4th Grade
Geography

PURPOSE: The purpose of this lesson is for children to learn about the state of Florida.  They will learn the basic facts associated with the state, such as : the capital, the state bird, and the state song. They will learn to locate places in Florida and about those places. They will learn about the climate, tourism, and agriculture.

CONNECTION TO THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STANDARDS:
No. 1 Knows and understands how to use maps, globes, and other graphical tools to acquire, process and report information.
The children will be expected to be able to locate places on a map. They will make a map for one lesson.
No. 4 Knows and understands the physical and human characteristics of places. The children will learn many facts and history about their state. They will also learn about the physical features of their state.
No. 6 Knows and understands that culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and experiences. The children will learn about how people think and percieve Florida as a place.
No. 15 Knows and understands the consequences of the interactions between human and physical systems. The children will learn how about hurricaines and the climate affect Florida.

APPLICABLE TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
The student understands the locations and characteristics of regions.
The student understands the concept of regions.

OBJECTIVES LIST:
Students will demonstrate their ability:
1.  Know certain facts about Florida
2.  Know how certain issues effect the state.
3.  Have a stronger and better understanding of their city and state history.
4.  Know certain physical characteristics of the state.
5.  To find information and analyze an Internet site.

OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION:
This project is to help fourth grade students to learn about their home state.  It is amazing how many children do not have any idea about their history and geography of their state. This project will teach basic historical and geographical terms and facts.  The children will become more aware of their surroundings and issues that effect their state.  Through the use of many activities and the internet the children will learn basic facts and acquire knowledge about Florida.

 DAY 1: GETTING DOWN TO THE BASICS 
Sponge Activity: The children will keep a Sunshine Journal. The first entry will be called: What do I Love Most About Florida? (10 minutes)
Opening: Show the students a map of the state of Florida. Point to the capital Tallahassee. Explain what a peninsula is. Ask the children if Florida fits the definition of a peninsula.
Guided Practice: Make a Florida Web on the board have the students list all the facts they know about Florida.
Independent Practice: Today is internet day.   The students will be given a worksheet over the symbols of Florida. They will use this web site to complete the worksheet: http://www.dos.state.fl.us/kids/
Evaluation: Children should complete the web site worksheet.
MATERIALS:
Paper
Pencil
Journal
Worksheet
Internet Access
Extensions: The children can learn more about Stephen Foster who wrote "Old Folks At Home"(Suwanee River).  He also wrote "Beautiful Dreamer", "Oh Sussananh", and "Camptown Races"
 Day Two: Exploring, Exploring the Nation's Oldest City 
 Sponge Activity: Sunshine Journal: Land Ho!- The children will write about what Ponce De Leon might have seen when he discovered Florida.
Opening: Explain who Ponce De Leon is, and when he discovered Florida. Explain the reasons the Spanish wanted to come to the New World.  Locate Spain on a  globe and trace De Leon’s course to Florida. Tell what Florida means in Spanish. ( "full of Flowers")
Guided Practice: Use brochures from St. Augustine. Show what the nation’s oldest city looks like today. Discuss the certain places such as: The Oldest Schoolhouse, The Oldest House, Castillio de San Marcos ( fort), The Oldest Store, and The Bridge of Lions.
Independent Practice: Have the children write a story if they found the Fountain of Youth.
Materials:
Journals
Map or globe
Paper
Pencil
Brochures
Extensions: This lesson can be used to study explorers and American colonization. I f St. Augustine is near where you live plan a field trip to visit it.

 Day 3: Yes, Mr. Jackson ( A study of Jacksonville) 
Sponge Activity: In their journals have the children list all of the major bridges, buildings, museums, the zoo, the name of the river that flows through town, and the football team. Have them draw their favorite place in Jacksonville. ( this lesson assumes that the children live in Jacksonville.)
Opening: Tell who Jacksonville was named after. (Andrew Jackson) .   Tell them the population of Jacksonville(over a million), and it’s the second largest city in area. Explain what a city is. Have them identify the mayor’s name.
Guided Practice: The children will learn about their town.  They will where city hall is, major bridges and hospitals, the 4 different sides of town, the zoo, the Jaguar stadium, and an art museum.
Independent Practice: Have the children draw and illustrate a map from their house to school. Include roads and any restaurants or stores they pass.
Materials:
Journals
Maps
Paper
Pencil
Crayons or Markers

 Day 4: From Oranges To Strawberries ( Agriculture) 
Sponge Activity: Have the children write about whether they like oranges or grapefruit better and explain why.
Opening: Explain to the children how Florida is one of the leading states in the nation for fruits and vegetables. Ask them why they think Florida is a good place to grow fruits and vegetables. List their ideas on the board.
Guided Practice: Show them the oranges and grapefruit. Explain what citrus fruit is and tell them the different types.  Explain how oranges grow in groves.  Tell them Florida citrus farmers must be careful in the winter because of frost.  Frost can ruin a citrus crop.  Have the children locate different areas in the state where citrus is grown.
Independent Practice:  Have the children do a Word Find on citrus fruit.
Materials:
Journals
Paper
Pencil
Oranges
Grapefruit
Crayons and Markers
Extensions: Read the book: Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski.  It is about a girl growing upon a strawberry farm in Florida in the 1940’s.  Bring orange juice for your glass to drink.

 Day 5: The Best Vacation ( The Importance of Tourism) 

Sponge Activity: Sunshine Journal: Tell about your favorite ride at Disney World
Opening: Tell the student’s how Florida depends on tourism for money. Define tourism and tourists. Make a web of why people want to come to Florida. Explain some perceptions people have of Florida.
Guided Practice: Make your classroom into a travel agency. Bring brochures of many tourist spots and attractions in Florida. Have the children pick one each. Let them tell about the place.
Independent Practice: Pretend that Disney World is making a new land in the Magic Kingdom. Each child must name the land, and it must include 2 rides, 2 shops, and 2 restaurants. Be creative: Remember it must be attractive to tourists.
Materials:
Journals
Paper
Pencil
Brochures
Crayons and Markers
Extension: Have the children multiply the cost of getting into a theme park with a 4 member family.

 Day 6:  Going Down the River 
Sponge: Activity:  In their Sunshine Journal have the children write about if their house was by the river.
Opening: Ask the children what a river is? Can they name any of the rivers in Florida?
Guided Practice:  Have the children locate the rivers in Florida on a map.  How many did they find? Explain that the St. John’s river flows like the Nile River in Egypt.  Have them locate Egypt on the globe. Can they find the Suwanee river which the state song is written about?  Define the terms flow, mouth, and tidal.
Independent Practice: Have the children go through a United States map and find many other rivers. (Mississippi, Ohio, and Colorado). Have them look them up in an encyclopedia and write a paragraph about it.
Materials:
Maps
Journals
Pencil
Paper
Globe

 Day 7: Our Beaches Our Pride 
Sponge Activity: Have children write in their Sunshine Journals about their best beach experience.
Opening: Ask the children if they have ever been to the beach. Why do people go there?  Florida is known for its beautiful beaches.
Guided Practice: Discuss the terms used to describe the beach.  (sand, shells, erosion).  Explain that most the beaches in Florida are sandy.  Explain what erosion is and how it happens and can prevented.  Tell how in Florida that building too many buildings near the coast  can cause erosion.  Have the children locate on a map these beaches:  Sanibel Island (world’s best shells)  Key West ( coral reefs) .  For a fun presentation bring in a large conch shell and tell the children to hold up the shell to their ear and hear the water rushing in it.
Independent Practice:  Have the children complete a worksheet on beach terms.  For homework have the children watch the weather and record when high and low tides are at the beach.
Materials:
Shells
Journals
Paper
Pencil
Worksheet
Bottles of Colored Sand
Baby food jars ( small)
Extension: Sand Art Jars
Buy colored sand bottles at Michael’s etc. In five colors (red, orange, green, blue, and white).  Have the children layers colors anyway they want to till it fills the top of the jar.  Put the lid on the jar.  Makes a great paperweight.

 Day 8: It’s A Swamp! (The Everglades)
Materials:
Sponge Activity: In their Sunshine journals have the children write about if they saw an alligator.
Opening: Ask what is a swamp? List the  children’s ideas on the board.  What kind of animals live in a swamp?
Guided Practice: Locate the everglades on the map.  Use the Southeast CD Rom to show pictures of the Everglades.  Define the terms mangroves, swamp, and national park.
Independent Practice: Have the children research what kind of animals live in the Everglades.  Have them explain why that habitat is suitable for that animal.
Maps
Journals
Paper
Pencil
Southeast CD Rom

 Day 9: Hot, and Steamy Florida (Climate) 
Sponge Activity: Have the children write about a hot, summer day in Florida.
Opening:  Explain to the children that Florida is a one the most popular places to live and visit because of its climate.
Guided Practice:  Define what climate is. Compare the climates of Maine, Michigan, and Arizona to Florida.  The climate in Florida varies from mild to hot.  Compare the temperatures of Miami and Jacksonville in the winter. Do you notice a difference.  Explain the characteristics of Florida weather with these terms: humid, humidity, sea breeze, heat index,  and northeaster. Explain how these terms effect Florida.
Independent Practice:  Have the children watch the weather and record the high and low temperature of that with Boston, Massachusetts.
Materials;
Journals
Paper
Pencil
Maps
Weather Report

 Day 10: Hurry! There’s A Hurricane Coming.... 
Sponge Activity: Have the children write about a time when they were scared during a storm.
Opening:  Ask the children if they know what a hurricane is? Hurricanes take place in Florida.  Florida must watch hurricanes carefully because Florida is covered by water on all sides. Do you know what to do if a hurricane hit where you lived?
Guided Practice:  Discuss the terms such as storm surge, hurricane season,  and the eye.  Explain how hurricanes are categorized  from a scale of 1 to 5.  1- mild to 5 - catastrophic.  Discuss Hurricane Andrew that hit Miami in August of 1992.  Discuss the devastation and how it was the costliest natural disaster in American History.  Explain what an evacuation route is and how to prepare for a hurricane such as: plywood to board windows, having enough bottled water for you family, non- perishable foods, and a radio, flash light and candles.  Don’t scare the children, but make them aware because one day a hurricane hit may hit their town.
Independent Practice:  Have the children draw an evacuation route from their house to a shelter.  Have them explain what they would take with them. Include why you would evacuate: close to the beach, mobile home or house not sturdy enough.
Materials:
Journals
Paper
Pencil
Markers or Crayons

Extension: Get hurricane tracking charts from the grocery store and have the children track all the hurricanes during hurricane season. This improves the child’s understanding of latitude and longitude.

Evaluation:  There will be a 10 question test over the information covered
.
Closure: These ten days the children have learned many different aspects about their state. The children should remember basic facts, who discovered Florida, and general knowledge about different cites.  The children have learned many  useful facts about their state.  I hope this unit has made the child proud to live in Florida.

APPENDIX:

INTERNET WORKSHEET 
 
WEB  SITE::http//www.dos.state.fl.us/kids/
Directions: Answer the questions by using information related to the web site.
1.  What is the state animal? _____________________________

2.  What is the state beverage?  ______________________________

3.  What state besides Florida is the mockingbird also the state bird?  _____________________________________________________________________

4.  What is the state’s butterfly and where is it found?  _____________________________________________________________________

5.  List the sovereign flags that have flown over Florida?  _____________________________________________________________________
 

6.  What is the state flower?  ___________________________________________
 

7.  It is not uncommon for a Florida bass to weigh?  _____________________________

8.  The word manatee comes from the Hatian word that means?  ____________________

9.  Is the manatee an endangered specie?  Yes or No

10.  Porpoises do not have a sense of _________________.

11.  What is the state reptile?  _________________________________

 CITRUS FRUITS 

DIRECTIONS: WORDS CAN BE FOUND ACROSS, DOWN AND BACKWARDS!
WORDS:
LIME
LEMON
GRAPEFRUIT
ORANGES
TANGERINE
KUMQUAT

T  U  I  R  F  E  P  A  R  G
A  J  K  U  M  Q  U  A  T  B
N  H  E  M  I  L  D  O  N  S
G  F  W  S  R  E  B  W  P  H
E  A  D  R  C  M  K  Q  Y  N
R   C N  P  S  O  C  E  Q  L
 I   F  D  A  C  N  J  K  L  M
N  O  R  A  N  G  E  S  G  V
E  R  T  D  M  K  L  M  B  O

BEACH  TERMS 

DIRECTIONS: Use a dictionary to define the words.  Be sure to use the appropriate definition.

1.  wave-  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.  high tide-  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.  low tide-  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
4.  beach-  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.  tide-  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________-
6. sand dune-  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. erosion-  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8.shell-  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 

9. beach-  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

TEST 
Directions : Fill in the blank with the correct word.

1.  Ponce De Leon discovered Florida in  ______________________.

2.  Who wrote "Suwanee River "?  _____________________________________________

3.  Who was Jacksonville named after?  __________________________________________

4.  Oranges grow in a _______________________________.

5.  Disney World is an example of a tourist ______________________________________.

6.  The St. John’s River flows like which river in Egypt?  ______________________________________________

7.  Beach erosion can be caused by ________________________________.

8.  The Everglades is an example of a ___________________________________.

9.  Hot and humid describes Florida’s ___________________________________.

10.  Hurricane Andrew hit which Florida city in 1992?  ___________________________

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abruscato, Joesph ., et. al. Holt Science  New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1984.

Drewry, Henry N., et al. United States History: Beginnings Through Reconstruction
Columbus: Charles E. Merrill, 1986

"Florida Kids" http://www.dos.state.fl.us/kids/ (15 April 1998)
 

Florida Offical Tourist Information Guide http://wFww.florida.com (15 April 1998)
 

Lee, Sally Hurricaines New York: Franklin Watts., 1993

" The Magic Kingdom." Childcraft Encyclopedia. 1981.

Raisz, Erwin and associates. Atlas of Florida.  Gainesville: University of Florida Press.,
1964
 
Southeast CD Rom
 

 Florida "The Sunshinee State"

 
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