#881. State Comparisons

, level: Elementary
Posted Fri Jun 18 08:47:47 PDT 1999 by Ruth Martin (hpmartin@netins.net).
Waterloo Community, Waterloo Black Hawk County
Materials Required: pencil, compare and contrast chart, internet access
Activity Time: 3 days
Concepts Taught: Compare and Contrast

State Comparisons
Internet Scavenger Hunt

Note: Teacher will need to design a compare and contrast chart for student use.

If you had to move to a different state, what state would you move to? Why would you go there? Join the State Comparison Scavenger Hunt and find out.

Directions:
Work with a partner. From a given web site search for answers to the questions.

Organize this data on the matrix.

Complete the matrix by writing down ways the states are alike and ways they are different.

Write a paragraph giving at least three reasons you would move to a particular state based on your findings. Be sure your paragraph has an introductory sentence and that each sentence starts with a capital letter and has correct ending punctuation.

Day 1

What is the population of South Carolina?
What is the population of Montana?
What is the population of Arizona?

To answer these questions, you and your partner need to go to the web site:
http://www.50states.com You also need matrix A and a pencil.

Select the South Carolina (SC) folder. Scroll down to population. Record this information directly on matrix A in the box under South Carolina and next to population.

Click once on back arrow to go back one frame. Select Montana folder. (MT) Scroll down to population. Record this information directly on your matrix in the box under Montana and across from population.

Click once on back arrow to go back one frame. Select Arizona folder. (AZ) Scroll down to population. Record this information directly on your matrix in the box under Arizona and across from population.

Return to your desk or table and record ways the three states are alike and/or ways they are different in their population. When finished with this, you will have to wait until the whole class has completed this part.

Class discussion.
Was the information easy to find?
What problems did you have finding the information?
Did you see other interesting information at this site?
Is the information correct?
How can we check on the accuracy of this information?
What information did you record on your matrix?
What ways are the three states alike or different in population?
Would you choose to move to a particular state based on population? Why or why not?

Day Two

The economy of a state (what people do for a living) may help you decide whether you would want to move to a particular state. Another piece of helpful information would be what the topography (hills, plains, mountains, plateaus, etc.) is like. Today we are going to check on this information.

What is the economy of South Carolina, Montana, and Arizona?
What is the topography of these states?

To answer these questions go to the web site:
http://www.50states.com You will also need matrix A and a pencil.

Select the South Carolina (SC) folder. Scroll down to economy. Record this information directly on your matrix in the box under South Carolina and next to economy. Now scroll down to topography and record this information directly on matrix A.

Use back arrow to go back one frame. Select Montana folder. (MT) Scroll down to economy. Record this information directly on your matrix in the box under Montana and across from economy. Now scroll down to topography and record this information directly on your matrix.

Use back arrow to go back one frame. Select Arizona folder. (AZ) Scroll down to economy. Record this information on your matrix. Now scroll down to topography.

Return to your desk or table and record ways the three states are alike and/or ways they are different in their economy and topography. When finished with this, you will have to wait until the whole class has completed this part.

Class Discussion
Was it easier to find the information this time?
Did you have any problems navigating the net?
What information did you record?
How is this information helpful in deciding in which of these three states you would want to live.

Write a paragraph giving at least three reasons you would move to one of these three states based on population, economy, and topography. Are the reasons true based on your findings? Be sure your paragraph has an introductory sentence and that each sentence starts with a capital letter and has correct ending punctuation.

Day Three

Select three different states. You and your partner are to collect and record the same type of information and record on matrix B. Write your compare and contrast statements on the matrix.

Use this information to write a paragraph giving your reasons for moving to a particular state. Be sure to use the information or data that you have collected. Locate a new partner. Give your new partner your matrix while you read your paragraph. Have your partner help you to check for:

A good introductory sentence.
Information in paragraph is on matrix.
Capital letters and ending punctuation.

Hand your completed paragraph and matrix in to the teacher.