Title – I Know Idaho

By – Angela Baker

Primary Subject – Social Studies

Secondary Subjects – Language Arts

Grade Level – 3 – 5

Social Studies Strand – Geography

Estimated Time – One Hour

Materials:

• Large, blank, white index cards
  
• Two pieces of blank paper for each student
  
• Pencil for each student
  
• Crayon/colored pencils for each student
  
• Ruler for each student
  
• Map of the United States
  
• Book:
  
  P is for Potato — An Idaho Alphabet
  
  by Stan and Joy Steiner

Objectives/Purpose:

• TSWBAT accurately identify Idaho on a map of the United States,
  
• use the book
  
  P is for Potato — An Idaho Alphabet
  
  as a reference guide for information pertaining to Idaho,
  
• create illustrations representing Idaho’s cultural, agricultural, or historical features, and
  
• create a small paragraph stating what the student has learned about one specific feature of Idaho.

Anticipatory Set:

• Gather the class in the front of the room and begin by showing the students the map of United States. Give the students a few moments to study the map

• Ask the students questions, such as . . .
  • “What state do we live in?”
    
  • “Can anyone point out the state we live in on the map?”
    
  • “Can anyone tell me some ideas as to how we can remember what the State we live in looks like?”

• Show the students the book cover. Ask probing questions, such as . . .
  • “What do you think the book will be about by the picture on the cover?”
    
  • “Do you think the cover tells us everything we need to know about the book? If not what do you think the cover does reveal?”
    
  • “Does anyone have any ideas as to what we can expect to find in the book?”

• While reading the book ask questions about the story; focus on Idaho, and continually remind the students that each topic/item in the book can be found in Idaho.
  
• Before going any further than the first page, be sure to point out to the students that there are captions above or below each letter. Explain the purpose of each caption, and what the captions can be use for (i.e. the captions give more information on each topic/item, and can be referred to for a more in-depth look at that particular topic/item.)
  
• On each new page, call on students to give suggestions as to what the next new topic/item may be.
  
• Once the book has been completed, ask the students to volunteer one thing the book taught them about Idaho. Give enough time to allow several students to answer the question. In addition, ask the students to name the letter that was present with the information.
  
• Before the students are excused to go back to their seats, the teacher will draw Popsicle Sticks to determine the letter in the book each student will be assigned. The teacher will have written all the students names and a letter of the alphabet on a Popsicle Stick ahead of time, to allow for a quick transition to the next portion of the lesson, if there are more students than letters, the teacher will assign a letter to more than one student.
  
• Once this process has been completed and each student knows their letter, the students will return to their seats.

Input/Instruction:

• The teacher will explain that the students will use the letter they have been assigned to illustrate and write a postcard.
  • The teacher will then explain that the students should use the book
    
    P is for Potato – An Idaho Alphabet
    
    to come up with no less than three facts about the letter they have been assigned. The teacher should have a copy of each page, including both the letter and the caption, to hand out to the students as the letters are assigned.
    
  • The teacher will instruct each student to use the caption near the letter they have been assigned to come up with the three facts needed for their postcard.

• Next, the teacher will instruct each student to take out two sheets of paper and a pencil.

• Once the students have their supplies, the teacher will explain that there should be three drafts done of their work.

• The teacher will remind the students that there are to be no less than three facts in the paragraph, and that the proper writing steps must be used (i.e. Capitalize the first letter of a sentence, use the proper punctuation, indent the first word of a paragraph, etc.)
  • The students will use one of the two sheets of paper to complete the rough draft, which will be given to the teacher to help correct any mistakes.
    
  • Once the rough draft has been corrected, the student will use the second piece of paper to write a revised copy.
    
  • After the student has written their revised copy, the teacher will again look over the students work; the student will make any corrections needed, and be ready for the next step.

• Once the students have completed the rough draft, and the revisions, each student will be given a blank index card.
  • The teacher will explain that the side with no lines will be for an illustration. The illustration should correlate with the topic/item the student has written about. The students can replicate the illustration from the book, or come up with their own illustrations.
    
  • The teacher will explain that the side of the card with the lines will be for the student’s paragraph.
    
  • The teacher will instruct the students to take out their ruler and draw a line directly down the middle of the index card, on the side with the lines.
    
  • The teacher will then explain that there is to be student and class information on the left-hand side of the postcard (i.e. student’s name, teachers name and grade, Social Studies Geography Lesson, item/topic and letter, and the final copy of their paragraph on the right-hand side.

Modeling/Guided Practice:

• The teacher will walk through the class during the entire process to ensure that the students are completing the tasks properly and successfully.
  
• When the students are using the book captions to come up with the three facts about their letter, the teacher will be available to help the students read and understand the captions. In addition, the teacher will help the students decide three of the most pertinent facts, to aid in their writing. It may be beneficial if the teacher can call on other adults to assist in this lesson.
  
• During the writing process, the teacher will inspect each student’s work, before they are able to move to the next portion of the writing process.
  
• When the students have come to the portion of the lesson in which they will draw the line and write class information on the left-hand side of the postcard, the teacher will model this on the board, and leave the information up for the students to reference.

Check for Understanding:

• The teacher will assess the students using both observations and questions.
  • What skills did we learn today to help us remember facts about our State?
    
  • What tools did we use in today’s lesson that could assist us in remembering key facts about our State?
    
  • What aspects of our State did we already know? What new aspects did we learn?
    
  • Were the students able to complete the entire lesson?
    
  • Did the students correctly complete the three stages of the writing process, and was their writing relevant to the subject matter?
    
  • Were the students able to correctly complete the finished project (postcard)?

Independent Practices:

• The students will use the last revised copy of their paragraph, and copy their work onto the right side of the postcard (i.e. completing the project.)
  
• The students will be expected to use the proper writing formats, and the neatest handwriting possible.

Closure:

• Ask the student to return to the front of the classroom with their completed postcards and arrange themselves in a circle.
  
• Once the students are settled, begin on one side of the circle, having each student read their paragraph and show their illustrations.
  
• Once each student has shared, collect the postcards.
  
• Explain to the class that their postcards will be hung up in the room, and shared with their parents during parent/teacher conferences. After which all of the postcards will be put in alphabetical order, and placed in a
  
  Class Book of the Idaho Alphabet
  
  .
  
  Laminate each postcard, and put a spiral binding on the cards create a class book.

Extension Activities:

• Gather up books that reference other States, and complete the same process.
  
• If time allows, cover all 50 States, creating a class Alphabet book for each, and have them available for the students to use in finding out information on any State in the United States.
  
• If there are not alphabet books available for each State, the teacher can modify the lesson, or come up with their own topics to follow the same format.

E-Mail

Angela Baker

!