet.  They will also be accounted for illustrating the books.

During the explore time, the students will research the topic of the Dust Bowl and find out as much as they can.  They can use the materials provided by you.  In my case “Kids During the Great Depression” by Lisa A. Wroble, music from “Madame Butterfly,” the opera, marches from the 20’s, big band music, website (www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and the books from their literature circles.

NOTE:  You should discuss copyright laws with the students so that they site where their information came from.
They research and create their pages.

Summarize:
Students share their pages with the class, as well as, their information and cool ideas they found.

Hold discussion about the research and the books.
Did you learn anything knew from your research?
What connections do you see with the information you found out about the Dust Bowl from the resources you used to the books you read in your literature circles?
Are there similarities or differences?
How were those people different from the people today?
What things about them might be similar to us today?  Different?
 
Assessment/Evidence of Learning
While students are working in their groups I will look for:
· The particular kinds and variety of ideas that individuals and groups have
· The teacher will be walking around and checking on the students’ progress.

During the discussion I will listen for:
· Individual thinking about working in groups
· Comments about how the information is similar and different to the literature circle books.
· Individual thinking about working in groups.
· The variety of information resources used to discover new facts about the Dust Bowl.

Ticket out the door:
Students will record their thoughts and feelings to the project in their Classroom Journals.  They will be asked to share their thoughts on their answers to the following questions:

My alphabet book was great because. . .
My alphabet book was okay because. . .
My alphabet book was horrible because. . .
If I could change anything about the book it would be. . .
I enjoyed _______ most and why.
I disliked ________and why.
I found ________the easiest and why.
I found _________the hardest because. . .