#2199. A Dream Vacation

Social Studies, level: Elementary
Posted Wed Mar 28 16:45:50 PST 2001 by Robin Russell (RobinRussell22@hotmail.com).
Canada
Concepts Taught: Countries of the World

My Vacation: Travels Around the World

Objectives:
Students will gain an understanding of culture.
Students will explore some material and non-material elements of culture.

Topics Covered:
Maps
Globes
Atlases
Language
National anthems
Traditional dress
Weather
Travel costs: transportation, hotel, and food
Food
Currency
Population
Animals
Natural landscape

Lesson One:

Materials:
- Coloured pencils, markers, etc.
- Paper (blank and construction)
- Books and travel brochures

Introduction / Motivation:
Tell students about my future trip to Switzerland
Show students my sample cover
Explain the project to them
Have students find partner

Activities:
Students choose a few texts from the variety of materials available. They will be given a chance to look over the materials with their partner for approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Once a country has been decided on, students will sign up for that country with their partner and will be given a sheet of construction paper in order to make their cover.

Students will make a title for their poster using the name of the country they chose. May use coloured pencils, markers, pastels, etc. Students will be encouraged to be creative with their lettering. This title will be added to the cover upon completion. Students will also make a few illustrations to be added to their cover.

Written on board:
Step 1: Find a partner for this project
Step 2: Look through the materials provided
Step 3: Choose a country and sign up with your partner
Step 4: Make your country's name and a few illustrations and paste on the cover
Step 5: Work on the questions

Students will answer the following questions: (in class or homework, individual)
a) What are five things you would like to know about the country you chose?
b) Why did you choose this country?

* Collect papers at end of lesson and staple to cover

*Lesson Two: could be done during lesson one

Introduction / Motivation:
Students will be shown a map of the world and be asked to come up and see if they can find the country they chose. The class will then brainstorm on things that can be found on a map.

Activities:
Students will be given atlases and asked to find a map of their country. They will bookmark this page in order for the teacher to make a photocopy of it to be included on their poster. Students may also choose to trace the outline of their country. Students will then answer the following questions to the best of their ability.

a) What is the capital of your country?
b) How large is your country?
c) Are there any mountains, deserts, beaches, or lakes in your country?
d) What are some things you can learn from a map?

Lesson Three:

Introduction / Motivation:
Students will brainstorm on the meaning of the word culture. Answers recorded on board. The definition will be read from the dictionary and recorded on the board. Students will copy this definition and discuss the meaning. Students will then discuss some ways culture is shown (traditional clothing, food, dance, flower, sports, language spoken, national anthem, etc.). I will then tell the students, if not already suggested, that a flag can represent a part of their country's culture.

Activities:
Students will look through books in order to discover parts of their county's culture. They will illustrate and/or write about aspects of their county's culture. Students will take turns looking at the flag book and making a recreation of their country's flag. All information from this activity will be pasted to the student's poster. Students may use the computer in order to gain more information.

*Lesson Four: could be emitted

Introduction / Motivation:
Students will be made aware that travelling can be very costly. Students will discuss some things they will have to pay for while on vacation (food, hotel, transportation). As a class we will survey who has been on a plane, train, bus, etc. These figures will be recorded on a bar graph.

Activities:
Students will estimate how much their trip will cost them using provided work sheets. They will then find as many correct figures as possible from books and travel guides. Students may look on the Internet for plane ticket prices on Air Canada site or may call Air Canada for the information. Students may also wish to find out about the time difference between Nova Scotia and their country and/or the length of the flight.

Lesson Five:

Introduction / Motivation:
Students will suggest some activities they have done while on vacation, these will be recorded on the board. I will then tell students about baggage restrictions and the necessity of planning what you are going to pack for your vacation. I may also speak to the students about passports, where to get them, what they are used for.

Activity:
Students will describe some activities they would like to do while on vacation. These written paragraphs or illustrations will be added to the poster. Students will then plan the things they will need to bring on their vacation. They will make a list of these items and record them on their poster.

Lesson Six:

Introduction / Motivation:
Students will brainstorm on some facts they have not yet found about their country. They will be asked to look over the five questions they have about their country and check if they have been answered yet or not.

Activities:
Students will be asked to look over the books provided and find facts about their country. They will also be asked to try and answer the questions they posed on the first day of the project. Students may use any available computers for this component. The following list will be on the board in order to give students ideas of facts they may be able to find:
Exports
Currency
Population
Animals
Plants
Weather
Government
Sports
Well-known buildings
Political leaders
Customs
Stories
Religions
Toys and games

Students may also wish to decorate their poster during this time with pictures drawn by hand or cut from travel brochures.

Lesson Seven:

Introduction / Motivation:
Students will review the list of countries covered by the students in their class.

Activities:
Each pair of students will take turns presenting their poster to the class. Students may include any information they wish to present. The class will be given opportunity to ask their peers questions about they country they chose.

Checklist:

#1: Find a map of your country in an atlas or other book. Trace your country onto a blank piece of paper. Answer the following questions:

a) What is the capital of your country?
b) How large is your country?
c) Are there any mountains, deserts, beaches, or lakes in your country?
e) What are some things you can learn from a map?

#2: Find your country's flag in a book. Draw the flag and colour. Answer the following questions:

a) What are the colours used in your country's flag?
b) What can you find out about the history of your country's flag?

#3: Plan some activities you would like to do while on vacation. You make wish to draw pictures of some of the things you will do. Answer the following questions:

a) What will you do during your vacation?
b) What will you see at these places?
c) How much do you think these activities will cost?

#4: Find information on some animals found in your country. Name these animals and make an illustration of each. Include any information you find about these animals.

#5: Make a list of the things you will need to pack for your vacation. Include clothing and other items. Answer the following questions:

a) What will the weather be like when you are on vacation?
b) How many bags will you need to bring?

#6: Find answers for the five questions you wrote on the first day.

Other Information You May Want To Find Out About:
Exports
Currency
Population
Plants
Weather
Government
Sports
Well-known buildings
Political leaders
Customs / Stories / Toys / Games
Religions
Lesson Two (revised):

Materials:
- Various books and travel brochures
- Markers, coloured pencils, etc.
- Paper
- Student's covers
- Copy of checklist (one per pair)

Introduction / Motivation:
I will show students the work I have done on my Switzerland project. Students will be shown a map of the world and be asked to come up and see if they can find the country they chose.

Activity:
Books and student's covers will be passed out. Students will be asked to work on the checklist in order to find information about the country they chose. Students may use both writing and illustrations in order to express the information they found.