Lesson/Unit Title: Greatest Places -A Journey of
Discovery
Teacher: Sally Mc Ginty
Teacher Information: Dulles High School
Fort Bend Independent School District
550 Dulles Avenue
Sugarland, Texas 77478
Overview: Research and discovery unit investigating the
Greatest Places, as identified by the Imax film.
Student groups will research one assigned site focusing on the
uniqueness of the place, human environmental problems and possible
solutions, and diversity of landscapes.
Grade level: High School and Middle School students (9th grade)
Greatest Places Themes: Celebration of diversity
Connection with local places
Diversity within each place
Ongoing physical processes
Human environmental interaction
Geography Standards Alignment: The physical and human characteristics
of places
How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places
and regions
The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on earth's
surface
The characteristics, distribution and migration of human populations
on earth's surfaces
The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of earth's cultural
mosaics
The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on earth's
surface
The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement
How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the
division and control of the earth's surface
How human actions modify the physical environment
How physical systems affect human systems
Changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance
of resources
Time needed: The assignment is an on going one based on the scope and
sequence of the curriculum. Each groups presentation will require
lengthy research and cooperation and will be presented during each
continental unit or focus.
Objectives: develops research skills using electronic and traditions
resources
develop social negotiation skill as a group member
understands the meaning and significance of place
understands the changing physical and human characteristics of
place
understands how changing perceptions of places and regions reflect
cultural change
understands the interaction of the earth's physical systems
understands the characteristics and distribution of ecosystems
understands the biodiversity and productivity of ecosystems
understands the importance of ecosystems in peoples 's understanding
of environmental issues
understands trends in populations patterns and the impact of
migration on physical and human systems
understands the impact of culture on ways of life of a region
understands how culture shapes a region
understands how places of various size function as centers of
economic activity
understands economic interdependence
understands the differing characteristics of settlement in developing
countries
understands how different points of view and self-interest play a
role in conflict over territories and resources
understands the significance of global impacts of human modification
of the physical environment
understands strategies to respond to constraints placed on human
systems by the physical environment
evaluates policies regarding the use of resources
Materials: traditional library resources
on-line resources
Windows 95
Greatest Places trunk or museum trunks
Case Studies of Environmental Problems
Greatest Places Animanic
GIS software
Activites: Place Artifact Bags
Sequentially assign students to make Artifact Bags of the following
places or brainstorm the contents of
"My personal place"
"My school place"
"My Community Place"
"My State or National Place"
These bags should include any materials that define the place or part
of the culture of the place. Share with class discussion
Share Community place bags with another teacher within your state or
other nation. For example the Peace Corps offers programs of
classroom exchange\partnership
Criteria for Greatest Places
Brainstorm or make a personal criteria of what a greatest place
includes
Create a class criteria
Compare your criteria with other classes through E-mail.
Compare with the Pros
With the list view the Greatest Places Animatic
to discover how you compare to the "pros"
Do your part to get the word out!
Design a book cover illustrating the problem that faces your site
today. Include other world areas that face similar problems. Cover
your geography book with your cover. Explain your cover to another
Non-geography students. Keep a string tally(yarn\string with knots
)for each contacts to be turned in for test bonus points.
Make a Time Capsule
Collect artifacts from you school
High School 2000Artifacts( our school is being reconstructed at this
time)
Write a creation myth for your place related to its geography and
culture traits. Include drawings or illustrations as well as text.
Bind all the Myths together for a library or museum display, perhaps
when the movie is shown in your area. Or perhaps have a contest among
geography classes for the best myth
(outside judges if possible museum partner)
Greatest Place Atlas
Tell the story of your place through maps
Assemble an atlas of maps of your specific site
Maps should vary in scale, use and projection and age(perhaps a land
use map from 1980 to compare with present one)
Some should be hand drawn
A comprehensive class atlas should be complete by years end.
Lets get 3- dimensional!
Each group is to create a display of some aspect of physical or
cultural landscape in their great place. Design this display to share
your site\concept with elementary school children.
\ These may be displayed in school libraries or partner museums
GREATEST PLACES PRESENTATIONS
(peer teaching)
Each group will create a Powerpoint or Hyperstudio presentation to
teach their greatest place. This should be educational, informative
and creative. There should be two primary goals for this
presentation--information about the uniqueness of this place and
selection of a problem facing this location along with solutions
and\or forecast for the future.
Presentations should reflect discussion of some\all of the following
questions
What physical or cultural aspects of you site make it unique?
Are there similar places anywhere in your area?
What environmental or cultural problems face you place?
Do these problems reflect similarity with the U.S.
Are solutions available?
What are the trade-offs and compromises that arise
Assessment: Rubrics should be make for Activites like the Atlas and
the Formal presentation. The formal presentation should reflect a
major grade scenario.
Some activity should be expected for each formal grading period to
keep all students on task, as they tend to "put off" assignments
until their presentation is due.
Semester exams should reflect essay questions integrating the
objectives of the project
Implementation Time: Fall 1997 I intend to implement this assignment
for honor ninth graders, using it as a technology learning tool as we
begin internet access at my school. The Imax film is not yet
scheduled at the Houston museum.