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Subject

Social Studies (NYS K-12 Framework Common Core)

Assessment

Assessment is based on the completion of the student packet, oral presentation and visual presentation (Latin American Festival Day). Students and teacher will create the rubric together, after the students have an understanding of the lesson.

Learning Context/ Introduction

Students will learn about the geography, culture, government and economy of Latin American countries. Using a variety of resources, students will work in groups to fill out a profile describing their Latin American country. The two-week unit will culminate in a celebration of Latin American life.

Duration

This lesson takes two weeks with one forty-minute class period each day. Teacher planning time is approximately 1 hour.
Day 1: Introduction
Day 2-3: Creation of rubric; Library skills taught (databases, reference books, web pages)
Day 4-7: Flexible time in the library for research and creation of a visual
Day 8-9: Presentations
Day 10: Latin American Festival Day

Essential Question

If you were a fifth grade student in Latin America, what would you be learning about your country’s geography, culture, government and economy?

Instructional/Environment Modifications

EBSCO database and The Emerald Lizard are available in English and Spanish. Teacher arranged groups would allow students to be available to help each other.

Procedure

1. Teacher introduces the unit by reading a Latin American folktale. Recommended: The Emerald Lizard: Fifteen Latin American Tales to Tell in English and Spanish, by Pleasant De Spain.
2. Students receive their packet that contains a cover page with a map of Latin America, country assignment sheet, timeline page, resource page, seven worksheets (one for each Latin American country) and a page to record their visual representation and recipe for the Latin American Festival.
3. Teacher introduces the seven countries of Latin America using a world map to show students where Latin America is located in reference to other countries. Teacher helps students label the countries of Latin America on their map (page 1 of the packet).
4. Students are assigned a country in groups of three or four (page 2 of the packet).
5. Teacher explains the lesson to students using the timeline, due dates, library time, list of resources and festival requirements (page 3 and 4 of the packet).
6. Teacher guides the class in the creation of a rubric for this project. The rubric will cover the three assignments for this project, which include the completion of country profile pages, oral presentation, visual presentation and recipe. Once the rubric is created, the teacher will make a copy for students, which can be added to their packet.
7. Students use resources in the library and classroom to complete their country profile. Use of electronic resources and other reference sources will enhance student learning. Each packet has a list of resources to guide students in their research (page 4).
8. Students will prepare a ten-minute presentation about their country.
9. Students will prepare a visual and a recipe pertaining to their country for the Latin American Festival (page 12 of the packet).
10. Students give their ten-minute presentations to the class. Their classmates will fill in the profile for each country as it is presented (pages 5-11 of the packet).
11. Students participate in Latin American Festival Day by sharing a visual about their country and food from their country with classmates, teachers and administrators.

Reflections and Feedback

This lesson was developed to teach students about different cultures providing them with a greater sense of multi-cultural awareness. Students also practiced research skills, group work, organizational skills and public speaking.

Student Work

The attached pages consist of a twelve-page packet to be used by students to record their research and the research of their classmates.

Related Resource

Introductory Folk Tale The Emerald Lizard : Fifteen Latin American Tales to tell in English and Spanish. DeSpain, Pleasant. Little Rock, Ark. : August House, 1999.

Databases:
¨ Ebsco Host
¨ SIRS
¨ Web Feet
¨ World Book

Reference Books:
World Almanac and Book of Facts. ©2001
Lands and People. Grolier Inc. ©1999
World Book Encyclopedia of People & Places. ©1993

Use of ILL to obtain relevant resources is recommended.

International Recipes: http://cooksrecipes.com/category.international.html

Map graphics: http://www.graphicmaps.com/webimage/country/camerica.htm

Materials and Resources

lesson packet
Map graphics

Authors

Debora Donohue
Mary Kay Donegan
Lisa Osur
Kathy Wahl

Related Academic Standards

New York State

5SL4 Report on a topic or text, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support central ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace and volume appropriate for audience.

SS.5.2.a.1 Students will locate the complex societies and civilizations of the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas on a map and when they occurred.

SS.5.4.a Physical maps reflect the varied climate zones, landforms, bodies of water, and natural resources of the Western Hemisphere.

SS.5.4.c.1 Students will map the regions within the Western Hemisphere and locate major physical features within each region.

SS.SSP.5.2.4 Identify and classify the relationship between multiple causes and multiple effects.

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