Victoria Huish (Copy Spring 2012)

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    1. Standard 2.1 Reading, Writing, and Oral Language
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    4. Standard 2.4 Social Studies
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Home > Standard 2 - CURRICULUM > Standard 2.4 Social Studies

Standard 2.4 Social Studies

In standard 2.4 Social Studies Curriculum I chose to add the lesson created using the book Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say. In this lesson the book helps teach history, geography, social sciences, and other areas, specifically diversity and observation skills. The main goal is to share children’s literature to support the concepts and themes of change, identity, places, and regions.  I will introduce the book using different audio clips and a map to point Japan and America on a map, since that is the two countries discussed in the book. After introducing the book it will be read aloud with stopping points to ask the students questions regarding how places differ in different parts of the world. There will be discussion about the landscapes and people included in the pictures in the story.  As an extension activity students will draw and write about the geography that makes up the city of Cortland, New York. 

This lesson turned out better than I had planned. The audio clips at the introduction was a great way to get the student's attention. The questions asked started great discussions I could have never planned for. One student knew about World War II and shared what he knew about Pearl Harbor and the Japanese. The story mentioned war, but did not go into great detail so it was nice to have a student share with the class his knowledge on the subject. I am happy with the grouping of the students as well, because I was able to keep the student's attention throughout the lesson and the assessment showed they were able to relate what they heard and discussed during our lesson to their personal lives. 
NY- New York State Standards
Subject: Social Studies (1996)
Learning Standard 3 : Geography
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live—local, national, and global—including the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earth’s surface.
Level: Elementary
Key Idea: Geography can be divided into six essential elements which can be used to analyze important historic, geographic, economic, and environmental questions and issues. These six elements include: the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical settings (including natural resources), human systems, environment and society, and the use of geography. (Adapted from The National Geography Standards, 1994: Geography for Life)
s draw simple maps of their communities or regions showing the major landmarks, industries, residential areas, business districts, transportation networks, health and educational facilities, and recreation areas
s examine different kinds of maps to identify and define their components, including key, title, legend, cardinal and intermediate directions, scale, and grid
s use cardboard, wood, clay, or other materials to make a model of their community or region showing their physical characteristics (Taken from National Geography Standards, 1994)
s read about children living in other cultures to learn about their customs, beliefs, and traditions; natural resource use; food; shelter; socialization and schooling; and other important components of culture
s draw maps and pictures showing how people make use of and modify their physical environments (e.g., land use for agriculture, mining, residential developments, transportation networks, recreation).
Performance Indicator:
Study about how people live, work, and utilize natural resources
Performance Indicator:
Draw maps and diagrams that serve as representations of places, physical features, and objects
Performance Indicator:
Locate places within the local community, State, and nation; locate the Earth’s continents in relation to each other and to principal parallels and meridians. (
Performance Indicator:
Identify and compare the physical, human, and cultural characteristics of different regions and people

Learning Objectives:

 

  • Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of different geographical features and landscapes between Japan, California, and Cortland by recalling differences seen in the pictures in Grandfather’s Journey in a group discussion, and chart.
  • Students will be able to analyze the landscape and geographical features in Cortland and draw a picture of landscape they have seen.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of a descriptive sentence by writing one detailed sentence describing the landscape they draw.
  • Students will be able to point out Japan, California, and Cortland, New York on a map.
File Attachments:
  1. Lesson plan using Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say Lesson plan using Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
    Lesson plan using Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say Word Document
  2. Lesson plan using Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say Lesson plan using Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
    Lesson plan using Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say PDF File
Author: Victoria Huish
Last modified: 3/3/2012 11:12 AM (EST)