Geography Formal Lesson Plan

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

Title: Google Earth Coordinate Group Activity
Grade: 7th grade
Author: Joseph Rusek
Number of Class Periods: 1
Essential Questions: How can the economy of a country be reflected by
the religion of its country? How can the current event in one of the countries
be connected to the United States? How do these countries differ/compare to
the United States?
State of Michigan Content Standards:
G1.1.1 Explain and use a variety of maps, globes, and web based
geography technology to study the world, including global,
interregional, regional, and local scales
G 2.2.1 Describe the human characteristics of the region under study
G 6.6.1 Conduct research on contemporary global topics and issues
Learning Objectives:
Become an expert on a country in the Eastern Hemisphere
Analyze differences between countries within the eastern hemisphere
and the western hemisphere
Analyze the interactions between government/culture within a country
in the Eastern Hemisphere
Utilize Google Earth to locate their country using specific coordinates
Content Rationale:
This lesson will be a combination of Geography/Civics/History. This
combination will allow students to see how each of these subjects is closely
related and interact with one another. Students will also be able to get
information on a country in the Eastern Hemisphere which can be used in
future in-class projects. Students will also be able to connect historical
events in a countrys past with a current event, which will allow them to see
how history has shaped their country.
Instructional Strategy Rationale:
As this lesson will be mostly group work, I will stay hands off for much
of the assignment and assist the groups when necessary. This will allow the
students to learn to work with one another to figure out issues or what to do
and also socialize some of the shyer students. Students will be teaching the
class what they learned from their work sheets. This will motivate students to
know more about their countries and will (hopefully) increase attentions with
students presenting rather than the teacher. The students teaching the class
will also allow at least one student in the group to work on presentation skills
and speaking in front of groups of people.
Background and Context:

This lesson would probably be the end of a Human Geography unit.

Students will have learned about human geography and its different aspects
by the time they are given this lesson which will allow them to apply those
aspects to their group work. After this lesson we will head into a physical
geography unit, which is the more natural aspect of the geography discipline
compared to Human Geography.
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence
Diagnostic/Formative Assessments: Students will be mostly graded on
their out-teaching to the rest of the class. This grade would be measured
using things like: Answering the questions on the worksheet, knowledge of
ones country, finishing work sheet on time. Students worksheets will also
be fact checked after the fact to make sure that they gave the class
information. While they may not lose points for incorrect information, the
class will be notified if they were given wrong information that is significant
to the unit/project.
Summative Unit Assessment: The final project for the unit will combine
the human and physical geography lessons into one. Students will be asked
to make and present a project that shows the physical and human geography
of an Eastern Hemisphere country of their choosing. The format of their
project can be decided by the student, whether it be a poster board, video,
power point, etc. is all up to the student. Giving students a choice will
hopefully mean that a few get very creative with their projects.
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences
Instructional Strategy:
Opening/Activator: Introduce the activity as a group project, split
students into groups to have 3-4 students per group, have each group
randomly select piece of paper which will have their coordinates on
them (~10 Minutes)
Activity: Groups will complete their given work sheet using google
earth and the internet and present to the class (~35-40 minutes)
Anticipated Student Interactions/Questions: My plan in to be
mostly hands off during this lesson to try and have the students use
each other as resources. I will answer questions on how to work google
earth, will help the students make sure they used their coordinates
correctly and got the right country, and answer any questions they
may have on teaching what they learned.
Closing/Summarizer: After the groups are done teaching about their
countries, I will give a short summarizer of the main points of each
country and hit on the connection that I spoke on in the content
rationale (how civics/geography/history are all connected and affect
one another) (~5 minutes)

Other Important Information

Materials: Work Sheet (attached), at least one computer per group with
google earth, writing utensils, coloring utensils
Modifications and Accommodations: Students that are not able to work
in groups with students for whatever reason will complete a work sheet with
a classroom assistant or solo if they are capable, these students will also not
be required to present depending on whether they are able to or not.
Extension Ideas: This worksheet will already have some extension in the
end of the unit project. Could have the students take home a shorter
worksheet for homework to fill out on a country their ancestors come from.
This shorter worksheet would be a cool way to get parents involved and to
have students make a more personal connection to the lesson.