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NAME DATE CLASS Geography, Economics, and Civics Connections Project Overview Project Goal Students will participate in a simulation in order to learn how physical geography influences the way people live, why people trade, and why people form governments. Skills Addressed • collaboration; responsibility and accountability; decision making • information and communication technologies literacy; creating displays • making comparisons; drawing conclusions Materials Needed Discovering Our Past: A History of the World Student Edition Access to the school library and computers for research Hands-On Chapter Project Worksheets Materials for map design: posterboard, crayons, markers Duration 1 independent work day and 2 class days NAME DATE CLASS Geography, Economics, and Civics Connections Project Steps Step 1: Introduce Project Tell students that they will be inventing a country and creating a map of their country. Their job is to choose the name and identify the physical geographic features that are located in and around their country. They will also decide what products and services they will trade and with whom. Activate Background Knowledge Have a class discussion about how specific physical geographic features help communities develop, citing examples from your own community. Next, ask students to name a country of their own. Students should then describe physical features in and around their country, including mountains, lakes, rivers, and so on, to include on their map. In your discussion, address how natural resources, such as water and food from plants and animals, might affect a country’s economic activities. Possible geographic information students might include on their maps: Area—square miles Physical Features—mountains, plains, lakes, rivers, oceans Climate—tropical, dry, mild and moist, cold and moist, or polar Vegetation—types of plant life used as food and raw materials Population and Distribution—the total number of people and the amount of people living within a specific area Animals—any animal life Possible economic information students might include on their maps: Goods—products or raw materials Services—tasks performed for others Possible cultural information students might include on their maps: Housing—types of shelter that are found or built Language—body of words or method of communication used Ethnicity—linguistic, racial, or religious traits common to a group of people NAME DATE CLASS Geography, Economics, and Civics Connections Step 2: Plan the Map 1. Organize Groups Organize students into groups for the duration of the project. Groups should ideally include 3–5 members. 2. Discuss the Project Plan Read Worksheet 1 and review the plan steps on the worksheet with the students. Read Worksheet 2. Discuss items to include on the map, such as physical features, population and distribution, goods and services. Explain that the second part of the simulation involves students describing how their country will trade. Discuss sources students might use to look for ideas: • Atlas • Encyclopaedia 3. Discuss Map Assessment Distribute Worksheet 4 to each student and review the rubric with students. This project will be graded based on overall quality of the map and how well the presentations explain the connections among geography, trade, and government. Each student will also be graded by personal contribution and performance. 4. Preview Maps Briefly meet with student groups to preview maps before presentation. Step 3: Present the Maps Ideally, students should have ample time for two presentations. Possible sequence of presentations: Round 1. Students will present maps and describe their country so that the class understands the types of goods and services their country offers. Round 2. Student groups decide what their country will trade and identify the countries that might make the best and worst trading partners for them and why. NAME DATE CLASS Worksheet 1: Geography, Economics, and Civics Connections Project Plan Group Members: Directions Think about the steps you will need to take in order to complete the project. Create a task list for your group. Our group's region is: Group Task List Review the chapter in your textbook to recall the ways in which communities have been able to thrive successfully. Brainstorm as a group in order to define what your country is like and what it produces. Use the top half of the Welcome to My World worksheet to brainstorm possible features to include on the map. Meet with your team to organize ideas and decide what to include. Create the map of your country as a group. Display the map. Discuss all aspects of your country with the class. Watch other map presentations. Complete the Welcome to My World worksheet. Decide as a group what you will trade and with whom. Share your decision in a class discussion. Complete your Rubric Assessment. My Task List Due Date NAME DATE CLASS Hands-On Chapter Project Worksheet 2: Geography, Economics, and Civics Connections Welcome to My World Group Members: Part I Directions Brainstorm elements to include on your map, and create the map as a group. Be sure to think about how physical geography will affect the types of goods and services your country will produce. Name of Our Country: Climate Area Physical Features Vegetation and Animals Population and Distribution Goods and Services Part II Directions Observe all the map presentations. Take notes on the products that each country trades. NAME DATE CLASS Hands-On Chapter Project Worksheet 2: Geography, Economics, and Civics Connections Part III Directions Decide with your group the best and worst trading partner for your country. Share your reasons with the class. Based on this discussion, identify one example that illustrates the connections among physical geography, economics, and government. NAME DATE CLASS Hands-On Chapter Project Worksheet 3: Geography, Economics, and Civics Connections Assessment Rubric Points Research and Content Presentation Collaboration and Time Management 5 Map is extremely detailed and creative; map includes aspects of culture that a real country would have; research was completed in order to realistically show how geography, trade, and government are related All required elements are included; map is neatly drawn and colored; all labels are clear and legible; group presentation was insightful and interesting Project tasks were effectively divided and used the strengths of each group member well; the final map showed obvious group collaboration; the team was organized and demonstrated skillful time management 4 Map is complete and shows signs of research and imagination; map includes aspects of culture that a real country would have; group demonstrates how geography, trade, and government are related in their country All required elements are included; map is drawn and colored; all labels are clear and legible; group presentation was thoughtful and original Task responsibility was shared equally; all members contributed ideas to the map and helped create and write both presentations; all members contributed to the oral presentations; in-class research time was used effectively 3 Map is complete and shows signs of research; map includes some aspects of culture that a real country would have; group demonstrates how geography, trade, and government are related in their country All required elements are included; map is drawn and colored; all labels are legible; group presentation was clear and complete Responsibility for task was balanced among group members; most members fulfilled their responsibilities in creating map; in-class research and brainstorming time was generally productive NAME DATE CLASS Hands-On Chapter Project Worksheet 3: Geography, Economics, and Civics Connections Assessment Rubric Cont. 2 Map is complete but shows minimal signs of research; map includes few aspects of culture that a real country would have; group demonstrates how at least two of the following are related in their country: geography, trade, and government Some required elements are included; map is drawn and somewhat colored; most labels are legible; group presentation does not explain fully the elements of the map or the country’s culture Responsibility for task was unbalanced among group members in creating map; in-class research and brainstorming time was productive at times 1 Map is incomplete; map includes few aspects of culture that a real country would have; group demonstrates little understanding about how geography, trade, and government are related in their country Many required elements are missing; features of the map are difficult to distinguish; most labels are illegible; group presentation does not explain the elements of the map or the country’s culture Responsibility was placed primarily on one or two group members in creating map; group members did not use in-class research or brainstorming time effectively or disrupted other groups Self Assessment Teacher Assessment