Classroom Teachers
Integrating The Greatest Places

Action Plan Components

Using The Greatest Places in the geography classroom
Lesson/Unit Title: Using geography as found in The Greatest Places across the curriculum
Teacher: Dolores A. Pallan, English (Cross curriculum in Social Studies, Math, Science, Art, Library Science)
Teacher Information: Aliquippa Middle School
 100 Harding Avenue
 Aliquippa, PA 15001 412-857-7565
 Overview: At the beginning of the school year information pertaining to The Greatest Places will be disseminated to the seventh grade faculty along with a presentation as to the use and value of the materials. Willing teachers will integrate the materials as they teach in their specific subject areas. An attempt will be made to have all Greatest Places curriculum in place to be used as soon as September, 1997 and no later than October in preparation for National Geography Week and National Education Week. Since the Omnimax film will not be our location for quite a while, I propose to continue with the theme, developing further teacher resource materials and to create an on going working relationship with the Carnegie Science Center in multifaceted ways.

Grade Level or Ages: Grade 7 specifically, Grades 5-8 optional

Greatest Places Theme (s) : Place, Location, Human Factor, Environment, Geography
Geography Standards Alignment: 1 - 18 (to be continually developed and used across the curriculum)

Integration Strategies:
In English, the Greatest Places educational materials will be used to introduce the school year. Following assorted viewing of the slides and the animatic, writing lessons will be used for observations. Complete worksheets using text of the Greatest Places will be produced for students to develop grammar, punctuation, and various writing skills.
In social studies, science, and math, the Greatest Places will be integrated as a part of course work dealing with spatial order, with places and regions, in physical and human systems, and with the environment. The standard seventh grade curriculum will be enhanced through the viewing of the Greatest Places and the materials developed to be used in the various classes.
In library science, students will go on-line to meet other students through the Carnegie Science Center, other on-line places, use GIS, and research various countries, people, and/or habitats. Further enhancement of this area will be forthcoming as it is developed with the Center.
Outcomes: The students of Aliquippa Middle School will have an experience like none other that they have had thus far in their school curriculum. The use of computers and the benefits of being and learning while on-line will bring them into the twenty-first century technologically and educationally.

Time Needed: Initially, a few weeks for the implementation. Ideally, one-half of the school year or until National Geography Week of 1997, and then again at the beginning of the 1998-99 school year in preparation of the Omnimax theater presentation of The Greatest Places.

Objectives: The objectives are that the students of Aliquippa Middle School will be able to apply the materials found in The Greatest Places and assimilate them into a knowledge base that will both enlighten them and give them an understanding of the world and its places using geography as the transporting vehicle. The student will become more proficient in the use of computer equipment and on-line capabilities while reaching students in other locations.

Materials: Animatic and slides of The Greatest Places , textbooks across the curriculum, assorted supplies as dictated by the various activities (to be found on worksheets), computers, GIS and other software, culture trunks as well as teacher inspired materials to help facilitate any aspect of this unit.

Prior Knowledge: Faculty will be given information about the activities and their prior knowledge of computers and of the various curriculum will be an advantage. However, all materials can be shared and discussed regularly. On-line computer activities will be assisted by teachers with computer knowledge (and , naturally, some students as well). Students will need observation skills to begin with and a desire to learn about another culture, climate, place.

Key Words: Omnimax, computers on-line, The Greatest Places , geography

Activities: See individual lesson plans

Assessment Strategies: Quality Points as per Project and/or Activity, Teacher made tests, California Achievement Test scores