Lesson Plan Title:

Plan Your Own Journey

Grade Level

Seventh

Subject

Language Arts Class

Topic/Theme addressed:

Travel and connecting ideas in an expository essay.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Learn more about different cultures/geographic regions

Connect ideas through explanations and reasoning.

CA Academic Standards Addressed:

WRITING 1.0 Writing Strategies

Required Materials:

4 picture books on travel, paper, collage materials, and markers.  Possible trip to the library.

Lead-In Activity:

Read Traveling Man by James Rumford; How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz; Erika-San by Allen Say; and Uncommon Traveler by Don Brown.

Step 1:  Gather Ideas

• Think about the stories we have read about real people who left their home to visit far-off places. 
• Are you like Ibn Battuta or Uri want to visit many places, or are you like Erica or Mary Kingsley who both become fixated on going to one place?

Step 2:  Research

• Research the different locations using print and online sources. 
• Find out what you would need to know to travel effectively in those cultures.

Step 3:  Essay Assignment

• Write an exposition paper about what journey you would plan for yourself and why?                          
• In your thesis/topic sentence, explain why you want to go to these locations, and how are these locations connected? 

• For example, to find connections, you can choose places with famous nature sites, sites related to one historical event, or cities that feature types of art or architecture.  Or, re-trace of a famous explorer.
• Your research on these different locations will go into your essay and the complete source will be on the last page, called the bibliography.

Step 4:  Present Ideas to the Class

• Give a 3-5 minute presentation on the places you will go and what a traveler should know about these locations. 
• Design a poster or a brochure highlighting your trip. 
• Convince your classmates to take your journey with you.