Adirondack Curriculum Project

Adirondack Curriculum Project - www.adkcurriculum.org

NYS Content Area Standard

ELA 1. Language for info & understanding

Social Studies 3. Geography

Title: Identifying Adirondack Geographical Features

Grade Level: 2nd

Author: Margaret O'Leary

Email: oltup@verizon.net

Adirondack Curriculum Content Area
_X_ Natural History
___ Human History
___ Culture & the Arts
___ Government & Civics
___ Economy
___ Health, Recreation & Life Skills

Investigative Question or Issue: What geographical features can you identify from our school's nature trails and surrounding views?

Challenge:

In teams of 2 create a diorama out of model magic and any other materials available in the classroom that represent geographical features of the Adirondacks found on our school's nature trails and surrounding views.

Context for challenge. This is a culminating activity to a geography unit on geographical terms. First we will make a vocabulary booklet of geographical terms relevant to the Adirondacks. We will write each word and its definition and illustrate it. Teacher will show pictures of each vocabulary word from various photographs of the Adirondacks. Next we will go out on the school's nature trails and look for any of the geographical features we have been learning about. Children will record/illustrate in their nature journals. We will make sure we observe river, stream, mountain, hill, valley, and forests. On a different day we will take a field trip to the Wild Center where we will watch the panoramic movie on the Adirondacks. After the movie we will brainstorm what geographical features we noticed. Next we will walk through the museum and children will record/illustrate in their nature journals all of the replicas of geographical features they observe. These should include glacier, marsh, bog, pond, forest, river,and waterfall.

Student Handout

Quality Standards:

Diorama has a river, mountains, valley, forest, hills, and a stream.
Diorama is created out of model magic,it is painted accurately, it is neat and colorful.
Each feature is created in correct proportions relevant to each other (the stream is smaller than the river.)
Each geographical feature is labeled with correct spellings.
Diorama only includes physical features found on our school's nature trails and surrounding views.
Speakers are able to explain what each physical feature is and how they differ from each other.
Speakers take turn explaining their diorama and model the criteria for quality speaking.
Product is completed on time.

Adapted for the Adirondack Curriculum Project from the work of Education By Design TM and Leading EDGE, LLC ©ACP 2002

Product Quality
Checklist
Date: ________ Class Period: ________

Product Author(s):

Identifying Adirondack Geographical Features

Evaluator Name(s)

Observed	Standard/Criteria	Possible Points	Rating
	Diorama Model
	Clearly shows the physical features of river, forest, stream,valley,mountain	40
	Features are painted accuratelyand are sized proportionally to each other.	20
	Features are labeled correctly and with correct spellings	5
	Completed on time.	5
	Diorama shows some creativity evidenced by materials used and the display.	10
	Presentation
	Students speak clearly and in audible voices.	5
	Students take turns explaining why they included each feature and point to the correct feature.	5
	Students respond appropriately to questions.	5
	Students present the display so it can be seen clearly by the audience.	5

	TOTALS	100

nyga Produced at the 2008 Adirondack Geography Institute
Comments:
Dioramas will be displayed in the school's window display case at the entrance to the school. Parents will be encouraged to come to school and observe the dioramas.

Suggested book resources:
Geography from A-Z a picture glossary by Jack Knowlton
In Blue Mountains Thomas Locker and other Thomas Locker books

National Geography Standards
Std.3 How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface.
Std.4 The physical and human characteristics of places.
NYS Social Studies Standard 3 Geography: Key idea 1 and 2 Performance indicator SS3: Students describe the physical characteristics of the Earth's surface. Key idea SS3.C.2A Plan, organize, and present geographical research projects. Performance Indicator SS3.C.2C Students select and design graphic representations to present geographic information.