Amy Troxel
Grade: 2nd
Course: Geography

Purpose:
To introduce the students to other countries, languages, and cultures.

Connection to the National Geography Standards:
This lesson is connected to national standard No. 4 for grades K-4.  In this lesson we will explore the physical and human characteristics of Switzerland.  It will discuss the cultures, landscapes, education, and food they eat.

Objectives:
Students will demonstrate their ability:
1.  To locate Switzerland on a map
2.  To list the different languages spoken in Switzerland
3.  To name the capital
4.  To list some of the things for which Switzerland is famous
5.  To explore sites on the internet about Switzerland
6.  To explain the country's landscape
7.  To search the Internet for geographic information

Overview of Presentation:
This project will be used to illustrate that not all countries are like the United States.  It depends heavily on the Internet to provide updated information about Switzerland.  Using one site they will be asked to explore the country and report what they found.  We will also be having in-class discussions about what they have found. We will take the topic of Switzerland and use it in the different areas of study (math, spelling, and reading).  We will study maps of Switzerland and the surrounding countries.  We will also discuss their climate and currency.

Procedures:
Day 1:
Materials:
1. Map of Europe
2. Map of Switzerland
3. Journals
4. Blank transparency
5. Overhead marker
6. Blank map of Switzerland
Sponge Activity: Have the students write in their journal what they know or think they know about Switzerland. Opening: Discuss what they put in their journals.  Make word web with Switzerland in the middle.
Guided Practice: Take a map of Europe and show the students where Switzerland is located in Europe.  Tell them the names of the surrounding countries.  Discuss with them the facts about Switzerland:
1. Population (6,828,023(July 1992))
2. Land size (41293 km2)
3. Languages spoken there (German, French, Italian, and Romansch are National Languages, English is commonly spoken in large cities.)
4. The capital and where it is (Bern)
5. About the landscape (mountains, glaciers, plants)
Independent practice: Label the major cities and surrounding countries.
Evaluation: Check to make sure the cities are in the right place.
Closure: Break them into groups and ask them questions about what was discussed the first day.  Make it a game and keep track of points.

Day 2:
Materials:
1. Word find
2. Have Web sites to show them
3. Internet Information worksheet
4. Blank transparency
5. Journals
6. Overhead marker
Sponge Activity:  Word find
Opening:  Review what they learned the day before. Do the word web again.
Guided Practice:  Take the students to the computer lab and show them how to find Switzerland on the Internet.  Take them through one web site to show them what they will be expected to know and find out.
Independent Practice:  Give each student or a group of students a web site to research and find information. Give them a worksheet to follow and know what information to record.
Evaluation: Have the students tell the rest of the class what they found on the Internet.
Closure: Write a one page entry into their journals about what they found out today.

Day 3:
Materials:
1. Paper
2. Pencils
3. List of web sites
4. Giant map of Switzerland
5. Overhead map of Switzerland to plot cities
6. Overhead marker
Sponge Activity:  Write a letter to a pen pal.-Then you will be the pen pal.
Opening:  Review where Switzerland is and some of the large cities in it.
Guided Practice and Independent Practice:
Same as day 2-only give them (the student or group) a different web site to research.
Evaluation:  Take up the papers to see if they found all of the information they were supposed to record.
Closure:  Have a giant map of Switzerland that the students can stand on and a few at a time have them go and stand where the major cities are.

Day 4:
Materials:
1. Pictures of the different landscapes
2. Paper
3. Crayons
4. A jar
5. pencils
Sponge Activity: Have the students guess how high they think the highest mountain is in Switzerland.  Have them put their names on them and put their guesses in a jar.
Opening: Discuss the landscape a little more.  Get the jar of guesses to see who is the closest.  Ask them what kind of vegetation they think they have or if they grow anything at all.
Guided Practice: Show them pictures of the mountains there.  Give them examples of how high the mountains are with something they can relate to (football fields, the school, ...).  Talk about the different things that grow there. Discuss the different landscapes.
Independent Practice:  Have them draw a picture of one of the land discussed that day and write a story about their vacation there.
Evaluation:  Read the stories and hang them on the wall. Have them correct any spelling errors first.
Closure:  Pass out their pen pal letters and let them read the letters.

Day 5:
Materials:
1. Worksheet of Switzerland's flag
2. Each of the students needs a red crayon
3. Book of Heidi (if you want)
4. Books on Switzerland
5. Web sites that would give them the information they need
6. Sheets for the students to write information on
Sponge Activity:  Give each of the students a picture Switzerland's flag to color.
Opening: Talk about different traditions that their families have.  Talk about the holidays they celebrate.
Guided Practice:  Discuss the different kinds of holidays that the Swiss have.  Talk about the different kind of cultures they have.  See if any of them have heard the story of Heidi.  You could even read the story to them. Discuss the kinds of food they eat and the houses they live in.
Individual Practice:  Have the students look on the Internet or in books for some of the different kinds of food they eat and why they are famous.  The students can also look for any more information on the different cultures that had been discussed.
Evaluation:  Have the students turn in the information they found.
Closure:  Give each of the students a little piece of Swiss chocolate and sausage for which the Swiss are famous.

Day 6:
Materials:
1. Paper
2. Pens and pencils
3. Web sites to be used
4. Journals
5. Brown construction paper
6. Scissors
7. White chalk
8. Picture of a violin for them to view and study
Sponge Activity: Have the students write back their pen pals.
Opening:  Discuss their school and what it looks like, what they can wear and just anything to do with their education.
Guided Practice:  Discuss the kind of schools they have in Switzerland.  Then discuss the differences in the our school and the Swiss schools.
Individual Practice:  Have them find information in the Internet about the education in Switzerland.
Evaluation:  Have them write in their journals the main differences they have found.
Closure:  Pretend that you are in a trade school in Switzerland for violin makers.  Take brown construction paper and cut it out in the shape of a violin.  Use white chalk to draw the strings and any designs.  Have a picture or even a real violin for them to look at.

Day 7:
Materials:
1. Worksheet to go with assignment on Internet
2. Pens or pencils
3. Have pictures of people skiing (to show those who do not know about skiing.)
4. Paper
Sponge Activity:  Have the students write about their favorite sport.
Opening:  Talk about the different sports they put down.
Guided Practice: Talk about the different kind of sports that are played in Switzerland.  Talk about what a big sport skiing is over there.  Have them guess why it would be such a big sport over there (they should mention the mountains).  Again show them the pictures of people skiing.
Independent Practice:  Have the students look on the Internet for a ski resort and plan a trip there, have a worksheet for them to follow.  Have them put down the items they will need to take with them.
Evaluation:  Take up the worksheet to make sure they found a place and that they found all of the information. Closure:  Pretend that you are on a ski slope, let the kids get up and move like they were really skiing.

Day 8:
Materials:
1. Overhead map of Switzerland
2. Video
3. TV and VCR
4. Pen pal responses
5. Their journals
6. Overhead marker
Sponge Activity:  Have the letter from their pen pal on their desks ready for them, have them read the letters and write a letter back.
Opening:  Today will be just a period of review.  Discuss all of the different things that have been talked about.
Guided Practice:  Get out the map of Switzerland and make sure they know the major cities and the surrounding countries.  They should know the different languages that are spoken.
Independent Practice:  Have them write in their journals every thing they have learned about Switzerland.
Evaluation:  Compare what they wrote about Switzerland the first day compared to the last day.
Closure:  Watch a video on Switzerland.

APPENDIX: (1-4 are not included at this web site)
1.  Blank map of Switzerland
2.  Blank map of Europe
3.  Map of Switzerland with cities on it
4.  Word find
5.  Worksheets to go with web sites

Extensions:
We will use their currency and measurements in math class.  We will use some of the new words as vocabulary words for spelling.  We can also study the history of Switzerland in history.  After the Unit: After we have completed the unit, each group will pick a different country to explore and will report what they find out about that country to the rest of the class.

Bibliography:
1.  Geis, Darlene. Let's Travel in Switzerland.  Chicago:  Childrens Press, 1964.
2.  Hintz, Martin. Switzerland.  Chicago:  Childrens Press, 1986.
3.  Hughes, Christopher. Switzerland.  New York:  Praeger, 1975.
4.  Kurly, Herbert, and the Editors of Life. Switzerland.  New York:  Time Inc., 1964.
5.  Lye, Keith. Take a Trip To Switzerland.  New York:  F. Watts, 1984.
6.  Nichols, Frank and Kay, Dir. This is Switzerland.  Travelogure Collection, 1988. (video tape)
7.  Ogrizek, Dore.  Switzerland.  Switzerland:  McGraw- Hill, 1955.
8.  Steinberg, Jonathan. Why Switzerland?  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 1976.

Web Sites:
1.  Switzerland:  http://www.switch.ch/misc/ch.html (April 15, 1997)
2.  Information about Switzerland:  http://www.ethz.ch:80/swiss/switzerland_info.html (April 20, 1997)
3.  Go ski Switzerland:  http://www.goski.com:80/switz.html (April 12, 1997)

Worksheets:
No. 1, Ski Resort
NAME_______________________________ DATE____________
URL __________________________________________________
1.  Where did you choose to go?__________________________
2.  What city is that in?________________________________
3.  How much snow do they have (minimum and maximum)? ______________________________________________________
4.  How many lifts do they have open? ___________________
5.  How much will it cost to ski there?____________________
6.  What is the snow surface like? _______________________
7.  What all should you pack? ____________________________ ___________________________________________________

No. 2, About Switzerland
NAME________________________________ DATE__________
URL _________________________________________________
1.  What is the population of Switzerland? ______________
2.  What is the land size of Switzerland? _______________
3.  What languages are spoken there? ____________________
4.  What is the capital of Switzerland? _________________
5.  Name two neighboring countries. ________________ ____________________________________________________
6.  What is the climate like? ______________________ ____________________________________________________
7.  Name one interesting fact that you found. __________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
 

Created April 23, 1997

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