Ohio Standards Connections:

3rd grade

 

Social Studies

Geography (C-6)

Identify and describe the landforms and climate, vegetation, population and economic characteristics of the local community.

 

Social Studies Skills and Methods (G-4) Read and interpret pictographs, bar graphs, and charts.

 

Social Studies Skills and Methods (G-6b)

 Use a problem-solving/ decision-making process which includes gathering information

 

Math

Number, Number Sense, and Operations (A-2)

Use place value concepts to represent whole numbers using numerals….

 

English/Language Arts

Research (I-3)

Acquire information from multiple sources and collect data about the topic

 

Research (I-5)

Sort relevant information into categories about the topic.

 

Research (I-6)

Understand the importance of citing sources

 

Writing Applications (G-4)

Write informational reports that include the main idea and significant details from the text.

 

LIBRARY GUIDELINES

 

Information Literacy

(A-1)Visit the library media center for academic or personal information needs.

(A-2)  Ask the library media specialist or library staff members for assistance as needed.

(A-3) Explore all areas of the library media center

(B-2) Understand that information books are arranged on the shelf according to their subject using the Dewey Decimal System

(B-4) Locate resources using a title, subject, and/or author search in the library catalog

(C-5) Read for pleasure and information

(D-1) Distinguish between concepts of information and data and identify examples of each.

(D-2) Recognize that information gathering is based upon a need

 

Technological Literacy

(A-1) Use the author, title, and subject search features of the OPAC to locate school library materials.

(A-2) Understand that each item in the OPAC has a bibliographic record with contains information about that item

(A-3) Understand that call numbers and call letters identified on the bibliographic record in the OPAC indicate the physical location of the material

(B-1) Label internet browser elements and explain their function

(B-2) Type a simple search term in a teacher or librarian selected search engine to find general information

(B-4) Read the list of results retrieved from a simple search performed in a search engine and select one of the search results and

review the information retrieved.

Finding the Population

 

Lesson Summary:

The students will use the library to find the population of places around the world.  They will record their findings and compare with classmates.

Estimated Duration:

45 minutes classroom preparation                                                                 30 minutes library research time

Commentary:

This is a great way to integrate reading and writing larger numerals with social studies and library skills.

Pre-Assessment:

Students should be able to recognize the millions period and thousands period, but don’t need to be able to accurately read these numbers aloud at the start of this lesson.

Scoring Guidelines:

Post-Assessment:

Use a current almanac to verify populations students have found.

Scoring Guidelines:

If a mistake is made due to an outdated reference source, redirect the student to find newer data. 

Instructional Procedures:

1.      Define population.                                                                   

2.      Practice reading and writing numbers up to hundred millions place.

3.      Review the terms city, state, and country.

4.      Individuals go to the library to find the population of their places..  Upon arriving at the library, students identify the task to the library staff . Together they brainstorm on print and non-print material that will be useful. Next they locate the material and determine what can be used from these resources. Finally they extract the information and note it on their worksheet.  In the library, reinforce previously introduced places to find information.

5.      In the classroom after results are verified, have students show the population of their place on a number line alongside the results of their classmates.


Differentiated Instructional Support

Students with limited ability to read larger numbers can be given places with smaller populations.

Challenge other students with places with the largest population. Extension                                                                                           Students can follow up by preparing a report on facts about this population.  Find out what these people do, making cultural and economic connections with the data.                                           Homework Options and Home Connections                                  Students can find their country on a map and list neighboring countries and bodies of water.                                                               Interdisciplinary Connections

Students can be encouraged to read more about their country (or city or state). 

Social Studies:  Students can highlight locations where the place can be found on a world map.

Math:  Students can compare the populations of various countries.

Math:  Students can practice reading and writing numbers up to billion’s place.                                                                              Materials and Resources:

For teachers and media specialists

Blackboard or overhead to list explain the use of project worksheet

Copies of the worksheet (structured with fill-in the blank spaces to show the name of the place being researched, the source used for finding the facts, and the date it was published.  Include more spaces for variations and extensions.

 

For students

Pencil and paper.                                                                                     2004 World Almanac for Kids                                                                  2004 World Book Encyclopedia                                                          Geographical Dictionary


Key Vocabulary

Population, published, copyright date, continent, country, state, reference, evaluate, census, index

Technology Connections

Internet bookmarks preselected by the media specialist                      Infohio electronic resources

CD ROM
Research Connections

Encyclopedia                                                                                      Internet

General Tips

Students can guess the population of their place before researching.

Students may have trouble extracting information presented in a chart format, especially when the print is small (having difficulty tracking across the page).

Have enough books so each students has his/her own.

Attachments                                                                                       None