Title:  People of Mexico

Grade Level:  7th

Subject(s):  Geography and Language Arts

Learner Outcomes:
     1. Students will identify, compare and contrast the various groups that influenced
         Mexican culture. 
     2. Students will explain what makes up Mexican culture today.

Duration of Lesson: two 45-minute sessions

Materials: dictionaries, students' textbooks, computers, blank Venn diagram for each student, blank Venn diagram transparency 

Technology Tools/Courseware: Internet, Power Point software, a blank disk, laptop computer, projector, overhead projector 

Teacher Notes:
     · Acceptable Use Policy form on file
     · Access to Success Lab/Media Center.
     · Students will have been taught the use of Power Point prior to this lesson.

Procedures:
     1.   Have students define vocabulary dealing with People of Mexico.
     2.  As a class, discuss vocabulary dealing with People of Mexico.
     3.  The teacher will conduct an introduction to the three groups of people in Mexico. 
          Use PowerPoint presentation.
     4.  Students will be organized into cooperative learning groups, depending upon the 
          number of students in the class, to research the cultural heritage of Mexico on the 
        Internet.
     5.  Each group will be assigned one of the following cultures: Maya, Aztec, or Spanish. 
          Group members will report and design a PowerPoint presentation on the history of 
          their assigned Native American or European culture.
     6.  Each group will present their PowerPoint project to the class.
     7.  Students will discuss, compare and contrast the three groups of people found in 
          Mexico.  They will independently complete their Venn diagram.

Modifications: Modifications will be made based on those listed in students' IEPs.

Enrichment Activities: Students will individually use the Internet to research the culture 
of Mexico today.

Evaluation/Assessment: Students will be given a quiz to assess their understanding of the people of Mexico.

State and National Standards:
     · West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives

      Geography:
   7.20, 7.24, 7.52

      Language Arts:
     7.33, 7.38, 7.137

      Geography:
     4     The physical and human characteristics of places
     10    The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics
     18    How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future
 

    Language Arts:
   1      Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
     4     Gathers and uses information for research purposes
     7     Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of 
             informational texts
 

Job/Career Clusters: Fine Arts/Humanities

References:
· Geography The World And Its People, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill; Columbus, Ohio, 1998.

Authors:  Christy Hunt
            Brenda Shumate
             Gary Elementary
 
 
 
 
 
Overview
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5