M is for Majestic: A National Parks Alphabet by David Domeniconi and Pam Carroll ill. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2003.

ISBN: 978-1-58536-138-0

Annotation: This ABC book showcases each of the US National Parks from A-Z. The main text is in rhyming couplets.There are side margins with additional information about each featured park as well as other parks and details that start with the same letter. Additional parks are illustrated as small photos attached to the larger illustration like a scrapbook.

Media: realism/pictorial paintings

Curricular Connections: 5+ US Geography, History, National Parks, Language Arts

Rating: 4Q/4P

 

Lesson Plan:  States and National Parks

Audience: 5+ (can be modified for any grade level)

Goals and Objectives:

California Curriculum Standards

ELA.5.2.2. Deliver informative presentations about an important idea, issue, or event by the following means:

a. Frame questions to direct the investigation.

b. Establish a controlling idea or topic.

c. Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations.

  

ELA.5.1.4. Create simple documents by using electronic media and employing organizational features (e.g., passwords, entry and pull-down menus, word searches, the thesaurus, spell checks) 

 

HSS.5.9. Students know the location of the current 50 states and the names of their capitals. 

 

ALA Information Literacy Standards

Standard 9. the student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates in groups to pursue and generate information.

9.1. Collaborates in formal and informal study and research groups.

9.2. Respects the views of others in study and research groups.

Lesson Preparation:

Chart paper for brainstorming

Template for research of details and storyboarding slides

 

Activities:

Session1

Read aloud M is for Majestic…the verse middle sections of each page.

 

Go through the book again noting the different elements also included: note the Map of US with the parks and the parks named along the sidebars

Brainstorm and discuss together the important elements that everyone would like to know about a national park they might be interested in knowing more about. Chart them.

  

Each student selects three state parks that they would like to know more about and would put energy into researching. Record and post on Post it Notes in priority order 1.2.3. Place on chart to sort out and determine national park assignments. 

 

Work together to determine conflicts and work it out so that no national park is repeated within the class. Circle the chosen state on each post it. 

 

Homework Assignment: Locate online websites that contribute information about the national parks. Send in website links with finder’s name to a designated Comments box on the Library Media Center website National Parks project page.

  

Session 2

Review the linked websites now listed on the project website page so that all students can research their parks.

  

Create a Google Map together with pushpins for each of the chosen national parks where final presentations will be linked when completed. 

 

Share a model of a Photostory Slideshow of a national park not selected. Talk about the elements to include: Title and ending slide with photo that best represents the park , plus 3 slides of chosen elements to research and report on for a total of 5 slides total.

  

Demonstrate how to find images using Google images or Flikr Photostream, and how to save them to a bank of images created to share about national parks on the shared network drive.

  

Begin work on the research and slideshow. Each student has a note taking sheet for their slideshow and a storyboard for the slideshow that includes space for the facts they will share. Continue research work at home to bring in information and script for next session.

  

Session 3

Lab Work Session: Create the PhotoStory Slideshows including the 5 slide images, adding audio presentation of facts for each slide, and transitions.

  

Session 4

Present Slideshows and conduct editing critiques to improve and finalize slideshows. As a group, develop trivia questions from each slideshow that can be developed into a trivia hunt for other grades to play on the published website when completed. Finalize editing.

  

Session 5

Link completed slideshows to the Google Map. Post the Google Map to the Library Media Center website. Post Trivia hunts for younger grades to play as well as other classes within the grade level. Advertise the Map and Trivia Hunt.

RAC 7.30.09