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H20RUS 

Title: Go With the Flow

Grade Level:  8

Subject: Social Studies

Learner Outcomes:

• The student will relate and compare geographical river features of the United States with those of West Virginia. Areas of comparison will involve identification of rivers, location of rivers, settlement patterns, exploration, and industrial development.
• The student will be able to label on a map the major rivers of West Virginia.
• The student will practice inputting data using correct keying techniques.
• The student will use the appropriate computer generated activity to implement instructional objectives.
• The student will compose a PowerPoint presentation to present and evaluate information learned in this lesson.

Materials:

• Large classroom map of the United States
• Large classroom map of West Virginia
• Overhead projector
• Transparency of West Virginia Rivers
• Individual student desk map of West Virginia Rivers to label (xerox copies for each student)
• Projection screen.
• Poster board paper/ markers

• Computer lab
• Interactive Map of West Virginia Rivers
• Projection device in computer lab
• Projection screen
• PowerPoint software
• Internet access

Teacher Notes:

Teacher needs to schedule lab time for classes as procedure indicates at each school.

Teacher needs to survey students as to how much computer training each student has had in PowerPoint and Microsoft Word. Some consideration for these skills needs to be looked at     prior to grouping of students. An online tutorial is available.

If students are using outside disks, be sure to virus scan prior to use.

Procedures:

1. Each individual student will be asked to list, from memory, rivers in the United States.
2. Allow 2 -3 minutes response time. A list will be composed on the chalkboard of student responses and then the classroom map will be used to illustrate locations.
3. As a class, students will group the rivers by geographical regions in the United States. These regions and rivers will also be listed on the board.
4. Students will be divided into groups of three and assigned a specific region of the United States and the rivers listed for that region. In groups students will analyze and deduct the effects of those rivers on exploration, settlement, and industrial development for that region. Students will also be encouraged to visualize how rivers could play a role in the future of their geographical region.
5. Groups will report their findings and summaries to the class in written and oral form. Written summaries, composed on poster paper, will be displayed around classroom.
6. Students will again come together as a large group and asked to brainstorm names of West Virginia rivers. These will be listed on the board. Students might be encouraged to tell how they have become familiar with a particular river in our state.
7. Use the large classroom map of West Virginia to also illustrate student responses of West Virginia rivers.
8. Each student will then be given an individual state map of major rivers. The rivers will only be illustrated and have no labels. A copy of this map will also be displayed from the overhead projector. (Teachers may scan a copy of the student map, save to disk, and print on a transparency.)
9. After brainstorming, other major West Virginia rivers will then be added to the list, if necessary. Labeling of the map will be done together with the teacher leading the process using overhead and transparency. This will enable the teacher to monitor the labeling process so that the pace is correct for all students. Also any mistakes on the student part can be noted immediately.
10. Students will then be asked to write a generalization statement about West Virginia rivers on the bottom of their map. An example might include a statement about rivers that comprise West Virginia borders.
11. Students will be placed in groups of three. Consideration needs to be given to individual computer skills when grouping. Make sure that at least one student in each group is familiar with PowerPoint.
12. In their groups, students are to analyze and deduct the following about West Virginia based upon the location of rivers in our state:

    Settlement patterns
    Exploration
    Industrial development
13. If students need help in making deductions and drawing conclusions about the above subtopics, provide handouts, as shown in the links, to prod thinking, group discussions, and inquiry. Students can also be directed to the appropriate textbook material for resources.

                Links:         Settlement Patterns Worksheet and         Chapter 5

                    Exploration Map and Chapter 4

                   Industrial Development Worksheet and Chapter 16

14. Each group will then be responsible for using their deductions and preparing a PowerPoint presentation to report their findings to class. RUBRIC
15. Take students to computer lab to practice placement of major rivers an interactive map. This part of the lesson could be used as a modification for special needs children, as practice for all students, or as teach/reteach component.

Modifications:

• Special needs students will be given a list of the major rivers in which to use as a word bank in order to help with recall when labeling, practicing, or evaluating this material.
• The state can also be divided into four regions and students may be expected to master only rivers in one quadrant at a time.

Enrichment activities:

• Several West Virginia rivers have origins with Native American groups. Determine which rivers have Indian names and then provide a translation of each.
• Discover watershed sites of West Virginia. Students will choose three watersheds of West Virginia from the watershed atlas at this site. Compile a list of rivers which drain the particular watershed. Given an outline map of West Virginia students will shade the area that is drained and label the rivers on the map. Students should also list possible resources that may be in that area based on river usage.

 

Evaluation/Assessment:PowerPoint Presentation. Evaluation will also include map identification of the major rivers in the state. Students may label individual maps or teacher can create several PowerPoint slides of the rivers map. Each slide could have a different river highlighted. As slide is projected for student viewing, student would identify that river on his/her paper.
 
 
 

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:

Social Studies

Economics 8.16, 8.17
Geography 8.30, 8.32, 8.37.8.39
Computer/Technology 8.59, 8.61. 8.70
History 8.55 References:
 
  Resources: West Virginia: The History of An American State, Vicki Wood
        West Virginia: The History of an American State, Activity Book, Vicki Wood                     Internet links: www.dep.state.wv.us/
                          http://www.microsoft.com/education/curric/ppt97/

                    Additional resources:
                                        River Map and key
                                        Settlement Worksheet and key
                                        Exploration Map
                                        Industrial Worksheet and key
                                        Rubric to grade PowerPoint presentation
                                        Interactive River Map
 
 

Created by: Darialouise Collins, Kim Fowler, Diane Stilwell 

South Middle School

Other Lessons in Unit:

Social Studies:    Follow the River
                           Rolling, Rolling, Rolling Down the River
                           Splish, Splash, I was out on a raft
                           What's that Smell?

Science:              Rolling, Rolling, Rolling Down the River
                           Water U Graphs
                           What's that Smell?

Math:                 Water U Graphs
                           What's that Smell?
                            Follow the River
 
Related Lessons:

    Mary Ingles, Follow the River
   A Fish Out of Water
   Relating the Related Arts
   A Fish in Hand