Friday, 11 April 2014

Adapted lesson plan - Sydney Carnegie


Sydney Carnegie - ADAPT (lesson plan from discoveryeducation.com)

Adapted for a class with a few students with Dyslexia

Duration: three to four class periods
Objectives

Students will
         Make a papier-mâché globe of Earth's continents;
         Identify the prominent physical features of each continent; and
         Compare the geography of all seven continents.
Materials

         White construction paper (at least 7 sheets per student)
         Masking tape
         12-inch pieces of string (one per student)
         Pencils, glue, and rulers
         Colored markers or crayons
         Black felt tip pens
         Newspaper, cut into strips
         White glue, watered down
         Large balloons (one per student)
         World maps, geography textbooks, and other library resources
         Computer with Internet access (optional)
         Exploring the World's Geography video and VCR or DVD and DVD player
         Geography Worksheets
Adaptations: vocabulary sheets, video and YouTube links
Procedures
.    Adaptation: make sure to first welcome class as they enter encouraging a positive classroom climate and starting the class on a positive note. Also to maintain a sense of routine which is important to students with dyslexia
.    Begin the lesson by discussing the diverse geography of Earth's seven continents. A good way to introduce this topic is to show segments of the program Exploring the World's Geography . After watching, ask students these questions: How is Europe different from Asia? Where is South America located? Where are the Andes? Is North America the largest continent? Also, have them describe the Pampas, taiga, or other geographic features. 
 
.    Adaptation: give students a work sheet with the some of the questions you will ask. Also read them aloud before the tape plays therefore not overwhelming students with dyslexia and allowing them to take part in the class discussion.
.    Using a globe, point out the equator and the prime meridian. Ask students which continents are below the equator and which continents are above it. From the information they learned in the program, how does the climate near the equator differ from the climate near the poles? 
 
.    Tell students that they will be making their own papier-mâché globes, which must properly display all seven continents, the equator, and prime meridian. Students will clearly label the following physical features:
                  Continents
                  All oceans
                  Major rivers and lakes on each continent
                  Other major physical features associated with each continent: mountains, deserts, forests, volcanoes, and islands.
.    
Have the class come up with a list of symbols to identify the features.
.    Demonstrate how to make a papier-mâché ball.
                  Inflate a balloon and tape a length of string to one side.
                  Dip the newspaper strips into the glue and then apply them to the balloon.
                  Be sure to leave the string free.
.    
Have students blow up their balloons, attach the strings, and cover them with about three layers of newspaper. Identify each balloon with strips of masking tape with the students' names. Place the balloons in a warm place to dry for about two days.  
.    During the class periods while the globes are drying, have students use geography texts, maps, library materials, and the Internet to research the seven continents. Have them look at several examples of maps that resemble the size of the continents they should be drawing. Have them draw an outline of each continent on construction paper. Remind students that Earth's continents are not all the same size and that they should try to keep the relative sizes of the continents in mind.
.    Adaptation: to facilitate research for students with dyslexia include a list of vocabulary terms to aid in their research. Print and include for all students as to not make dyslexic students feel less then others. Go over these terms throughout presentation so students have a chance to understand them before just giving them the sheet.
After outlining each continent, students need to use their research materials to label the geographic features. Listed below are some helpful Web sites: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/continents http://www.worldatlas.com/geoquiz/thelist.htm http://members.aol.com/BOWERMANB/101.html 
If necessary, allow students time at home to finish drawing and labeling their continents.
 
.    Adaptation: for library research provide students with graphic organizers to organize the information to not make them feel as overwhelmed by all the information. Also provide students with dyslexia helpful YouTube links or videos with similar information allowing them to use them as research as well.
.    On the dry papier-mâché globes, have students draw the equator and the prime meridian. Next, show students a map of the world and discuss the locations of the continents on the globe. Ask them related questions (Is North America above or below the equator? Is Europe anywhere near South America?). Once students understand how to place their continents, have them cut out their paper continents, glue them to the globe, and label the oceans.
 
.    Hang the finished globes in the classroom, and invite students to discuss the different features of the continents, including anything interesting they learned about the geography of the world.
.    Adaptation: could put whole project as a small group assignment assigning partners allowing students with dyslexia to be paired with strong readers to assist them with research while allowing both students to present their globe to the class.

Evaluation

Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson.
·      Adaptation: it is important as teachers to be aware of what level students are at and to evaluate them based on their achievements.

         Three points: Students actively participated in class discussions; used the research materials wisely and without teacher guidance; and created finished globes that correctly met all established criteria.
         Two points: Students somewhat participated in class discussions; used research materials with limited teacher guidance; and created finished globes that correctly met most of the established criteria.
         One point: Students somewhat participated in class discussions; were unable to use research materials without teacher assistance; and either did not finish their globes or produced globes that were missing a majority of the established criteria.

Reflections: I believe this lesson plan already very much favors students with dyslexia, as it is very hands on with some minor reading and writing but favoring abilities more accessible to them. Therefore I believe the adaptations I made would make it not only more inclusive for students with dyslexia but all the class as a whole.

link to original lesson plan : http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/exploring-the-worlds-geography.cfm

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