Geography / Current Events Project

Geography/Current Events Project
Maureen A. Buckley
Grade level: 4
Date: 6/13/99

These lessons can be used as part of a unit on geography and current event. It can also be used in the ongoing study of geography or current events. These lessons also touch upon the interdependence of the five themes of geography and how they can an do overlap.

Purpose: Geography is the study of relationships between people, places and environments. Through the five themes of geography, and mapping skills, people gain a better understanding of the world around them. Geography also provides a very specific lens that enables us to examine significant historical events, past and present.

Focus Questions:
* Where is the conflict taking place?
* What are the relative & absolute locations of these places?
* What are the historical conflicts in this region and what were they about?
What are the physical and human characteristics of the country (i.e., relative location, language(s) spoken by the population, religious groups, climate)?
What are the physical and human characteristics that give meaning to a location?

Objectives:
The students will be able to:
1) identify the physical and human characteristics of The Balkan Region as defined by boundaries and borders
2) label/name the country of Yugoslavia and it's capital
3) identify the relative locations of important places in the Balkan Region
4) apply the five themes of geography
5) utilize mapping skills
6) apply the thinking skill of Point of View
7) demonstrate the thinking behavior of Empathy
8) develop a more global awareness
9) ask/answer geographic questions
10) acquire geographic information
11) analyze geographic information

Hawaii Content and Performance Standards:
FPO III: Develop decision-making and problem solving skills.
FPO VII: Develop responsibility to self as well as to others.
FPO IX: Develop leadership and cooperative skills.
FPO X: Develop global awareness, knowledge and understanding.

Essential Elements:

The World in Spatial Terms
Places and Regions
Human Systems
The Uses of Geography

National Geography Standards:

Standard 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.

Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of places.

Standard 6: How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.

Standard 9: The characteristics, distribution and migration of human population on Earth's surface.

Standard 10: The characteristics, distribution and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics.

Standard 12: The processes, patterns and functions of Human Settlement

Standard 13: How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface.

Standard 17: How to apply geography to interpret the past.

Geographic Themes:
Location, Place, Human Environment Interaction, Movement, and Region

Geographic Skills:

Apply the five themes of geography
Apply mapping skills

Appendix:

* world map (political)
* project outline and assessment criteria - 1 per student (see attached samples)
* student products (teacher provided)
* Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo, by Zlata Filipovic
* In Their Own Voice: Teenage Refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina Speak Out

Lesson Plan for:
Geography/Current Events Project

Materials needed:
* Zlata's Diary; A Child's Life in Sarajevo, Zlata Filipovic (ISBN #0-670-85724-6)
* In Their Own Voice: Teenage Refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina Speak Out (ISBN #0-8239-1843-20)
* "My Diary"
* world map (political), atlases
* copy of the Project Outline / Assessment Criteria
* communication to parents explaining the project and the degree of parental involvement anticipated
* current issues of news magazines and newspapers that chronicle the progression of the current event to be discussed
* Issues of National Geographic Magazine featuring articles on the region or country involved
* Access to computer (and internet capability, if possible)

Part 1
Procedures:

Introduce the project by asking probing questions about the current event (in this case the Crisis in Kosovo)
Encourage students to share what they know about the situation, and which of the five themes of geography they believe it might be related to, and why.

Part 2
Procedures:

Share excerpts of Zlata's Diary with the children. Discuss the vivid and powerful images created by the author's language, as well as the actual images painted by children from the Balkan Region.
Explain that the students will have an opportunity to learn more about this current event. Students will apply the thinking skill of Point of View, researching skills, and the thinking behavior of Empathy to further understand what is happening in Kosovo, and why.
Share the project outline with the class, elaborating on the menu option. Explain assessment criteria.
Ask students if there are any questions, comments or concerns about the project.

Assessment:
The children's projects, videos, as well as the Assessment/Criteria sheet will serve as a means of assessing students understanding of the issues involved.

Evaluation:

Have students present their projects in a Round Robin format. Students should be able to effectively explain their project and answer audience questions.
Have students discuss various entries based on a particular theme and ask them to identify the theme.

Extension: "Kokua For Kosovo"
Parent's night presentations with donations to American Red Cross International Response Fund.

Geography/Current Events Project

Note to students/parents:
Please discuss briefly the situation in Yugoslavia, and the significance of this current event. Also discuss the resources available to us, as U.S. citizens, that help us keep abreast of the developments in that part of the world.

Materials needed:
* Access to daily newspapers, CNN, or other national television broadcasts, internet/World Wide Web (if available)
* construction paper 9" x 12" for cover (optional)
* computer paper
* pens, crayons, colored pencils, etc.
* maps, atlases, encyclopedias
* computer

For this current events project, you will need to keep up with the events in Yugoslavia. You have several options, however there are certain pieces of information that you must include. These items are explicitly explained on the other side of this page (see Project Assessment Criteria). Your report must be written in complete sentences, include at least 5 dated entries, and be written from the perspective of the person you have chosen. To make it more realistic and interesting, you may choose to add extra details. I encourage you to do so, just make sure you have met the essential criteria.

Menu Options:
1. Newspaper Journalist or Television Correspondent (objective perspective)
In this scenario, you must imagine that you are a reporter for a news organization, either real or fictitious. You will be responsible for relating the information required (see criteria) in a series of newspaper articles or broadcast reports. If you opt to video tape your reports, make sure you also include a written report.

2. Real live observer (subjective point of view)
Imagine that you are a child of your own age from Kosovo, Yugoslavia. You may create a series of journal/diary entries, letters to a pen pal in another country, or simulated e-mail correspondence. You must make sure to include all the information required (see criteria) in an organized fashion.

3. Diary of one of the U.S. soldiers being held hostage by the Serbian Government
Suppose that you were one of the young military personnel who was captured by the Serbs. You may wish to create a series of journal/diary entries, or letters to your family back home. You must make sure to include all the information required (see criteria) in an organized fashion.

Additional Information:
* Projects are due Tuesday, 5/4/99. Late entries will be subject to the usual grading penalties.
* Assessment will be based upon the attached criteria. Neatness counts!
* NGS # refers to the National Geography Standard that the particular item relates to.
* Please remember to turn in this sheet with your project, as the evaluation sheet is on the back!!

Assessment Criteria