Jamie Nicole Smith
Fourth Grade Level
Geography

PURPOSE: The purpose of this unit is to familiarize children with England's cultural and historical geography. The student will learn of a culture very different from our own here in the United States. The class will view a larger perspective of the world and how people live. They will be given the knowledge to not only see differences in culture and history, but also the physical geography that has effected that culture and history. Our world is so big and beautiful, yet many children never physically live their region of the world. Through this unit children will experience a country that they most likely have never seen, imagined, or understand. For the children who may never be able to venture there in body, they will have been in their minds and imaginations. I hope to help them understand the country which in turn will help them understand its literature, historical events, other people, and even the world and their place in it. And most importantly my hope is that this unit will inspire the children to learn more about our global world and inspire them to one day venture to many other countries themselves!

CONNECTION TO THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS:

No. 7 Knows and understands that physical processes shape patterns on the earth's surface. We will be learning about the physical geography of England. We will talk about how it is hilly and very close to sea level.

No. 9 Know and understands the characteristics, distribution, and migrations of human populations. The students will learn about the characteristics of human population in England through government, food, transportation, and lifestyles.

No.10 Know and understand the complexity of the earth's cultural mosaic. The students will learn all about the culture of England from the food the eat to the way they travel.

No.14 Knows and understands how the earth's physical and human systems are connected and interact. The students will be introduced to the physical geography of England but also how that has shaped the lives of the people who live there.

APPLICABLE TESXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

Grade 4

The student understands the concept of regions.

The student is expected to:

Describe a variety of regions in Texas and the Western Hemisphere, such as, political, population, and economic regions that result from patterns of human activity,

Describe a variety of regions in Texas and the Western Hemisphere, such as, landform, climate, and vegetation regions that result from physical characteristics,

Compare the regions of Texas with regions of the United States and other parts of the world.

OBJECTIVES LIST:

Students will demonstrate their ability:

1. To Understand different cultures that they haven't experienced in their own lives.
2. To comprehend different government systems.
3. To experience different ways of living. Ex: food and transportation
4. To find information and analyze an Internet site.

OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION:

England is a very interesting country full of cultural and historical geography. A major part of teaching students a subject is making them feel as though they have been there. Have a real mental picture of the subject that you cannot get from a social studies text book. Day one we will just get familiar with the subject. Day two we will learn about the Monarchy, specifically about several important queens and kings. Day three the students will learn about castles through pictures and blue prints. Day four the students will learn about Stone Henge and other interesting historical mysteries. Day six the students will be introduced to the physical features of England. From there we will study transportation which is effected by physical features. Then day seven will be about food and the market place. Day eight we will learn about two important cites in the country, London and Oxford. Day nine the students will learn about the English money system. And day ten will be a fun day but also a good way to evaluate what they have leaned by having a market place.

Day 1- Overview

Sponge Activity

This will be a day just to basically get the children familiar and comfortable with learning about England. It will also be a day for the teacher to establish exactly how much they know and understand about the country. This sponge activity will involve just having maps at each table. The children will be allowed to explore the maps as groups. After a few minutes the teacher should ask probing questions. Questions: About continents, then Europe, the Great Britain. These questions will focus on the subject.

Opening:

Discuss what we will be doing in the next two weeks. Transportation, government: royal family, food, transportation, money system, castles, Stone Henge, physical feature, and cities.

Independent Practice: Have groups name facts and draw pictures of things they perceive about England.

Evaluation /Assessment/Feedback: Bring the ideas and pictures they have done up to the board. List, discuss, and correct.

Closure: Summarize and explain what will be happening the next lesson.

Day 2- Monarchy

*Being that Princes Diana has just passed away and most of the students are familiar with her. You may find it appropriate to spend a day learning about her. There is ample material on the Princes available

Sponge Activity: As the children come in there will be pictures of nine queens and kings we will explore in today's lesson on the overhead projector. Pictures of these kings and queens can be found at http://www.royal.gov.uk/history/since802.htm

Opening: Today we will be learning about the Monarchy. Give a simple definition . we will learn about what the English Monarchy is and about six queens and kings who made great impacts on England.

Guided Practice: *Remember that each class is different and yours are be able to intake more or less information. Ex; More about today's royal family, or less royalty covered.

Today I will be using the website above to show pictures and give information about the six rulers including Alfred the Great, William I "the Conqueror", Henry VII, Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria, and Elizabeth the II.

A time line from the website will be handed out at this time.

Independent Practice: Next you will give each group an assigned king or queen (This will require either finding books for research in advance or taking the class to the school library to look up information, which ever is more appropriate for the time frame.) Have the students write a short, creative report on their assigned king/queen. Encourage them to find interesting facts , decorate, and draw. When the class have finished their assignment, have each group make a presentation to the class on their queen or king.

Assessment: Ask students questions orally to make sure they have comprehended what they have been taught by both the teacher and other students.

Closer: show the students how tomorrow's lesson on castles relates to the monarchy.

Materials: Internet Websites, LDC, craft material, library or reference books

Day 3-Castles

Sponge Activity :Have pictures at each desk of castles. ( I will be using personal picture you may find other pictures in any book about castles.) Let the students look at the pictures.

Opening: Explain what the class will be learning about today.

Guided Practice: Today we will be using the LDC and website http://www.britannia.com which will show pictures, layouts, and materials used to build castles and why.

Independent Practice: During this exercise the students in groups will make out there own plans for a castle. They will also write down who they are, when they lived, and what materials will be used.

Evaluation: Today we will have a little fun and go outside to the sandbox and make sand castles. (If this is not available at your school you could make them from cardboard, ect.)

Closer: We will discuss what we have learned and talk about Stone Henge.

Materials: Sand box, picture, website, LDC pannel, books on castles(for research)

Day 4- Stone Henge, Avebury, and the White Horses

Sponge Activity: Have the students observe pictures of all three subjects.

Opening: Explain what the class will be learning about the mysteries of the stones and of the horses.

Guided practice: Today will be computer lab day. The students will evaluate: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/dest/eur/eng.htm. First before they evaluate a brief history and possible explanations about why these wonders exist.

Independent Practice: Have the students explore the web page and fill out the worksheet for the site.

Evaluation: Have the students turn in there worksheets and go over the site and worksheets again with them. Ask the students what they've learned.

Closure: Discuss tomorrow's lesson on physical geography.

Materials: Computer lab and pictures

Day 5-Physical Geography

Sponge activity: Have the students write a short paragraph on what they think England's physical geography is like, including climate, and seasons.

Opening: Discuss what they have predicted and lead into actual facts.

Guided Practice: Today we will use the LDC and website http://www.lonelyplanet.com to find information and pictures of England's geographical features. ( For teacher use, refer to http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/atlas/index.html These sites tell you a lot about climate ect. Also refer to Oxford through the ages and other books over England)

Independent Practice: Have the children predict the kinds of clothes wore, transportation, food eaten, ect. in relation to the physical features.

Evaluation /Assessment/Feedback: Talk about what they have predicted.

Closure: Review the weeks lessons and overview the next weeks lessons.

Materials: LDC, books ,and pictures

Day 6-Tansportation

Sponge Activities: Have the students each write down all the different forms of transportation that they can thing of that they have used before.

Opening: Have they students name some of the vehicles they have used. Explain that we will be learning about England's transportation systems.

Guided Practice: *Most of the information that I have gathered on this subject is from personal experience living in England but you can find pictures and some references in the books and websites in my bibliography. I'm sure there are others as well. Learn about using subways(the London Underground), buses, bicycles, and trains, as the main form of transportation, rather than planes an cars. Why, because the country is much older, the streets are old and narrow, the country is small and compact, things needed are not far away. Pictures and video tapes will be shown

Independent Practice: Have the students individually come up with some examples of different ideas on comparing the U.S. and England's transportation systems and why they are different.

Evaluation/Assessment/Feedback: The independent practice can serve this purpose because they will be showing their comprehension through their writing.

Closure: Review the lesson and who culture and physical feature effect transportation and let them know that the class will be over food and markets tomorrow. ( Remember that it will be connected in the same way.)

Materials: Pictures and video

Day 7- Markets and Food

Sponge Activity: The students will be shown pictures of a London Market Place. Have them discuss, in groups, the things that they see.

Opening: Explain that we will be learning about food and English markets.

Guided Practice: Today will be a fun day. First the book MARKET! Which describes different markets all over the world will be read. We will then talk about what a market is like and what likes of foods are from England. They do not use as much seasoning. They have McDonald's. They love fish and chips(fried potatoes) and Turkish delights. Today we will bring a Fry Daddy and make 'fish and chips'

Independent Practice: Today we will bring a Fry Daddy and make 'fish and chips'

Evaluation/Assessment /Feedback : N/A

Closure: Talk about what we learned and what we will be doing tomorrow.

Materials: Fry Daddy, fish, potatoes (optional); pictures, book

Day 8 - Cities: Oxford and London

Sponge Activity: Again have the students discuss pictures at their tables.

Opening: Explain that London and Oxford are two very important cities. London for industry and history and Oxford for its University and history.

Guided Practice: Teach the students about the two cities many features. London: London Bridge, Tower of London, Trafager Square, Theater District, ect.

Oxford: The University

Use all books and websites for research and to show pictures with LDC.

Evaluation/Assessment /Feedback: Today give a small quiz after reviewing the material.

Closure: Let the students know that the money system will be studied tomorrow and ask them to try and find out what they call their money.

Materials: books, pictures, LDC, websites

Day 9 - Money System

Sponge Activity: Have pounds and pence at every table. Let them compare them to U.S. dollars and cents.

Opening: Explain that we will be studying about the English money system. Ask about their findings during sponge activity.

Guided Practice: Explain what each piece is and what it equivalent to in the U.S. Learn the pound symbol. And practice adding and subtracting with the money. (You can get English money anywhere you exchange currency.)

Independent Practice: Write problems on the board for them to work out. Have the students use fake pounds to do the problems.

Evaluation/Assessment/Feedback: The independent practice can serve this purpose as well.

Closure: Explain to the students that the pounds they have (fake) will be use to morrow when we have a real marketplace. Have them go home and practice counting with it.

Materials: Fake pounds and pence( teacher or aid can make in advance), real currency, overhead projector or board.

Day 10- Market Place

Sponge Activity: Have the students get their money out and be practicing counting it.

Opening: Welcome everyone to the Market Place and explain to them the rules. They may decide what they want and then pay. There will be several different stands. Have parents volunteer to help. Have clothing stands, books, fruits and vegetables, and dairy products.

Guided Practice/Independent Practice: Let the students experience England!

Evaluation: N/A

Closure: Review what have learned over the week and have fun!

Materials: Find old books from the library or inexpensive books, have parents bring old clothes and food.

Extensions:

Science

Discuss food and prepare a meal.

Math

Studied money system

Art

Decorated , drew, past.

Literature

Read Market!

Communication

Discussion, group work, and group presentation
 
  Annotated Bibliography

Lewis, Ted. MARKET! Lothrop, 1996

Davison, Jon. Oxford Images and Recollections. Jon Davison Publications, 1995

Greene, Carol. England/ by Carol Greene. Chicago: Children's Press, 1983.

Cullinan, Bernice E. , Galda, Lee. Literature and the Child, 4^th edition. Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1998. Pg.270-284.

Website sources:

Lonely Planet On Line. 1998.  http://www.lonelyplanet.com (16 April, 1998)

COI Publication. 1997.  http://www.royal.gov.uk (16 April, 1998)

Britannia Internet magazine, LLC. 1997.  http://britannia.com (16 April, 1998)

National Geographic Online. 1998.  http://www.nationalgeographic.com (16 April, 1998)

Other references used are videos of England scenery (personal), postcard pictures, a book from the British Museum (pamphlet, and other artifacts from England.

Internet Worksheet

Lonely Planet  http://www.lonelyplanet.com/road/witness/sld-eng.htm

What does the first page tell you about the site?
 
 

Select one of the pictures and describe the information that is provided by that picture.
 
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