Brief Description

Students learn basic concepts of geography and name them in English by creating models of the Earth.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

3T-E2. Use a technology tool for data collection and analysis.
3T-E4. Use technology tools to support modeling.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
3SS-E4. Demonstrate understanding of the characteristics, purposes, and use of
geographic tools to locate and analyze information about people and places

FOREIGN LANGUAGE:
2FL-E2. Develop and propose solutions to issues and problems cooperatively with
other students.
2FL-E3. Support opinions with factual information.
3FL-E1. Present understandable written reports and summaries.

Academic

• Students will examine basic world geography to create a papier mâché globe, locate main landforms and distances on the Earth's surface and identify them in English.

• Students will apply Internet resources to analyze concepts of geography and create a model of the Earth.

Ability to use the Internet and print.

Materials

1. Dictionaries.
2. Maps and globes.
3. A classroom computer with Internet access.
4. An Averkey projector and a TV monitor.
5. A printer.
6. Newspapers.
7. Balloons.
8. 10 lbs. of flour or wallpaper paste (about 25 pints per 35 students).
9. Blue and green tempera paint and brushes.
10. Markers or ballpoint pens.
11. A Power Point presentation with images of maps and their applications.

Some ESL students require individual instructions and close-up demonstrations.

Procedures

1. BELLWORK
1. What planet are we on?
2. What continent are we on?
3. What country are we in?
4. What state are we in?
5. What city are we in?
6. What neighborhood are we in?
7. Where is Tucson?
8. What resources did you use?
2. Students create models of the Earth:
• Tear newspaper into one-inch strips.
• Have each student inflate a balloon.
• Cover desks with newspaper.
• Distribute strips of paper.
• Mix flour and water to a paste consistency and put in pans (you may want to do this in advance), and distribute.
• Dip strips of paper in pans and wrap around balloons (at least 4 layers- you may want to apply layers over a few days for it to dry fully).
• Put finished globes on clean newspaper and let dry overnight.
• Pop and remove balloon.
• Draw the poles, the equator, latitudes and longitudes.
• Draw in continent boundaries.
• Paint in continents with green tempera paint, and allow to dry overnight.
• Paint in water masses with blue tempera paint, and allow to dry overnight.
• Using markers, redraw continent borders and label land and water masses.
3. Students review the terms and concepts of geography in English by taking geography quizzes on the Internet.
4. Students summarize and report about the newly gained knowledge of Earth's characteristics in a self-selected format.  Suggested options will be:
• My Favorite Place on Earth
• How to Make a Globe
• Ten Facts about the Earth

1. The students' models will be assessed on the 50 points' scale:
• The equator and the Poles marked correctly—10 points;
• The Prime Meridian and other longitudes are marked correctly—10 points;
• The Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and other latitudes are marked correctly—10 points;
• 7 continents are marked correctly—10 points;
• 4 oceans are marked correctly—10 points.
2. The students' written reports will be assessed on the 20 points' scale based on the 6 traits of writing criteria:
• Organization—maximum 5 points;
• Conventions (spelling and punctuation)—maximum 5 points;
• Contents address the topic—5 points;
• Grammatically correct and varied sentence structures—5 points.
3. Students get a percent grade on the Internet quiz (10 questions each worth 10%)

Teacher Name: Katherine Engel
Site: AMS
Date Submitted: January 9, 2002