Hands-on+Activity+Lesson+Plan

Hands-on State Activity


 * Topic:** Geography- United States


 * Grade Level:** 3


 * Standards:**


 * PA Standard 7.2.3.A:** Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions.


 * PA Standard 7.4.3.A:** Identify the effect of the physical systems on people within a community.

1. With a partner, students will pick a state and research the characteristics of it following the checklist given by the teacher. 2. After researching a particular state, each pair of students will be able to illustrate or write 5 of the 10 characteristics require using sidewalk chalk on the playground map.
 * Objective(s):**

Access to Encyclopedias and the World Wide Web, checklist, playground map, sidewalk chalk for each pair
 * Materials:**

Take the students outside to the playground map. For a review, say a capital city such as Harrisburg. The students should then skip/march to the state that the capital belongs to, like PA. Review this several times so the students have a chance to reach several states across the whole map. Inform the students that they will choose a partner to work with on this project. Ask them to choose somebody and have them line up in front of the playground map, standing with their partners. On your whistle, have the students run to a state with their partner that they would like to do the research project on. If there is more than one group in a state both pairs must find a new state until they work it out with only one group per state. Record each pairs state and return inside.
 * Anticipatory Set:**

Pass out the checklist handout to each pair. Go over each of the 10 requirements with the students. Explain that they may use the Internet or the reference books from the library to complete this project. Review the appropriate computer and library rules and boundaries. Allow the students the amount of time needed for most of the pairs to finish all 10 requirements. For groups that finish early, they may research bonus “interesting facts” about their state that they would like to share with the class. When the groups are finished with the checklist, tell the students that they must pick the 5 most interesting/fun things that they learned about their state. Distribute the sidewalk chalk and explain that when they get outside to the playground map the students should find their state on the map and use the chalk to illustrate and/or write the 5 facts that they chose to share. Allow about 20 minutes for students to illustrate their state’s facts then have them line up along the map. Each pair will go to their state and present their state to the rest of the class. You can take volunteers or each group depending on time restrictions.
 * Instruction:**

As a “ticket-out-the-door” and closure activity to this project, students can illustrate or
 * Conclusion:**

something they learned about another state from a classmate’s presentation.

There are many things that can be used to assess this project. The checklist used by each pair can be used as a rubric. Also informally assessing students during the research portion of the project would be helpful to assess understanding in the middle of the assignment. Illustrating some of the state’s characteristics will reinforce the information as well as show the students comprehension of the information that was researched. The ticket-out-the-door can assess student understanding and listening skills after the presentations.
 * Assessment:**



__State Checklist__ Research the following information and record if on this sheet.

Student Names:

State Name:

1. Capital

2. Population

3. State Motto

4. State Flower

5. State Bird

6. State Tree

7. Major Bodies of Water

8. Crops Grown

9. Land Type

10.When did it become a state?

When you are finished you may want to research other interesting facts including the state motto, song, nickname, statehood, etc.