Classroom/Museum Action Plan
Indianapolis

Lesson/Unit Title: My Place, Our Place, Their Place, Greatest Places

Teacher: John Northcutt
Teacher Information:
Orchard School, 615 West 64th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46268
317-251-9253 E-Mail [email protected]

Museum Educator: Jeanette Booth

Overview:
Students in grades 1-8 will explore personal, collective, and alternative concepts related to the theme of place. The film and resource materials related to Greatest Places will be a primary vehicle to help develop these multiple concepts.
Grade Level:
First through Eighth
Greatest Places Themes:
Patterns, Shapes, Color, Relationships, Diversity, Systems, Sounds,Change, Survival, Conflict, Connections, Adaptations, Perspectives, Explorations, Discovery, Unity, Elements, Interactions, Structures, Movement, Time, Space, Place, Life/Death

Greatest Places Topics:
History, Music, Art, Dance, Games, Entertainment, Houses, Customs, Values, Food, Animals, Insects, Plants, Weather, Clothing, Communication, Education, Religion, Frames of Reference, Tradition, Family, Community, Technology, Medicine, Weapons, Tools, Utensils, Diet, Land, Water, Attitudes, Government, Rites of Passage, Literature, Use of Environment, Relationship to Others, Ceremonies, Holidays, Vocations, Heritage, Sounds, Furniture, Changes from the Past, Economics

Geography Standards Alignment:
Numbers 1 through 18
Integration Strategies:
Interdisciplinary Approach, Grade/Across Grade Level Teaming, Whole Shool Activity
Outcomes:
Students will develop multiple, developmentally meaningful concepts related to place.
Time Needed:
6 - 7 months
Objectives:
To develop personal, local, state, national , and international concepts of place.
To develop an awareness of diversity as reflected in place.
To connect the school to local, national, and international places.
To develop and share multiple thematic lesson lesson plans and activities for gr. 1-8.
Materials/Resources: Greatest Places film, slides, trunk, teacher activities, globes, maps, web site, inter net, geographical software, library and museum resources, city and state field trips
Prior Knowledge:
Learning experiences will begin with each child's current frame of reference and understanding.
Activities/Strategies:
1. Each grade will explore a Greatest Places concept or topic through their curriculum
through personal, group, and alternative perspectives.
Delivery Strategies: Using a variety of grade level activities,maps, globes objects,videos, slides,films and field trips, students will explore the various concepts of place.
a. My Place-What is my personal concept of my own place? How does my idea compare to others? What is my greatest place? How am I alike, different from others?
b. Our Place-Where are we in relation to my school, the city, the state? What makes our place special? What makes us a great place?
c. Their Place-What are other places in the country? How are they alike or different from our place? What makes them great? What are the factors that make us alike or different?
d. What are the Greatest Places? What make greatness? What makes these seven places great? How are they alike or different? Where are we and where are they in relation to these great places? How are we connected and how are we separated?
Processes:
a. Action-Students will be presented materials, information, and activities with minimal background and explanation.
b. Reflection-Individually and then in groups students will speculate, make observations, and form questions and share information through brainstorming.
c. Concepts-Various observations will be recorded to help form creative,
conceptual connections and form hypotheses.
d. Reflections-Newly formed associations will be explored individually and in groups and shared through brainstorming.
2. After exploring designated concept or topic students will create a visual presentation of their exploration for display. Each student will explain what they did and learned via an all school fair.
3. The process and product will be shared with partner schools.

Assessment Strategies:
Process and product will be assessed on an individual and group basis.