Explorers+Cooperative+Group+Activity+and+Presentation

Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts by Kimberlee Smith Grade: 4th
 * Explorers Cooperative Group Activity and Presentation**

Grade Level Expectations:
Demonstrate knowledge of standard English usage, mechanics, and spelling. Demonstrate knowledge of standard English sentence structure. Continue to develop oral language skills necessary for communication. Continue to develop listening skills necessary for communication. Write for a variety of purposes and to a variety of audiences. Conduct research to access and present information. Present research in a written report. Continue to develop logic skills to facilitate learning and to enhance thoughtful reasoning. Use logic to make inferences and draw conclusions in a variety of oral and written contexts. Apply logic skills to classroom situations and to selections read. Apply skills and strategies to comprehend informational texts. Recognize the different text features of informational texts. Recognize that media can be a source of information and entertainment. Use media to publish and present information. Use active comprehension strategies to derive meaning while reading and check for understanding while reading.

Social Studies Standards:
Explain the influences of physical and human features on historical events. Realize that geographic, technological, and scientific factors contributed to the European age of exploration and settlement in the Americas. Describe the immediate and long-term impact of Columbus’ voyages on Native populations and on colonization in the Americas. List the characteristics of the Spanish and Portuguese exploration and settlement of the Americas. Explain how European settlers created a new culture. Identify the economic motivations for European exploration and colonization. Identify the economic motivations for European exploration and settlement in Tennessee and the Western Hemisphere. Use economic concepts such as supply, demand, and price to help explain events.

Materials:
Kidspiration Power Point Internet Printer Rubric

The teacher will:
Carefully select students to work cooperatively in groups of 2-3 on this project. The students will decide who will have what assignment in their group. The assignments include researcher using the internet and/or book, someone to complete Kidspiration graphic organizer, and someone to complete powerpoint including dragging pictures from the internet to the powerpoint. Students may choose to work together on each part of the activity or to assign the different parts to a group member(s).

Assign an explorer to each group and provide each group with a rubric to score themselves when finished. Students will have to justify the score they give themselves.

Act as a facilitator allowing the students to have more involvement and ownership of their learning.

The student will:
Decide in their group who will complete which part of the assignment. You may have a researcher, someone who enters information in the Kidspiration graphic organizer, and someone who completes the power point presentation. You may also decide to share in the responsibilities of each part. The decision is yours and you should only spend about 3-4 minutes deciding how to complete the assignment.

When you are ready to complete your assignment begin your research. You may use the i**nternet, encyclopedias, trade books, and your Social Studies textbook**. Go to **Kidspiration** on your desktop. Click on the **Social Studies box** and scroll down using the arrows on the side until you find the **box labeled Explorers**. Click on the box and **follow the directions**.

When you have completed your research and Kidspiration graphic organizer, print your organizer so you can reference it while completing your powerpoint. Make sure your graphic organizer has enough information in it to complete the powerpoint effectively. As you complete your powerpoint, save it periodically to your desktop. Make it appealing to your audience by adding color, sound, and pictures from the internet.

When you are finished with your project, practice your presentation with the group. You will need to know more about your explorer than what is in the powerpoint. Remember you are the teacher and students may ask you questions.

After the students are finished with their presentations the teacher will:
Collect all graphic organizers and use them to prepare a quiz using [|quizlet]