All About Pinellas County

TEC Lesson Plan

Contributor Information Standards Lesson Plan

Contributor Information
Name: Patricia A. Whissel
e-mail address:patwhissel@hotmail.com
School:Plumb Elementary
Standards
Sunshine State Standards
Click on the above link to view the Sunshine State Standard alignment for this Unit of Practice.

NET Standards

Click on the above link to view the alignment of this Unit of Practice with the National Educational Technology Standards.

Lesson Plan

Title: All about Pinellas County
Technology Resource Requirements (list all required hardware and software): Computers with Internet access and the capacity to be broadcast to the television; Appleworks or Microsoft Word (or other application with word processing, spreadsheet and database capabilities);Inspiration; Powerpoint or player; Hyperstudio; Hyperstudio plugin; Scanner; Printmaster Gold, Print Artist, or other program with a large graphics library; single lens reflex 35 mm camera or digital camera with downloading capabilities; television; VCR.

Subject Area(s):Social studies/science/literature integrated unit

Grade Level: 3

Short Description (briefly describe the activity and purpose): This unit is designed to develop a general knowledge and appreciation for the unique history and environment found in Pinellas County. It will integrate science and social studies to give students an understanding about how Pinellas County has grown and changed in the past and help students recognize ways that they can impact the future of Pinellas County.

Approximate Time Required: Several weeks to several months
Describe the procedure for conducting this activity, using the appropriate items from the list below as a guide:

Gain Attention: There are two ways to start this project. Both involve photographs and pictures. The first way is to bring already existing photos and pictures to form a class collage. Another option is to contact Kodak and/ or a local photo processing company about a program called Cameras in the Classroom. Student/Parent letter for either method are included below.

Dear Students and Parents,

We are beginning a study of Pinellas County. Pictures are a terrific way to help us understand the unique characteristics of our area. Students are asked to bring in any pictures that show Pinellas County during the last decade (ten years). This may be photographs that you have taken or something cut out of a local magazine or newspaper. This can be anything from crafts shows to parks, from local businesses to public buildings. We will be making a collage so please do not bring anything that will need to be brought back home of of value. This is a Pinellas County treasure hunt. Have fun and enjoy the search. You'll be amazed at the amazing pictures you can find.

Always,

Web Sites for this Unit of Practice

Social Studies-History of Pinellas County (back to top)

For how to use photography programs in education visit Kodak K-12 Solutions.

The Homepage of Clearwater Florida has a section on tourism. Visit a brief history of Clearwater to find out about Clearwater's past!

Visit this site to find out what attractions are in the Tampa Bay and West Central Florida area.

Visit Clearwater Beach Travel and Tourism Visitors Guide to find the current weather and city government sites.

Lesson Plans, activities, and facts from the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Historical Resources; Contains an interactive Kids Page and Teacher Resources

Florida Archeology is a place to explore and learn about the people and the land of Florida.

This site gives a brief description of Pinellas County History with additional links to Heritage Village, a liviing Historical Museum.

Science/Literature

Lists Magic Schoolbus topics available for history and archeology.

Literature

www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com-This author writes about nature and environmental issues. The Web Site has an overview of her books and gives tips to help students with their writing.

Science-Animals of the area (back to top)

Find information regarding endangered species of the world at Endangeredspecie.com. Do a keyword search to find the Florida endangered wildlife.

Find additional information about endangered species at the Defenders of Wildlife site.

A site about the anoles (lizards) that roam throughout Pinellas County.

Visit SharkFriends to find out about sharks and some other species found in the waters surrounding Pinellas County.

The National Wildlife Federation has a Ranger Rick's Kids Zone that has learning about the environment fun.

Science-Environment (back to top)

Southwest Florida Water Management District is established to preserve and protect the states water resources and related natural systems. Find out more about Swiftmud.

Surf your Watershed is a site by the United States Environmental Protection agency. You can investigate water quality assessments for the state of Florida's watersheds.

Water Environment Federation has areas for elementary, and secondary college students as well as teachers.

Educating Young People About Water is provided by the University of Wisconsin. You will find materials searchable by grade level.

Find out the role the Tampa Bay Estuary Program has in saving Tampa Bay.

Other Pinellas County Resources

Textbooks/County Units/Videos/Other Teacher Guides:

Social Studies

Pinellas History Unit/Grade 3 by Irene Seybold-This Pinellas County unit contains resources and information about the origins of life in Pinellas County and continues through the settling and growth of the county. There are many documents provided to help teachers and students understand how the unique location and growth of our county have influenced its history.

Science

Discover the Wonder-Protecting the Earth, Habitats, Gardening--Various sections of these science textbooks can be used to help students understand how the environment has influenced the history of Pinellas
County. Protecting the Earth concentrated upon water and land pollution. This is very current and relevant because of out current water shortage.--Video Disks and Science Experiment Kits are available with these units.

Watershed Excursion-A St. Petersburg Times Supplement with Teacher's Guide provides student information and provides valuable materials about water distribution and use in Pinellas County.

Magic School Bus Videos--Topics that may be useful depending upon how in-depth you choose to make the unit.

Animals (back to top)

In the City: city critters
Goes Upstream: migration
Goes to Mussel Beach: tidal zones
Gets Swamped: wetlands
Takes a Dive: coral reefs
In a Beehive: honeybees
Spins a Web: spiders
Going Batty: bats
Butterfly and the Bog Beast: butterflies
Gets Ants in the Pants: ants

Environment (back to top)

Gets Planted: photosynthesis
In the Rain Forest: rain forest ecology
Rocks and Rolls: water erosion
Holiday Special: recycling
Wet All Over: water
Gets Eaten: the food chain
Hops Home: habitat
Meets the Rot Squad: decomposition
All Dried Up: desert adaptation
Kicks up a Storm: weather

Plants (back to top)

Gets Planted: photosynthesis
Goes to Seed: seeds

Archeology (back to top)

Shows and Tells: archaeology

Literature (back to top)

Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George. This book is about endangered spotted owls and their environment. It shows the complex relationship of habitat, animals, and man.

Rent a Third Grader by B. B. Hiller. This book demonstrates how third graders can play a role in community service.

Virtual Cody by Betsy Duffey. A book that shows students using computers for journals and also discusses personal heritage, diversity, and family.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. A picture book about environmental issues.

Community Ties by Houghton Mifflin. The currently adopted reading series contains many stories about communities and diversity.

A list of Pinellas County approved speakers and their topics is included. Be certain to follow the procedures outlined in the Speaker's Bureau booklet.

Powerpoint Presentation:

A Powerpoint presentation is used to introduce students to the Beginnings of Pinellas County and Exploration in Pinellas County. This should be used in conjunction with the Pinellas History Unit/Grade 3 written by Irene Seybold. An evaluation of student understanding of the presentation information is also included for your convenience.

Hyperstudio Presentation:

Students will be required to create a Hyperstudio presentation of at least 8 cards about an animal that is found in or around Pinellas County. An Animal Hyperstudio Project presentation information letter is included along with a Student Planning Worksheet. There is a sample Hyperstudio presentation about a Rabbit to help students to better understand the expectations for their animal projects. The Animal Hyperstudio Project Rubric will be used to evaluate their work. Click here to download the Hyperstudio plugin to play the sample presentation.

All About Pinellas County

Social Studies-Third Grade

Part 1-Introduction to Pinellas County-Where are we? Who are we today?

Introduce unit with project of Photo Collage (see letter above)
Brainstorm resources and categories-use Inspiration
Use the Kodak site to provide a guide to cameras and photography to use with your students. There is also a Teacher's Guide available to help you with this project.
One week to return camera
Create template for student pages (See Sample)
Select page(s) from students to display or create books and pamphlets.

Assessment: Create Rubric to evaluate Photography Projects.

Pinellas County geography and terms
Maps and Globes-County unit
Use internet to obtain current maps
Study maps of local area
Make paper mache globes
Newspaper weather maps/ keys/scale
Transparency masters-Outline of Florida, Outline of Pinellas County

Assessment: Test available in third grade county unit on Maps and Globes

Part 2-Early History and Exploration of Pinellas County

Use Powerpoint to introduce students to the Beginnings of Pinellas County
Use County guide to add information
Native American information

Yat Kitschee document
Archeology activities from CountyGuide/Magic Schoolbus video available
Transparency masters-Tocobaga Indians, Indian Mounds, Indian Mound locations, Early Indian Artifacts, Weeden Island Pottery
Resource Sheet-Indian Mounds, Archeology Activities

Click here to see a list for possible speakers.
Explorer information: use Powerpoint presentation to introduce Explorers of Pinellas County with the Resource sheet-Stories about Explorers.

Who Are We Text: Exploration(script courtesy of the St. Petersburg Museum of History)
Transparency masters-Explorers, Routes of Spanish Explorers
Have students take notes by creating Ruler Timeline project mentioned in guide.
Put link on own Web pages so students can review POWERPOINT to study for test
Create Web Search about Explorers and early Pinellas History.

Assessment: Give Explorer Test when done with this section.

Part 3-Settlement (1800's)
There is a tremendous amount of information available for this. Use as much information as you would like. Students usually enjoy this section.

Click here to see a list of some web sites with historical and current information about Pinellas County.
Use County guide to add information
Define differences between Settler or pioneer and explorer

Who Are We Text: Pioneering
Pinellas County Historical Background(1 copy at each school or obtained through Heritage Village of the Pinellas County Planning Department, (727)464-4751, for a small fee)
How did railroads and technology create change?
Copy of The Sea Breeze newspaper from the late 1800's
Sea Breeze article-Taming Florida
Names, Faces, and Familiar Places: The Landmarks of Pinellas (Script courtesy of St. Petersburg Museum of History)
Historic Sites on Pinellas County
Transparency masters-The State of Florida-1888, Pinellas Peninsula-1888, Odet Philippe, The McMullen Cabin, Abel Miranda, Location of Early Settlers, Lifestyle in the Pinellas Area, Inside a Log House, Making Clothing, Clothing of Pinellas Pioneer Children, School Days
Resource Sheets-Stories of Early Settlers, The Story of the First McMullen in Pinellas County, Food, Making Butter, Making Bread, Making Marmalade, Shelter, Clothing, Schools, School Rules, Spelling Bee, Early Games.
Worksheets-Kitchen Match-Up, Stories from the McGuffey Reader, Math Problems, Poetry
Use The Year We Moved to Florida: A Young Girl's Diary of the Eighteen-Seventies by M. K. Wilcox

Assessment options:

* Students write a letter to a friend describing their life in 1800's Pinellas County.
* Make a diorama of a pioneer log house. Use an old shoebox or pizza box to recreate the inside and outside of a log house in Pinellas County. You may use any materials you would like. Suggestions are clay, bark, sticks, colored tissue paper, popsicle sticks, or other items to make the structure and the furniture. (Give about 2 weeks for this assignment.) It should be a recognizable likeness of a log house and show an awareness of the time period.

Part 4-Early 1900's
Use County guide
Interview a person at least 40 years older than you about changes they have seen in their lifetime.
Use Ideas to Stimulate Interest in the Early 1900's
Resource Sheets-Old Postcards, Interview Questions, Time Capsule

Assessment Options:

* Students use photos (from beginning) to create a brochure about Pinellas County today.
* Research ideas and inventions of the 20th century that have made life easier in Florida and Pinellas County. Each student should be responsible for several and create a class timeline using dates, pictures, and possibly the original cost.
* Have each student bring in one item for a time capsule with a story justifying why it should be included in a representation of today and what someone a hundred years from now will learn about people from that article.
Field trip to Heritage Park
Use camera to record specifics of trip
Write a news story using these photos to share on web page or in school newsletter
:

All About Pinellas County-Science

Third Grade
Protecting the Earth-Scott Foresman Science

Part 1-Clean Water
Tie this to the Pinellas County environment and habitat when discussing why people chose to settle here.
Discuss water and its importance in Pinellas County
Pollution Solutions
Aquifer and EPA and Swiftmud/ water restrictions and conservation
Tampa Bay Estuary
Create model of water treatment facility and make observations

A list of some Magic Schoolbus videos about the environment is available.

See the list for possible speakers
Discuss water cycle
Make water cycle bottles and have students record daily observations (use Scientific Method)
Create note cards /game to help students to learn to study for tests
Assessment: Unit test

Part 2-All About Trash
Tie this to the study of the middens and archeology. Do the trash survey for both Social Studies and Science!
Look at trash and ways to dispose of it
Discuss landfills
Talk about earthworms and other organisms and how they can help.
Second Chances
Look at recycling and creative ways to dispose of trash
Make recycled paper/lint pins and paper
Create note cards /game to help students to learn to study for tests

Assessment Options:

*Recycling Project/sculpture
*Unit test

Part 3-Making a Difference
Living Together

Literature links include The Lorax and There's an Owl in the Shower.
Discuss how changes in the environment change the habitat for all living things
Discuss animal populations
Define community and how it applies Pinellas County
Discuss endangered and extinct animals
Protecting Plants and Animals
Discuss the impact of technology, growth and change on the Pinellas County Environment and habitat.
Create note cards /game to help students to learn to study for test

Assessment: Unit test

Part 4-Animal Hyperstudio Project

Click here to view a list of Magic Schoolbus videos about animals.

Click here to see a few selected web sites about animals.

Introduction

Sample Project

Click here to download the Hyperstudio plugin to enable you to play the sample project.

Assessment: Hyperstudio Project Rubric

Allow several weeks to complete Animal Projects.
During this time:

Have students select a regional animal. One per student.
Help students learn how to find information in information books, encyclopedias, and on the internet.
Give students the Card templates and have them start to place very small (one sentence) chunks of information for each card.
Introduce students to Hyperstudio and allow them some time to "play" with the tools and colors.
Discuss color schemes. Have students select colors.
Show how to insert text boxes and colors. Have students create their text boxes, choose a font and size for text (limit choices); create and duplicate cards; and save stacks.
Show students how to create buttons for linking cards and a "button strip" for navigating. Have them select a transition to use for all cards. Instruct them to duplicate these cards.
Show students how to use Extras/Storyboard to move, delete, and navigate in their stack.
Have students input text from their template notes.
Have students spell check their information.
Show students how to locate and save images appropriate for each card from graphics programs and the internet into a desktop file.
Have students insert the graphics from the desktop onto the appropriate cards.
Give instruction then have students create a Title Card.
Check card placement and navigation buttons.
Have students find an animation object.
Give instruction then have students insert the animation.
Show students how to roll text and "give it voice."
Review project for accuracy of buttons.

Gardening-Scott Foresman Science
Part 5-Plants and Energy
How Your Garden Grows

A list of Magic Schoolbus videos about plants is available.
Experiment-Place three different seeds in a clear container with a damp paper towel and record observations as they germinate.
Learn parts of seeds, requirements for seed germination, beginnings of photosynthesis
Food for Energy
Discuss producers and consumer.
Food Chain
Relate this to Pinellas County habitat, environment, and animal projects. Discover whether animals are herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores and what role they play in the success of the Pinellas county habitat.
Create note cards /game to help students to learn to study for test

Assessment: Unit test
Local plants and animals
Field Trip to Maple Swamp or other Nature Park

Part 6-Soil and Water
Return to the role of water in plant growth and tie this to the difficulties faced in Pinellas County with water supply.
Discuss soil types and the soil found in Pinellas County. What role does our soil type have in our water dilemna?
Experiment with growing various seeds in several types of soil. How does soil type affect seed germination and plant growth?
Water on Earth
Go back to the water cycle and the forms that water takes.
Discuss precipitation, evaporation, and condensation plus transpiration to include the role that plants play in this cycle.
Create note cards /game to help students to learn to study for test
Assessment: Unit test

All About Pinellas County

Reading and Literature-Third Grade

Text-Community Ties
This has a wide variety and number of genre of stories all related to the diversity of different communities.
Comprehension strategies/ Author's purpose/compare and contrast

Rent a Third Grader by B. B. Hiller-Trade Book-shared reading
This is a great class book about how even third graders can make a difference in their community. A great book to encourage the class to think about a service project.
Writing a book summary.
Plot/ story development/ problem-solution/ character development

There's an Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George-read aloud
This book is about the endangered spotted owl in a California community. It discusses how the environment and man have played a role in the destruction of a species and how various members of families and the community react. It dramatically shows the role we play in preserving our environment.
Writing a book summary.
Plot/ problem-solution/ character development/ author's purpose/descriptive language
This and other books by George would be appropriate.

Virtual Cody by Betsy Duffey
This book discusses the diversity found in a third grade classroom and how individuals handle difficulties in their lives. It also relates to computers because the main character keeps a computer journal which the reader gets to share.
Book Summary/ comprehension/ problem-solution/plot

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
This picture book deals with the destruction of the environment. A great way to deal with a real problem on a different level.
Allows students to draw conclusions.

Assessments throughout by writing class Book Reports and story summaries and, assigning cooperative book projects Tests similar to the PR-FCAT can also be created using the templates provided by the County through the CRISS Training.