Focus Plan
Texarkana Independent School District
GRADING PERIOD: / 6th Six Weeks / PLAN CODE: / SS10.6.2writer: / Ruth Bates / Course/subject: / World History
Grade(s): / 10th / Time allotted for instruction: / 2 days
Title: / Is Change Always Good
Lesson TOPIC: / Students will analyze environmental affects on economic development and the global economy using maps, charts and graphs.
TAKS Objective: / Objective 2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of
geographic influences on historical issues and events.
FoCUS TEKS and Student Expectation: / G1 The student understands how geographic contexts (the geography
of places in the past) and processes of spatial exchange (diffusion)
influenced events in the past and helped to shape the present.
The student is expected to:
(A) analyze the effects of physical and human geographic
patterns and processes on events in the past and describe
their effects on present conditions, including significant
physical features and environmental conditions that
influenced migration patterns in the past and shaped the
distribution of culture groups today (correlates with WH 12 B)
Supporting TEKS and Student Expectations: / 8.10 The student uses geographic tools to collect, analyze, and
interpret data. The student is expected to:
(B) answer questions about geographic distributions and
patterns shown on maps, graphs, and charts.
Concepts / Enduring Understandings/Generalizations/Principles
The student will understand that
Interpret / interpreting and creating maps, graphs and charts enables the student to locate the Aswan High Dam in Egypt and its geographic environment
Sequencing / sequencing of events enables the student to describe when the Aswan High Dam was constructed and the economic developments that led to global economy
Cause and effect / identifying cause and effect is the ability to understand how construction of the Aswan High Dam is linked to global economy
Compare/Contrast / comparing and contrasting is the ability to identify the pros and cons of the Aswan High Dam construction
I. Sequence of Activities (Instructional Strategies)
A. Focus/connections/anticipatory set
The teacher will ask the students to brainstorm changes that have occurred in their
lifetime. The these changes can be personal, some you may have seen on t.v., read
about in the newspaper that are sports or political related, school related. Etc.
B. Instructional activities
(demonstrations, lectures, examples, hands-on experiences, role play, active learning experience, art, music, modeling, discussion, reading, listening, viewing, etc.)
1. Objectives: Students will demonstrate an understanding of geographic
influences of the Aswan High Dam.
2. Procedures: Students will create maps, charts and graphs to analyze
environmental affects on economic developments and the global
economy following construction of the Aswan High Dam.
3. Modeling: The teacher will use an overhead projector to record students’ responses to changes that have occurred during their lifetime.
Allow 3 to 5 minutes depending on students’ participation.
Next the teacher will ask, “Have all these changes been good?”
The teacher will randomly select one change listed by the students and ask, “Was ______a change for the good?” Why was it good? Why wasn’t it good?”
Allow student discussion. The teacher will continue randomly
selecting other changes on the list until all students have
participated in the discussions.
C. Guided activity or strategy
The teacher will state, “Today we will be analyzing changes that occurred after the construction of the Aswan High Dam on the upper Nile River in Egypt. Egypt is a desert with 99% of the people living on 4% of the land. By constructing the dam, the flood waters could be controlled permitting year-round irrigation for farming in the delta. However, not all the changes were good.”
The teacher will use a computer to open “Close Up of Aswan Dam”. This includes a map of the dam, description of the dam, good effects and bad effects.
D. Accommodations/modifications
E. Enrichment
II. STUDENT PERFORMANCE
A. Description
1. Students will design a map labeling Egypt, the Nile River and the Aswan High Dam.
2. Students will create one of the following:
a) Cause and Effect Chart
b) Flow Chart
c) Compare/Contrast Chart listing pros and cons
illustrating how the environment was linked to economic development and global
economy as a result of the Aswan High Dam.
3. Students will write a definitive paragraph as to whether or not the Aswan High Dam
was a change for the good. The paragraph must include factual information to
substantiate your position.
B. Accommodations/modifications
C. Enrichment
iii. Assessment of Activities
A. Description
One rubric will assess the three-part assignment. A separate grade will be assessed
each part. i.e.
(Map – 50, 70, 85 or 100; Chart -50, 70, 85 or 100; Paragraph – 50, 70, 85 or 100)
B. Rubrics/grading criteria
Rubric will include assessment of the three-part assignment (map, chart and
paragraph)
Rubric and Grading Criteria
Aswan High Dam Construction Effects
Criteria / MapPoints Points
Available Earned / Chart
Points Points Available Earned / Paragraph
Points Points Available Earned / Notes
Attempted –Poorly researched or incomplete / 50 / 50 / 50
Minimal- Shows limited research, poorly organized and reflects student’s limited understanding of the assignment. / 70 / 70 / 70
Adequate – Assignment is well researched and written with few errors. / 85 / 85 / 85
Exemplary – Presentation shows thorough research, is very well organized and has no mechanical errors. / 100 / 100 / 100
C. Accommodations/modifications
D. Enrichment
E. Sample discussion questions
1. What tools will you use to help determine the good and bad changes as a result
of the Aswan High Dam construction?
Resources: textbook, internet, which search engines
Charts: Pro/Con; Cause and Effect; Flow Chart
2. What natural resources were available for the construction?
3. How did the dam help the economy of the environment?
Control flooding in the Delta – extended growing season
4. In what ways did the dam construction lead to economic development and global economy? Explain your response.
Responses will vary
5. When was the Aswan Dam constructed?
1960
6. Who was the political leader that built the Aswan High Dam?
Gamal Abdel Nasser, an Arab leader of Egypt
7. Which Egyptian president opened Egypt to foreign investment and private business?
Anwar Sadat
IV. TAKS Preparation
A. Transition to TAKS context
The teacher will state,
“The focus of today’s lesson was the construction of the Aswan High Dam and changes
that resulted. Some changes were good and others not so good. Take a second to look
at the pros and cons we have discussed and underline the primary effect”.
B. Sample TAKS questions
2004 TAKS, Objective 02, TEKS G 1 (A) Correlates to WH 12 (B)
What was the primary effect of the construction of the Aswan High Dam along
the Nile River in the 1960s?
A It created a boundary between Israel and Egypt.
B It created a large recreation area.
C It provided flood control and electricity I the region.
D It led to the discovery of many ancient Egyptian treasures.
Correct Answer: C
V. Key Vocabulary
Delta, global economy
VI. Resources
A. Textbook
Prentice Hall, World History Connections To Today pages 895-896
B. Supplementary materials
Map pencils
Outline Map of Africa
Rubric and Grading Criteria
Transparency – Sample TAKS Question
Transparency – Changes In My Lifetime
Transparency – Outline Map of Africa ( Prentice Hall Historical Outline Map pg. 68)
C. Technology
Overhead projector, Computer or InFocus Projector
VII. follow up activities
(reteaching, cross-curricular support, technology activities, next lesson in sequence, etc.)
Maps, charts and paragraphs are due the next class meeting.
Students will present their paragraphs in a debate forum. The teacher will select two
students representing the pros and two students representing the cons. This will continue
until all students have participated in the debate.
At the conclusion of the debates, the teacher will poll the students on pros vs. cons and
chart the results. Be sure to include any neutral positions.
VIII. Teacher Notes
The teacher will need to preview “Close Up of Aswan Dam” before presenting to class. The teacher
may choose to show only the map and photograph of the dam on the first day. After the students
have submitted charts, the teacher may wish to show the good and not so good effects listed on the
“Close Up of Aswan Dam”.
Make enough copies of the Rubric for each student to record Assessment Grade.
You will need a transparency of the Rubric to discuss with students.
¨ Division of Curriculum and Instruction ¨ School Improvement Department ¨ Texarkana Independent School District