#1797. Fantastic Flying Journey

Social Studies, level: Elementary
Posted Fri Jun 16 06:56:08 PDT 2000 by Kim Cawelti (kcawelti@reinbeck.k12.ia.us).
Reinbeck Elementary School, Reinbeck, Iowa
Materials Required: Fantastic Flying Journey book by Gerald Durrell, computer with internet access, journal pages
Activity Time: Unit takes 1-2 months, daily - 45 minutes
Concepts Taught: Geography, animals

Title: Fantastic Flying Journey

Subject Matter Emphasis and Level: 3rd grade, Social Studies

Brief Description of the lesson: Teacher will read the book -Fantastic Flying Journey aloud to the class. As the characters reach each country/continent, students will use the Internet to find out more information about that place. Students will then fill out information sheets on these places to gather in a journal about their travels.

Why Do This?
Standard: Understands how to interpret and use appropriate geographical resources.
Benchmark: Identifies and applies basic elements of maps, globes, and other geographical tools and technology.
Standard: Understands global interdependence.
Benchmark: Understands that there are different countries in the world.
Standard: Understands social issues and ideas.
Benchmark: Awareness of the relationships between humans and the environment.

*This topic is important for students because it gives them an awareness of the world they live in and how humans affect the environment.

Content
Critical Objectives: Students will know the continents and oceans of the world. Students will analyze the relationship between people and the environment.
*This connects to other areas of the curriculum: science, reading, technology

Students will need to have a general knowledge of how to use the Internet and scrapbook. I will conduct a large group lesson on using the computer and scrapbook before the unit begins. Students may be hesitant in their abilities to use the Internet, but with practice, hopefully this will improve.

Assessment
As each new region is discussed in the book, students will use the computer to find out more information. They will then fill out their journal pages using this information, allowing me to see what they are learning as we go along.
Assessments: teacher observations during reading and work time
Student journal entries

Teaching Strategies
*Read orally to students each chapter.
*After each chapter, students will go in groups of 3-4 to look for information on Internet.
*Students will go to the folder of the current continent being studied, then use those sites to fill out an information sheet about that region.
*For chapters 2, 3, and 6, students will fill out their own information sheet.
*For chapters 4, 5, and 7, students will be assigned a topic or question to find information about and teach to their group members.
*After each session on the Internet, students will write their own journal/diary entry about their discoveries from the Internet, as well as information learned from the book.
*Journal entries will be compiled at the end of the unit into a journal booklet, along with a map of the journey and a story map.

Materials and Resources
Fantastic Flying Journey by Gerald Durrell
Internet sites:
http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html -- used to get animal information
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/na/index.html -- Kratts' Creatures web site for country/continent
http://www.seaworld.org/arctic/ - North Pole animals and information
http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/game/ -- Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian) for north pole
http://www.butterflyhouse.org/monarchs.html -- for Monarch butterfly and Mexico information
http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/school/Australia/Ausmap.shtml -- for Australia information
http://library.thinkquest.org/28994/animals.html -- Australia
http://www.agate.net/~dresden/rain.htm -- teacher's web site for class project
http://www.lex5.k12.sc.us/ces/Australiageo.htm -- Australia information
http://www.athropolis.com/map.htm -- Arctic region

Management
Students will be placed in groups of 3-4 and will work together when on the computer.
Journal entries must be done individually.
Students will use the computer in the classroom for this unit, unless a lab becomes available.
Students who need extra help will be given extra one-on-one teacher time for assistance.

Support Services
I will contact the technology coordinator for any help needed with the computer or Internet. The resource teacher will be available for help with any special needs students. I may enlist the help of the media specialist for additional resources from the school library.