Science A sense of place

Overview/Purpose The series of lessons and activities are designed to help students develop a sense of connection to the world and to the community. In addition the students will examine city planning and the effect that it has on natural resources. The activities will incorporate subjects across the curriculum.

Lesson 1 Objective.: Using pictures from a slide show the students will make observations about each and answer questions related to the experience. Materials: pictures, pencil paper, questionnaire Procedure: 1.Study each picture for several minutes and record findings using questions from handout. 2.Rank questions. 3.Discuss/Share Evaluation: Teacher classifies information at board as students compare and contrast results.

Handout Directions:. Rank each picture from one through seven from most to least comfortable. Questions: 1.Which picture made you feel happiest? 2.What influenced your comfort level? Why did you rank the locations the way that you did? 3.What influences the comfort level of plants? 4.What similarities are there between what plants and humans find most comfortable? 5.What differences are there between what plants and humans find most comfortable?

Lesson 2 Objective: The students will write poems and create memory boxes which describe themselves. Materials: poem ”Who I Am”, shoe box,pencil, paper, found and precious items. Procedure: 1. Teacher reads poem,and shares sample student poems. 2. Class discussion about what can be learned about someone from their “verse”. 3.Using personal items students create web using words to describe what they like ;sports, food; what they hear,feel, smell,taste,and,favorite color,etc. 4. Students create poem “Who I Am”,share and discuss with class. 5. Students create memory boxes,attaching poems to box. *Boxes and poems are usually on display for Back to School Night!

Lesson 3 Objective: The students will examine and understand the ‘built” environment, and its relationship to the natural environment. Materials: Maps of Philadelphia, still photographs of city old and new Procedure: 1.Students use maps of 1940 southwest Philadelphia and compare to 2005/6 Philadelphia building density 2. Using maps students locate and highlight water and sewage stations. 3. Students predict the ability of stations to provide for population. 4.Students research prediction in library, share with class. Assessment: Students create graphs which represent housing and population patterns for 1940 and 2005/6.

Lesson 4 Objective 1 : Students identify a drainage basin. Materials: drainage basins, vests, road cones, clipboards Vocabulary: Drainage basin Procedure: 1. Students role play raindrops moving across landscape. a. follow path of raindrop. b. stop as they converge at one or two points c.repeat and place cones at point of origin d.. discuss and answer following questions Assessment 1: 1.How do you know which path the raindrops will take? 2. Do all raindrops reach the lowest part of the drainage basin/ 3. What role does evaporation, vegetation, and, groundwater play in dictating the flow of water in a drainage basin? 4. What is a drainage basin? Drainage divide? Assessment 2: Students measure distance rainwater traveled to basin using footsteps.Results are posted on class graph at board.

Objective 2: Students create Haiku about rain. Materials: photographs in nature,pencil, paper Vocabulary: Haiku Procedure: 1.Teacher reads several poems and asks children to identify characteristics of each. 2.Teacher defines Haiku 3.Class creates poem at board. 4.Students create individual poems.