Unit Theme: Traveling Around America

Monday:

Lesson Title: Slithering Snakes Throughout the United States

Written by: Ciara Reidy

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Duration/Time: 50 minutes

Subject/Content Area: Science

Overview: Students will research different types of snakes found throughout the United States.

Materials:1. Computer with Internet access2. Construction paper3. Scissors4. Basket

Procedures:1. Prepare for this activity by cutting snake shapes out of colored construction paper and

writing the name of a different snake on each one. Put the "snakes" in a box or basket.2. Divide the class into groups, and have each group take a snake out of the basket to

research.3. Guide students' research by starting them off with the following questions to answer:

a. Where does the snake live?b. What does it eat?c. Is it venomous (poisonous)?d. What are its colors and patterns?

4. Explain that these questions are to help them take their research further.5. Have each group design an informative chart or display to share information about their

snake.

Closure: Have each group of students present their design or informative chart to the class, explaining the different characteristics of their snake and where it is found in the United States.

Lesson Title: Winter Olympics

Written By: Brianna

Grade: 3rd

Time/Duration: 1½ hour

Subject/Content Area: Writing Materials:

Writing worksheet Writing utensil Computer/ iPad

Objectives: Students will be able to identify Winter Olympic sports and three athletes that compete in that specific sport. Procedures:1. Introduce the objective of the lesson to the studentsa. To find different winter sports and the athletes that compete in those sports2. The students will use the internet to research different winter sports3. The students will also need to find three athletes that compete in each sport they find4. While searching the internet the students will need to fill out the Winter Olympic Sports: Research5. After they have completed their research have the students move on to the Winter Olympic Sports: Expository Writing6. After the students have finished both the Research and the Writing, have them put their booklets together Closure: Ask the students if they can name one winter sport they researched. Ask them to name an athlete that competes in that sport. Tell the students that people from all different cultures compete in the Olympics. Each country gets to have a representative go and compete in every sport. References:http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/kcherritt/winter-olympic-sports-research-amp-expository-writing-upper

Lesson Title: United States Temperature

Written By: Madi

Grade: 3

Duration/Time: 1 hour

Subject/Content Area: Math/Reading Materials:

Graphing paper Colors (pencils, markers, etc.) Computers or iPads Climate article

Objectives: Students will be able to interoperate information from articles into line graphs Procedures:1. Students will begin by reading an article on United States climate from http://www.path2usa.com/usa-climate2. After finishing the article students will choose 3 states each from a different climate zone.3. Using computers or iPads students will go to http://www.usclimatedata.com 4. Using the website they will look up the 3 states that they chose and gather the average high and low temperature information for each month5. With the information they gathered they will create three different line graphsa. x-axis = monthsb. y-axis = Degrees Fahrenheitc. two separate colors for plotting points (one for high temperatures and one for low temperatures) References:http://www.path2usa.com/usa-climatehttp://www.usclimatedata.com

Lesson Title: Creating Landforms (and Bodies of Water)

By: Genevieve Tosatto

Grade: 3

Duration/Time: 1hr

Subject/Content Area: Social Studies(Geography)& Art Materials: Scissors, glue, markers/crayons, construction paper, white paper cups, cellophane, saran wrap, pipe cleaners, shoe box lids (mostly provided by the teacher), hot glue-gun (for teacher use, if necessary) Objectives:Students will be able to differentiate between land formationsStudents will be able to recreate a land formationStudents will be able to depict and describe what makes each land formation special Procedures:

1. Students will be split into groups so that each student in a group has different abilities to contribute and so all feel comfortable within that group (researchers, writers, designers, constructors)

2. Groups will agree on a landform to recreate from a list of landforms (butte, plateau, valley, fjord, canyon, mountain, volcano, etc.)

3. Using resources (books, computers or iPads) students will research for about 20 minutes what the chosen landform looks like, and what makes it special, and where (what country/community) the landforms can be found, and if they have any special significance/help the people in that community

4. Students will then work together to create a three-dimensional representation of that landform using the shoe box lid as a base

5. Once finished the group will share with the class what their landform is, how you can tell that their creation is that landform, what makes that landform different from other landforms, where it can be found, and any special significance (this step can be moved to the next class-time as a refresher for what was done/learned previously if there is not enough time after students have finished their creations.

Closure: After the students share all of their landforms, discuss with the class about how there are many different kinds of landforms, because there are different places and environments all

around the world. Relate this to how there are many different people who come from these many different places, but how these differences all contribute to making the world a beautiful place.

Tuesday

Lesson Title: Adding and Subtracting at the Sports Store

Written By: Brianna

Grade: 3rd

Time/Duration: 1½ hour

Subject/Content Area: Math Materials:

Pretend money Sports Store cut outs Shopping list Scratch paper Writing utensil

Objectives: Students will be able to solve real world math equations that they create themselves. Procedures:1. Introduce the objective of the lessona. To create math equations using the product for sale in the store and to be able to solve the equations correctly2. Have the students partner up with another student3. Hand out the products that are for sale and the Shopping List worksheet4. Allow the students to begin shoppinga. Have the students begin by filling out their shopping list (there are four different lists they need to create)b. Have the students write down the cost of all the products they put on their listc. Have the students add up the products on their lists to determine what their bill isd. Have the student pay the other student and if need be the other student give the appropriate change back5. Have the students repeat step four until both have gone through their four shopping lists Closure: Ask a few students to come to the board and share what they purchased. Have them work through their equation on the board. Explain to the students that math is a universal skill and no matter where they go in the world the answer to their equation will be the same.

References:http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Adding-and-Subtracting-at-the-Sports-Store-533022

Lesson Title: Animals Around United States

Written by: Ciara Reidy

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Duration/Time: 90 Minutes

Subject/Content area: Reading/Writing

Overview: Students will learn about animals and their habitats. Students will learn that animals live in different environments such as forests, deserts, wetlands, and grasslands around the United States. Students will be able to write about the environment that they are most interested in.

Materials: ● Animals Around Us Video● Journal paper● Computers with Internet access

Procedures:1. Talk about different natural environments with the class. What is a forest? What does it

look like? How is a forest different from a desert? Explain the term "habitat" and talk about the many kinds of animals that live in different habitats. Use Animals Around Us video to illustrate the unique features and animals of the forest, desert, grasslands, and wetlands.

2. Have the students research the environment they chose to further explore on the internet and write a paragraph or two about their chosen environment. Talk about the kinds of things you would expect them to write about, such as the animals and plants that live and grow there, and where in the United States that environment exists.

Closure: Once the students complete their paragraphs, ask students to share them with the rest of the class.

Lesson Title: Where an Athlete Begins

Written By: Brianna

Grade: 3rd

Time/Duration: 1½ hour

Subject/Content Area: Social Studies Materials:

Large group area for the students to sit Objectives: Students will be able to recognize the different backgrounds that people come from. Procedures:1. Introduce the objective of the lessona. To realize how everybody comes from a different background, but how that does not determine your future2. Tell the students that Donald Driver is going to be coming in as a guest speaker3. Introduce the guest speaker4. Have the students sit on a large carpet area and listen to Donald Driver talk about his life growing up in poverty5. Allow the students to ask questions at the end of the speech Closure: Tell the students that Donald Driver is an excellent example of someone who worked as hard as he could to insure that did not live a life of poverty. Tell the students that regardless of where they come from, they get to determine where they will end up. References:Donald Driver

Wednesday

Lesson Title: Pete Patoniak

Written By: Madi

Grade: 3

Time/Duration: 1 hour

Subject/Content Area: Science/Weather Material:

Paper Writing Utensil

Objectives: Students will be able formulate weather related questions.Students will be able to describe the weather patterns in Wisconsin. Procedures:1. Ask the class what kind of weather we experience in Wisconsina. Rainb. Snowc. Tornadod. Winde. Hail2. Ask what they know about how these different weather types are created.3. Have the student formulate 2-3 questions each for Pete Patoniak.4. Enter Pete Patoniak- Speaking about weather in our local community and Wisconsin community.5. Allow time for students to ask questions.

Lesson Title: Natural and Man-Made Landforms in Our Community

By: Genevieve Tosatto

Grade: 3

Duration/ Time: 45 min

Subject/Content Area: Social Studies (Geography) & Math Materials: large piece of paper, markers (for class pie chart), regular sized blank paper, colored pencils/crayons, and pencils (for individual pie charts) Objectives:Students will be able to differentiate between natural and man-made landformsStudents will be able to relate content knowledge to their communityStudents will be able to practice creating and understanding pie chartsStudents will be able to practice reducing fractions Procedures:

1. As a whole group, the class will discuss the different landforms there can be and whether they are natural (mountains, hills, lakes) or man-made (dams, streets, lots, buildings)

2. The class will then take a poll for the different landforms that have been discussed – as to whether or not the students see these landforms in their own community

3. After taking the poll, the teacher will write the totals on the board, as well as putting the totals as fractions out of the class size (the amount of students)

4. On their pieces of paper, the students will right these totals and fractions, and reduce them if necessary

5. The students will then flip their pieces of paper over and work on making pie charts to represent the data gathered; students may work alone or together with those around them, the teacher will also be walking around helping and talking to students

6. Once complete, the class will discuss their findings, including the reduction of fractions and what the pie charts look like

7. The class will then make a large pie chart together (in case there is still confusion) with the teacher drawing on the large sheet of paper

Closure: Discuss with the class about all the different landforms in the community. Does their community look like other communities in the world (give examples)? Conclude by discussing what makes their community special, and how the landforms in their community help/influence them.

Lesson Title: Influential People Puppet Show

By: Kristen Siekierski

Grade: 3

Time/Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Subject/Content Area: Reading & Writing

Materials:Short books about influential individuals of all cultural backgrounds, both living and deceased (one book/student)File FoldersThick Popsicle SticksCrayonsMarkersIndex Cards

Objectives: Students will be able to describe an influential person in America after reading about them. Students will be able to articulate their knowledge to their peers.

Procedures: 1. Have each student select a book off the table.

2. Tell students to read the book, and then write a summary of the person on an index card.3. After they have completed the index card, pass out the file folders. Have students draw a picture of the person on the folder, cut it out, and glue it to the popsicle stick, then attach their index card to the back of the puppet.4. Students will go behind the puppet stage and give their summary to the class.5. After each student presents, the audience may ask questions about the person.6. When the class is done, collect the puppets for display.

Closure:

Ask students if they have any other questions. Display puppets on the wall or put them in the dramatic play area for future use.

Thursday

Lesson Title: Geometry with Mount Rushmore

Grade: 3rd-5th

By: Bethany Roloff

Duration: 45 minutes

Subject: Math

Objectives: Students will be able to understand that more complex shapes and how they can be partitioned into smaller, simpler, geometric shapes. The students will be able to understand grids and symmetry. Materials:

Parquetry blocks Pencils Paper Photos Rulers Strands of String

Procedures:1. Students will have prior knowledge abut what Mount Rushmore is. 2. The students and I will then talk about the different symmetry that Mount Rushmore has3. Students will be shown pictures of Mount Rushmore and how there are many different shapes that are similar and different using the rulers to see the difference.4. Students will then be able to see the different shapes based on the pictures but they will also be able to then make their own version of Mount Rushmore based on what they found.5. Once students have looked at the pictures and then made part of their own part of Mount Rushmore, Students will be able to share their Mount Rushmore pictures Closure:Students will share their different geometry pictures with the class. We will all discuss the importance of symmetry with Mount Rushmore. We will then share our different pictures that we have done based off of symmetry we have done in class.

Lesson Title: Mapping Influential People

By: Kristen Siekierski

Grade: 3

Time/Duration: 45 minutes

Subject/Content Area: Social Studies

Materials: iPads Name Slips USA Map Pins

Objectives: Students will be able to identify where various influential people came from. Students will be able to analyze trends.

Procedures:1. Have each student pick a name out of a bucket. The names will represent people that

have been studied throughout the week. A variety of backgrounds will be represented.2. Have students use iPads to research were their person was from. If they were born in one place, then lived in another, then that will be noted as well.3. Have each student come up one by one to put their names on the map with pins. Have them locate the place on the map and attach the name.4. After all names are on the map, look at the trends. Ask students questions to encourage thought. Is there one area where lots of people were from? Are they spread out? What people come from what areas? Are there any trends that you notice? Why do you think that is a trend?

-Have students start by sharing with a partner, then share ideas with the class. Write ideas on the board.

Closure:Discuss how influential people are from all over America. They come from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and areas. Anyone can make a difference.

Lesson Title: Landforms Alphabet

By: Genevieve Tosatto

Grade: 3

Duration/Time: 1 hr

Subject/Content Area: Social Studies (Geography) & Reading & Writing Materials: Writing paper with spot for illustration, crayons/colored pencils, pencils, “Geography from A to Z” by Jack Knowlton and Harriet Barton Objectives:Students will be able to synthesize information that they have readStudents will be able to relate what they read to their own livesStudents will be able to take what they have learned and write about certain aspects Procedures:

1. As a whole, the class will read “Geography from A to Z” by Jack Knowlton and illustrated by Harriet Barton

2. The class will then discuss what was discussed in the book and how it relates to what they learned and what is in their community

3. The class will then begin to work on their own A-Z book - students will choose a letter and the corresponding landform to write about and draw

4. Remembering everything they have learned about landforms, the students will write a paragraph (5-7 sentences) about their chosen landform including information such as physical features, where (what country/community) you can see it, if it is natural or man-made, and if it is present in their own community

5. All of the pages will be put together and will be displayed in the classroom as well as copies made available for individual students and parents (by electronic or physical means)

Closure: Read through the completed pages together, and discuss with the class all that they have learned about landforms, the places/communities in which they can be found, and why landforms can be helpful to people or the environment.

Friday

Lesson Title: Tracking the Wild Ones

Written by: Ciara Reidy

Grade Level: 3rd grade

Duration/Time: 45 minutes

Subject/Content Area: Math

Overview: Students will learn how to analyze graphs to answer specific questions about endangered animals in the United States.

Materials:● A copy of the Tracking the Wild Ones worksheet for each student● A copy of statistics about threatened and endangered species worksheets for each

student;○ Number of U.S. Listed Species Per Calendar Year ○ Summary of Listed Species

Procedure: Start this lesson with a brief discussion of endangered species. Ask your students to share what they know about the number of endangered species in our nation. Explain that they are about to examine some current data to find out just how many endangered species have been identified. Remind them that these are the animals and plants that are known to be in trouble. Many others probably exist. Distribute copies of the Tracking the Wild Ones worksheet, the Number of U.S. Listed Species Per Calendar Year worksheet, and the Summary of Listed Species worksheet to the students. Instruct students to use charts and graphs on worksheets to answer the questions.

Assessment: Answer key to the Tracking the Wild Ones worksheet:1. The number of listed species grew every year.2. 991 3. 166 more plants were listed 4. 1349 species5. 139 fish species6. corals, 2 species 7. lichens 8. 775 more U.S. species than foreign ones

Closure: When students have completed the handout, correct the answers as a group and talk about the large numbers of endangered species found in the United States. Were the students surprised to find that there are more listed species in this country than in the foreign countries? How might that be explained?

Theme: US History

Lesson Title: Washington Monument

Grade Level: Ages 8-12

Duration/Time: 45 minutes

Subject/Content Area: Writing & Reading

Overview: This lesson will focus on George Washington and the Washington Monument. The students will see how and why George Washington was an important president and what led up to the monument and its importance. There will be many other books about George Washington that they can read from and this will also allow for students to write different paragraphs about what they learned and questions that they may have. Materials:

A Picture Book of George Washington by David Adler Other George Washington Books Chalk board/Dry erase board Washington Monument Cutout Crayons Cardboard or flat sticks Glue/Tape Paper for writing paragraphs

Objectives: Students will be able to connect the concept of a monument to their own life and also create a monument about themselves. Procedures:1. To start off the lesson, the teacher will talk with the students about their prior knowledge on President George Washington. The students and teacher will discuss with the students a few details of him.2. The information that the students give the teacher will be written in a column “What I Know”3. The teacher will then read the book A Picture Book of George Washington by David Adler to the students and tell them to pay close attention to details as different details will be discussed at the end of the book.4. The teacher will then finish reading the book and ask students questions about what they learned, what a monument is, and why the Washington Monument is important.

5. The teacher will then write the different answers after the book in the “What I Learned” column.6. After that discussion, the teacher will then hand out different materials to students to create their own monument of their life.7. The teacher will show the students an example of his/her monument about his/her life to show the students what they should be doing.8. The teacher will then have the students share a few examples about themselves and what they feel is important for their life to be on a monument9. The students will work on their monuments throughout the class period10. After working on their monuments, students will share their monuments and the important aspects of their monument. Closure: Once all of the students have finished their monuments, they will share the importance of their monument and the different things they put on their monument. To wrap up the lesson, the teacher will ask the students to give examples of new information they learned about George Washington and the teacher will write these answers on the board. References: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/washington-monument

Lesson Title: Science of the Olympic Winter Games

Written By: Brianna

Grade: 3rd

Time/Duration: 1½ hour

Subject/Content Area: Science Materials:

Lined paper Writing utensil Computer/ iPad

Objectives: Students will be able to identify Winter Olympic sports and describe how the athlete uses science. Procedures:1. Introduce the objective of the lesson to the studentsa. To discover how science is directly related to different winter sports2. The students will use the internet to watch videos of a variety of different winter sportsa. The videos describe how science is directly related to sports and how the athletes need to incorporate it in order to be successful in their sport3. After the students have watched five videos have them write down the sport that the video focused on and how science is directly related to it4. Have the students partner up with another student and share what they wrote down Closure: Ask the students to share about a video they watched. Have the students share what the sport was and how science was directly related to it. Point out to the students that every country participates in these sports. Tell the students that everyone all over the world uses science.

References:http://nbclearn.com/olympics/cuecard/47296

Lesson Title: Making Landmarks

By: Kristen Siekierski & Bethany Roloff

Grade: 3rd

Time: 45 minutes

Subject: Art

Materials: iPads Variety of Craft Supplies

Objectives: Students will be able to identify landmarks and the people that go with them. Students will be able to explain why a particular person has a landmark.

Procedures: 1. Students will be in groups of 2-3.2. Students will go on the iPad to research a landmark that is tied to a person. They will get teacher approval before proceeding.3. Students will recreate the landmark in 3-D by using the craft supplies available.4. After the landmark is created, the will write a short summary of the landmark and why the person is featured in it.5. Students will present their landmarks to the class. Closure:Talk about how all the landmarks feature a variety of people who have done a variety of things. Put landmarks on display around the room for other people to look at.