Geography
Lesson Plan: Exploring Native Americans
Grade 6
Introduction
I found that this software is designed for grades 4-9, and I
have geared my lesson for students in 6-8th grade. I have found that many school districts have
a Native American unit for third graders, and later in fourth grade they study
regions of the
Student Objectives
Ø
Working with a partner,
students will use the MapMaker’s Toolkit program to accurately label animals,
crops, and habitats associated with their particular tribe of Native Americans.
Ø
Students will each
print out a copy of their map and add it to their book on Native Americans.
Instructional Materials
ü
Student will be using
their individual research books on Native Americans. I am assuming that the students have been
studying the Native Americans, they have each chosen a particular tribe to
study and have researched that particular tribe’s way of life. Information they have collected would include
housing, hunting, farming, gathering, habitat, crops, etc. The students will need to have their research
on hand to correctly label their map.
ü
Software: MapMaker’s
Toolkit
ü
Printer hookup to the
classroom computer
Lesson Sequence
Introduction
Since
this lesson is building on other things the students have been working on in
their unit on Native Americans, they have been anticipating the creation of their
individual maps for some time now. The
teacher should do a general introduction to the class and pair the students
up. It would not be crucial that the
students who are working together have been studying Native Americans from the
same region, but if it is their first time using the program you may want to
aim for this. Also, if equipment is
available I would demonstrate for the students how to manipulate the different
features of the program they will be using.
Activities
Set the students up to work in pairs
on the computer. Each set of students
should be allotted 25-30 minutes to work on the computer. Depending on how many computers you have
available, it may take several days to make sure all the students have created
a map. Since this lesson is one on
following directions as well as Native Americans the students should work
independently with their partner on the task.
Closure
Later, when all of the students have completed their books on
Native Americans, or as they finish their maps, they can share their work with
classmates.
Evaluation
or Assessment
The assessment for this lesson will be the students’ ability to
work independently and complete the task.
The accuracy of the map they create will also be assessed. Finally, the printed out map must be added to
their individual “expert” book on Native Americans.
Supplement
Materials
Before
creating their map on the computer, students must complete a small worksheet
containing specific information about their tribe. They will need particular information in
order to accurately place stamps on their maps.
This research will be done either in the library or somewhere on the
Internet. It might look something like
this: Click here
Click on
this link to get detailed directions that the students will be provided with. Since I am assuming that this is the first
time the students have used the program, the directions are very explicit, and
step-by-step.
Last
Revised