Geography Unit
Middle School
Teacher: Kathleen Vest

SS5:The major elements of geographical study and analysis (such as location, place, movement, regions) and their relationships to changes in society and environment

SS7:The use of tools of social science inquiry (such as surveys, statistics, maps, documents)

GOAL 1: Students in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to gather, analyze and apply information and ideas. 1.8 organize data, information and ideas into useful forms (including charts, graphs, outlines) for analysis or presentation

GOAL 2: Student in Missouri public schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to communicate effectively within and beyond the classroom. 2.1 plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences 2.7 use technological tools to exchange information and ideas

Goals:

• interpret facts from a detailed list of events


• work in a group to decide on 25 choices of most significant events by finding facts to support choices


• locate current and past world countries over the last 50 years design a quality presentation (see scoring guide)

Preparation:

• Access to computer lab or computer station with internet.


• Use the following site: Milestones in United Nations History (This site has a detailed list of major milestone events of UN history).


• Find a legal size blank world map.


• Atlases or wall world map needed.

Student Work:

• Student groups of three read and review the list of historical events at:
  Milestones in United Nations History


• Decide on the 25 most significant events from the list based on web research and group discussion. Group secretary submits the reasoning or facts behind their group's choices.


• Each group decides on how to present project showing their 25 most significant milestones of UN history as a visual map. Examples of possible projects follow:
• Enlarge a blank world map and mount it on foam board. Cut out list of the United Nations milestones as shown on the web site. Mount on foam board the ones you chose in manner decided by group. Choose some way to indicate what country is involved in each event---events could be lettered, numbered, color coded, etc. (could have push pins)
• Make a power point or hyper-studio presentation where each slide has a world map List 3 events on each slide with a dot or color showing their world locations.
• Design a web page with a world map and label it to suit your presentation and include links to the information about each site.

Note:Other options are possible and encouraged

Assessment:

________________________________________________________________________________

Scoring Guide:

• Score of 4: Project displays all the elements of #3, plus the following. Project group details specific facts as to why each event was selected. No errors in labeling map. Project has a creative design showing effort above basic requirements.
• Score of 3:Project shows basic evidence of research and discussion to select 25 top events. Students have labeled countries correctly (with one error exempted). Students have designed a clearly understood presentation that includes required labels and materials.
• Score of 2:Project does not meet level #3 (standards of research and discussion). Includes 25 labels of countries but has more than one--four errors in labeling. Shows lack of clear organization in presentation.
• Score of 1:Project does not meet level # 3 standards in one or more of the following ways: Group offered no explanation of choices. Students have made 5-10 errors in labeling countries. Students have not included all choices label requirements. No organization scheme is observed.