Sessions

 

Session 1: Communities

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define the words community and geography. 

Students will identify the things people do within a community.

Students will discover the importance the history and geographical features have upon a community. 

Students will explore the community of El Paso, Texas. 

Students will write their global address.

Students will understand how to respect others that live within their community

HOMEWORK: 

Choose Your Own Adventure

1) Students will make a poster to announce a special celebration that happens in their community. Include the time of year you celebrate and some of the activities that you do during the celebration. Be prepared to share your poster with the class in the next session.

OR

2) Does your community have programs that include people from different age groups? Find out. Choose a program from your community. Make a poster explaining how the program helps people respect each other.

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Session 2: United States Communities

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define the word location.

Students will share their poster with the class. 

Students will explain why many communities were placed near lakes, rivers or oceans.

Students will compare/contrast the geographical locations of Astoria, Oregon; Wilmington, Delaware and Denver, Colorado.

Students will discover how Sonia Manzano's decision to play Maria on Sesame Street helped change and improve the lives of children.

HOMEWORK: 

Find or trace a blank map of your state. Place a dot on the map for your community. Write a sentence describing its location. Be ready to share your map and sentence with the class in the next session. 

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Session 3: World Communities

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define the words culture, Timbuktu, Sahara, Mali and map scale.

Students will share their map with the class. 

Students will identify the ways Timbuktu was an important city in the years between 1400 and 1600. 

Students will discover the many ways culture is expressed within a community.  

Students will discover what life is like in Timbuktu today. 

Students will explain how geography and location have an effect upon a community. 

HOMEWORK: 

Write a fact sheet about the culture in your community. Include the five parts of a culture. Be ready to share your map and sentence with the class in the next session. 

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Session 4: A Rural Community

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define what a rural community is.

Students will present their fact sheets to the class. 

Students will compare/contrast Bridgewater, Virginia with their community.

Students will examine what community life is like in a rural community.

HOMEWORK: 

Locate a rural community that is close to your home. Take a field trip to that community. What does the community look like? What are some things people do together in a rural community? What are the geographical features surrounding the community? Take notes and pictures. Be ready to present your findings to the class in the next session.

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Session 5: A Suburban Community

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define what a suburban community is.

Students will present their project to the class.  

Students will compare/contrast Leviitown, New York with their community.

Students will examine how suburbs grow from farmland to communities.

Students will discover how communities change their names.

Students will examine the important contribution William Levitt brought the American communities. 

HOMEWORK: 

Leviitown used to be called Island Trees. Think about the name of your community. Do you think it is a good name or bad name? Write to explain why it is a good name or to suggest a better name. Be ready to present your argument to the class in the next session.

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Session 6: An Urban Community

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define the words urban community, city, population, transportation.

Students will present their community name project to the class.   

Students will compare/contrast Chicago, Illinois and Tokyo, Japan with their community.

Students will discover the importance trains have within an urban community. 

Students will use a city map to plan a route from one location to the next in the most efficient manner.  

Students will compare/contrast things they can do within an urban, suburban or rural community.