TEC Lesson Plan
Florida Unit
Contributor Information
Name:Richarad Wise
email address:
School: University of South Florida student
Date: July, 1999
Modified by Kay Pravda
TEC writer
Standards
Strand(s): reading, social studies, science, technology
Standard(s) and Benchmark(s):
Social Studies
SS.A.6.2.3 The student knows the significant individuals, events, and social,
political, and economic characteristics of different periods in Florida’s
history.
SS.A.6.2.4 The student understands the perspectives of diverse cultural, ethnic,
and economic groups with regard to past and current events in Florida’s
history.
SS.A.6.2.5 The student knows how various cultures contributed to the unique
social, cultural, economic, and political features of Florida.
Science
SC.G.1.2.2 The student knows that living things compete in a climatic region
with other living things and that structural adaptations make them fit for an
environment.
Language Arts
LA.B.2.2.4 The student uses electronic technology, including word-processing
software and electronic encyclopedias, to create, revise, retrieve, and verify
information.
T.1.2.1 1.Basic operations and concepts
1.Use keyboards and other common input and output devices (including adaptive
devices when necessary)efficiently and effectively.
T.1.2.2 1.Basic operations and concepts
2. Discuss common uses of technology in daily life and the advantages and disadvantages
those uses provide.
T.3.2.5 3.Technology productivity tools
5.Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, Web tools,
digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication,
and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside
and outside the classroom.
T.4.2.6 4.Technology communications tools
6.Use telecommunications efficiently and effectively to access remote information,
communicate with others
9.Determine when technology is useful and select the appropriate tool(s) and
technology resources to address a variety of tasks and problems.
Title: 4th Florida Unit
Technology Resource Requirements:
Subject Area(s): social studies
Grade Level: 4
Short Description:
This is a project designed to develop in each student a general knowledge profile
of and an appreciaton for the great state of Florida. This project will involve
students in individual and cooperative group research, a field trip to Seminole
Village in Tampa and construction of a personal Florida notebook that students
will enjoy for many years.
Topics:
This letter to the parents also gives a description and purpose for this unit.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Starting May 20, our class will begin a study of Florida. Areas of study will
be the following: recent history, three major industries, natural resources,
Native Americans, and symbols. All students are responsible for compiling a
notebook made up of the printed information sent home with them, personal research,
and assigned writings. Your child’s grade on this project will be based
upon his/her participation in class, test scores, and completion of notebook
assignments. Our Florida unit will take us eight weeks to complete. It is a
pleasure to have your child in this class.
Sincerely yours,
Richard Wise
Approximate Time Required: 1-2 weeks
Gain Attention:
The unit starts with a Power Point presentation. This presentation is not included. It lists the major topics as seen in the Short Description above. The main topic is Florida. Interesting facts about the state are discussed within the content area.
A computer spreadsheet and a database should be provided to students for use with research.
It contains a HyperStudio presentation on Florida
fish. A card layout
template is also included for HyperStudio. This presentation
provides access to a web site that contains a wealth of information on Florida
wildlife. Included in the unit is a lesson that gives students an opportunity
to visit web sites pertinent to each of the unit's content areas.
Expansion: Areas for expansion include conservation and water safety.
Tasks:
Introduction:
The teacher will ask the students to recall important facts from a previous
lesson on the history of the Seminole Indians. The Seminoles fought with the
British against the colonists during the Revolution. The Seminoles harbored
runaway slaves from other states. Colonists forced the Seminoles from their
rich land in north Florida into the mosquito-infested swamps of south Florida.
The teacher will inform the students that this lesson will explore how the Seminoles'
new environment caused them to change their ways. An anticipation guide such
as a KWL will be presented next to guide the children's thinking before, during,
and after the learning experience.
Presentation:
Once on the reservation, the Seminoles soon learned that the swamp that was
now their new homeland could not supply them with the quality nor the quantity
of food they were used to. This land was too wet and too poor in content to
grow most vegetables. The Seminoles liked to hunt deer, rabbits, squirrels,
and other wild game in order to supply their families with fresh meat. However,
on the reserve, the game was sparse and the deer were very small.
Before the Seminoles were forced to live on the reservation they had farms
and lived in log cabins as many other settlers did. Now they had to change many
of their previous ways of living in order to adapt to their new physical environment.
They began to build their house much differently. The swamp houses were called
chickees. The Seminole chickee was a platform built about three feet from the
ground, open on every side, and with a palm leaf roof. Ask the students why
they think the chickee was built this way. Help them to figure out for themselves
the reasons for its design.
Close to each house was a small garden. With so little usable land, not much
food
could be raised.
A favorite food was coontie, made from the roots of a swamp plant which were
pounded into flour and then made into cakes.
One staple food was soflcee. This is a mush made of corn pounded to coarse
grain in a large, partly hollowed-out log. The corn grits were boiled to make
a thin porridge. This was always part of a Seminole meal.
The Seminole fire was unusual. Eight or ten logs were placed lilce the spokes
of a wheel with the fire in the center. As the inner ends of the logs burned
away, the logs were pushed up into the flame. A shelter protected the fire from
rain, and this shelter was also used as a kitchen house. Have the students discuss
why they think the fire was made the way it was.
When the Seminoles lived in North Florida, they rode a horse or walked to places.
In the swamp a dugout canoe became the main mode of transportation.
Guided practice:
Divide the class into heterogeneous groups of two or three. Each group will
share a computer. They will access the internet and type www.seminoletribe.com
in the address window. When the web site links are displayed, encourage the
students to explore the contents of each link. While the students are doing
this, the teacher circulates around the room assisting students and fielding
questions. Allow ten to fifteen minutes for exploration, then tell the students
to find and list five things related to the Seminoles' physical environment
(the reservation) that caused a change in their culture. Allow twenty minutes
for the search. The teacher circulates around the room and assists where needed.
Review:
Have the students come together as a whole class again to discuss their findings.
Following the discussion, a review of the lesson will be given as needed before
the quiz.
Interactions:
There will be heterogeneous groups of two or three. Each group will share a
computer. The students will also work whole group.
Tools:
Software and types of applications:
Web sites:
http://www.state.fl.us/gfc/marine/fkid.htm
http://www.goto.com/d/search/?Keywords=%2Bflorida+%2Battractions
http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/symbols/flags.html
http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/symbols/beverage.html
http://www.firn.edu/flgov.html
Resources:
Marth, D. and Marth, M. (1996), The 1996 Florida Almanac. Suwannee
River Press, Branford, Florida.
Allyn, KC. (1977), Florida Fishes. Great Outdoors Publishing Co., St.
Petersburg, Florida. Rand McNally (1998), Road Atlas. Rand McNally and Company.
Assessments:
Students' evaluations will be based on their attentiveness and participation,
and on a simple quiz given at the end of the lesson. 100% of the students will
take the quiz, and the proficiency level will be 95%. (Quiz and rubric for the
attentiveness and participation evaluation need to be made as the unit progresses.)
