Road Trip Around the Good Ol' USA!

Road Trip Around the Good Ol’ USA

Author(s): By Erika Bilyeu, inspired by “Documenting a Virtual Road Trip” by Shawn Welsh and Jon Jancola.
http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/KSD/it/inst_tech/TechClassroom/k6_int_tech.html#Grade_5_.


Grade Level: 5th

Timeframe: 10 class periods, 50 minutes each.
Students will also be able to work on project during free time in Writing Workshop

Lesson Description or Explanation Students will be researching different landmarks in the USA that they have visited or would like to visit. After researching at least three different landmarks, the students will then be creating a persuasive travel review, a travel brochure, or any other presentation to persuade others they should visit these places, making sure to include eye-catching pictures and awe-inspiring facts found on the internet.


Indiana Curricular Standards
Language Arts

• 5.5.4 - Write persuasive letters or compositions that:
• state a clear position in support of a proposal.,
• support a position with relevant evidence and effective emotional appeals.
• follow a simple organizational pattern, with the most appealing statements first and the least powerful ones last.
address reader concerns.

5.5.3 - Research Application:
Write or deliver a research report that has been developed using a systematic research process (defines the topic, gathers information, determines credibility, reports findings) and that:
• uses information from a variety of sources (books, technology, multimedia) and documents sources (titles and authors).
• demonstrates that information that has been gathered has been summarized.
• organizes information by categorizing and sequencing.
Social Studies
• 5.3.3 - Places and Regions: Name and locate states, regions, major cities and capitals, major rivers and mountain ranges in the United States.

ISTE Standards
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and
media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.

Assessments
Formative/Summative
Formative
Each student will be graded on any research notes he/she has turned in as well as any “sloppy copies” of articles, brochures, etc, to show editing and revising that the students completed.

Summative
The final project will be graded based on correct punctuation, grammar, and spelling Are the landmarks all located in the correct place? Neatness and completion will also be taken into consideration while grading the projects.

Prior Knowledge
Curricular Knowledge or Skills: Knowledge of what persuasive pieces look like, knowledge of United States history, geography, places to visit. These will all be reviewed on day one of the lesson.

Technology Knowledge: internet searches, Office tools – If needed, these skills can be reviewed before the students work on the computers.

Technology

Internet Resources: (please list URLs)
www.kidskonnect.com
lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/halasiku/tourresources.html
family.go.com/video/channel-us-landmarks/
www.mrnussbaum.com/landmarks.htm

Hardware: computers with internet access, computers with Microsoft Office access

Software: Microsoft Office, Windows Vista Compatibilities

Materials: art supplies, Writer’s notebook, pen/pencil, examples of articles and brochures

Procedure
Day 1 – Introduce the project to the students by exploring travel review articles or travel brochures, then explaining that they will be creating one of these (or something else if they choose not to create the project on the computer) but we will be exploring US landmarks to visit. Review the US landmarks with a PowerPoint created by me before the lesson in order for students to have a rough idea of what they will be working with.

Days 2 - 4 – Students will research the landmarks of their choice via provided websites or websites they find using a search engine. (Ideally, they will research one landmark per day.) Any student that finished researching before the research days are over will be able to start on their projects.

Days 5 – 7 – Students will work on their projects for these days. They will work on the computers or on any paper presentation they may choose.

Days 8-10 (If this many days are needed) – Presentations of projects!!

(If students feel they need any extra time working on research or on projects, extra time will be available during Writer’s Workshop period.)
Differentiated Instruction

ESL The ESL students in my classroom could type their presentations in their native languages, then use the translator websites to translate the presentation into English.


Challenge/Extend For students needing a challenge, they could research more landmarks in which they would like to visit and include these in their presentation.
Also, they could be a peer-mentor for those students needing help during the project.


Special Needs The students with special needs with have modified goals based on his/her IEP.
They could work with a partner if they would like, especially if they have cognitive difficulties.
The students with special needs could use the Windows Vista tools, such as Vista Narrator or the computer tools to zoom in on a website’s text in order to better their experience on the computers during the researching process, as well as creating their presentation.