Page 173 - Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students 4th Edition

CHAPTER 6 How Can I Teach Geography and Anthropology Powerfully? 145
Your Turn: A Resource Unit on Mountain Regions
There are numerous ways to examine and enhance the mountain region resource unit. We suggest you develop your plans with an eye toward the integrative aspects because the content naturally lends itself to more than one subject for the development of “meaningfulness.” Remember, content, skills, and activities included in the name of integration should be educationally signifi- cant, desirable, and authentic. Such content, skills, and activities should be selected because they foster rather than disrupt or nullify the accomplishment of major social studies goals.
We have provided a framework and an example for you to use as you expand your unit (see Figure 6.2). See Appendix C for the Resource Unit on Mountain Regions.
After you have completed the framework, review it carefully using the guiding questions for successful integration.
• Does the integrated activity clearly match the social education goal?
• Would an “outsider” clearly recognize the activity as social studies?
• Does the activity allow students to meaningfully develop or authentically apply important social studies content?
• Does it involve authentic application of skills or knowledge from other disciplines?
• Will students understand its social education purpose?
FIGURE 6.2 Mountain Regions: Sample Page from Unit Overview Chart
Other Specific Activities to Subjects
Goal 1 Key Ideas Match the Goal Included Materials Needed
Help students to understand the nature of moun- tains, the physical environments that they create, and the advantages and limitations that these environments pose for human activities.
Mountains are not just hills but are very high elevations of land.
They were formed by movements of the earth’s surface plates or by volcanic activity erupting from below the surface.
Often people make a living in these regions by selecting occupations that re- quire specialized skills more
than abundant raw materials. Mountain features and their cloistered effects often stimulate creativity.
Have students locate the nearest mountain range, first on a physical map, then on a topographical one. Using the scientific method, have the students speculate about how the range was formed. Exam- ine together the line of inquiry.
Have students gather data to establish evidence. Then have them gather information about the human activities found in this range.
Beware of “make and take” cutesy-type volcano experi- ments that are not authentic and detract from the social studies understanding.
Have students investigate the type of specialized skills that people in the mountain re- gion nearest them possess. If possible, have an artist, writer, or musician whose work has been inspired by the moun- tains visit the class.
Science
Art, music, and literature
Topographical maps, pictures of moun- tains, reference books, and videos of moun- tain regions. (You can acquire these from the tour bureau or travel agency and adapt them to the unit goal). Have students observe the characteristics of mountains. Have them, as they observe, imagine the advan- tages and limitations these environments pose for human activities.
Books, paintings and music scores of indi- viduals inspired by the nearby mountain region.
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