Summary
In fifth grade, students are expected to summarize the five themes of geography (location, place, human-environmental interaction, interdependence and movement, and region) of Henrico County and the five regions of the United States. In writing, students are expected to compose multi-paragraph compositions relating to a central theme, with a focus on organization, expression, and mechanics. Students are also expected to collect information from multiple sources including online, print, and media. This lesson was created to integrate geography into the language arts curriculum, using technology as an essential tool. Students collaborated to conduct research on Virginia, New York, and New Jersey. Research was shared, and pen pal letters were composed based on what was learned from research, as well as other interests. Students created pen pal letters and Google presentations on information gained from research. Those presentations were then shared with the pen pals, where the pen pals were invited to comment. The students gained a rich understanding of the five themes of geography in his/her own state, as well as in the pen pals’ states. Writing the pen pal letters became an authentic task, and the students enjoyed learning about the geography of states other than his/her own.
TIPC Ratings
The teacher and librarian modeled how to evaluate electronic and print resources for appropriateness and effectiveness (encyclopedias, trade books, and online search engines) and provided the Google Doc for students to complete. Students located information using appropriate resources to compose their letters and presentations.
The teacher modeled effective communication by brainstorming what an exceptional group member looks like. Norms were posted in the classroom during collaborative activities. The students communicated with each other verbally, as well as through Google Docs for research, pen pal letters, and Google presentations. Students communicated with students in other states. The pen pals were invited to make comments on the Google presentations.
The teacher utilized open-ended questions by providing students with a guide to conduct research. The teacher and librarian guided students to use appropriate resources to conduct research and communicate with people outside of the classroom. This was an authentic task because students had to conduct the research in order to write pen pal letters and create Google presentations. Students used technology through online search engines to work independently. They had to answer open-ended questions. Students were expected to write pen pal letters based on research, and continue his/her own dialogue throughout the school year.
The teacher created a student-centered environment, where students could pick which state they wanted to create the Google presentation. Students were given the opportunity to pick his/her own groups. Group norms were established and posted in the classroom. The students worked independently (without a large amount of teacher assistance during the actual execution) to do research, write pen pal letters, and create Google presentations. Students applied existing knowledge (once research was conducted) to write pen pal letters and create Google presentations.
