Grade: Elementary

#906. Iowa Leaders

Social Studies, level: Elementary
Posted Fri Jun 18 09:28:06 PDT 1999 by Carol Olson (CAOWAT@aol.com).
Waterloo Community, Waterloo,
Materials Required: computer
Activity Time: 3 days
Concepts Taught: internet use, comparing

To begin to learn to use the internet
and compare characteristics of famous Iowa leaders.


Day 1:
Leadership Qualities Survey -student sheet. Discuss what a leader does and give examples. Martin Luther King felt there was a problem with equality and he had some good ideas so he tried to make things better. A mayor or governor tries new things to improve life for people in that city or state. Other examples from students.
What leadership qualities do students have? Student examples of good leaders in their school. Complete survey.


Discuss vocabulary. Become familiar with what a web site and web page look like by actually looking at several examples. Find and use the bookmark feature and back button.


Day 2:
Briefly review procedure for finding web sites. Demonstrate finding bookmarks.
Students complete Scavenger Hunt in pairs.


Day 3:
Comparison-student worksheet, Have students transfer information from Scavenger hunt to this sheet. Note similarities and differences in background, education, occupations. Discuss what may have made these people successful. What kinds of things have they learned about leaders that may help them?

Leadership Qualities Survey


A Leader;

1. Sees a problem.

2. Has good ideas.

3. Is not afraid to try something.

4. Tries to make things better.

List some leadership qualities you believe you have.

These are just some choices: helpful, considerate, a good example, do my best, participate, think for myself, have goals, share my ideas.


Vocabulary

Internet-a network connecting millions of computers.

Web Page-all the content you see when you use the scroll bar.


Web Site-a collection of web pages.

Bookmark-a tool to save a web site on a computer, located at the top of the screen.

Back button-located on the top of the screen, used to go back to the previous screen.

Leaders in Iowa-Leadership Qualities-Scavenger Hunt

What makes someone a good leader?
What are similarities in the backgrounds of famous people?
How can I become a better leader?

Directions

1. Click on the specific web site to find answers to the questions.
2. You may work with a partner, but each partner must supply his/her own answers on their own worksheet.
3. Take turns using the mouse and making decisions.


Part 1
Go to bookmark; Biography-1997 (http://iowa.counties.com/biography-1997)
Click on Iowa. Then click on B.
Answer the following questions using this web site.

What occupations did former Governor Branstad have before he was elected governor?


What is his educational background?

Part 2
Go to bookmark; Mr. Decker's 4th Grade Class. (www.postville.k12.ia.us/elemmiddle/Elementary/decker)
This is a list of web sites that tell about famous Iowans.

Choose a name and click on it.


What name did you choose?

What town was he/she born in?


What is this person's educational background?


What is this person's occupation?


Accomplishments?


Choose another name and click on it.


What name did you choose?

What town was he/she born in?

What is this person's educational background?

What is this person's occupation?


Accomplishments?

Part 3

Go to the bookmark titled; Notable Iowa Persons
(www.iowa-counties.com/etcetera/notable.html)

Can you find the names of the people you chose from the last site? Yes No

Write any new information.


Using the same site; List 3 people that were born or raised in Waterloo.
(Hint: look for b. or r. before Waterloo in list)


Leaders in Iowa Comparison

Directions: Using the information you found on the internet, fill in the following chart. List the names of the people you found on your search then complete each box for that person.


Name: Name:
Education
Occupation
Accomplishments

Based on the information above what conclusions can you make about people who have become leaders?

Thinking about what we have learned about these leaders; what might I do to become a better leader?