A+Great+Country

A Great Country

Introduction
This unit will use Language Arts, Technology, and Social Studies to explain how our country was formed. The key elements include government, natural resources, and landscapes. Common events and ideals should lead to important facts that predated colonization and statehood.

Learning Objectives
Language Arts 1A:Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections. 1.A.3a:Apply knowledge of word origins and derivations to comprehend words used in specific content areas. 5B:Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources. 5.B.3b:Identify, evaluate and cite primary sources. 5C:Apply acquired information concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of ways. 5.C.3c:Take notes, conduct interviews, organize and report information in oral, visual electronic formats. Social Science 16B:Understand the development of significant political events. 16.B.3d:Describe ways in which the US states developed as a world political power. 16D:Understand IL, US and world social history. 16.D.3a:Describe characteristics of different kinds of communities in various sections of America during the colonial frontier periods and the 19th century. NETS 3b:Students locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media. 4b:Students plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project. 6b:Students transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

Content
CLASS PERIOD 1-Discuss the US and various events in it's pre-colonial history 2-Use reading materials to complete checklists 3-Complete readings, book reports, and begin research notes 4-Form Teams for peer feedback and in-class activities 5-Create rubrics for final projects, portfolios, and self-assessment of the unit 6-Review unit overview and template for final the final project 7-Review rough drafts(groups), discuss final reflection 8-Complete questionaire and self-evaluation forms

Student Facilitation Resource [|A Great State KWHL.doc]

[|A Great State Scoring Guide.doc]

Credits
D.Gonzalez--Much respect! You ROCK! You're my tech fairy godteacher. The other teachers in the Intel EC-10 struggle---I hope I didn't talk too much, I needed to KNOW!

Authors
The author is a Chicago Public School librarian. Please forward all comments to jhtaylor@cps.edu.