Lesson Plan
Geographic Context for War

Teacher Name: Sherry Schirmer College juniors & seniors Course: HI 326 U.S. Since 1945

Describe the classroom or homework activity to be performed (individual assignment, cooperative learning, cross curricular, technology based, using artifacts and/or primary sources, etc.)

· Given a map of Korea, student teams will label the map showing location of mountains, average high and low temperatures, names of neighboring countries, population centers, and location of cities.

· For each label, individual students will be prepared to explain verbally, the significance of each geographic feature to the conduct of war in Korea.

Rationale (why are you doing this?)

· I need an introductory activity to intro a sub-unit on the Korean war.

· I will use this activity as an “anticipatory set” to spark curiosity in a topic, to give students confidence in their ability to master a subject, and to tap students’ interest in war as a topic.

Required time frame: about 30 minutes total in-class time and 60 minutes out-of-class lab time.

Where in the teacher conference did you get the idea for this activity or assignment (speaker, document, photograph, activity, audio recording, other)?

· Learning About Korea, material provided by the Truman Library in “library lab” for teachers.

· Conversations with fellow college teacher and table mate Mary Ann Mc Cue [McCune?].

Lesson objectives – the student will:

· Be able to label map with standard geographic features.

· Demonstrate knowledge of the meaning of historical “significance.”

· Be able to discuss the significance of those features to warfare.

· Demonstrate knowledge of the meaning of historical “context.”

District, state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met (be specific when referencing): Departmental Expected Learning Outcomes for history majors.

· Identify and characterize major periods in United States and World history using relevant historical context; [including political, economic, social, religious, and cultural institutions].

Secondary materials (book, article, video documentary, etc.) needed – cite title and other detailed information:

· Books and articles available in the Hooley-Bundschu Library of Avila University [to be identified by students]

· Internet resources

Primary sources (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed – cite detailed information:

· Reproducible map of Korea from the activity book, Learning About Korea.

Fully describe the activity or assignment in detail. What will both you and the students do?

I will

· Write up instructions to students.

· Make map and instructions available on-line via Angel system.

· Schedule the activity on the course syllabus.

· Distribute maps and instructions to students

· Conduct –in-class discussion of significance of geography to war strategy.

· Score maps and contributions to discussion.

Students will

· Divide responsibility for geographical features among team members

· Locate relevant information in secondary sources.

· Make notes in prep for discussion over impact on war strategy of each target feature.

· Label maps.

· Contribute to discussion of significance.

· Hand in maps by team.

Assessment: fully explain your assessment method in detail or create and attach your scoring guide:

· Score maps for accuracy and completeness.

· Score contributions to discussion, giving students one point each for any contribution to discussion and 2 points for each “substantive” contribution. Students scoring 3 points or better may apply their discussion points to the next unit exam.