This year our class will be doing a lot of hands on activities relating to the many countries around the world including our own great nation, USA. Each week every student is required to check the web site in order to get acquainted with upcoming projects we will be starting. Failure to do this could result in point reduction on the upcoming assignment! Parents, it is most important that you check the web site periodically in order to keep track of your students progress as well as the class' progress throughout the year.
My goal this year is to use many hands-on techniques to help your child learn as much as possible before entering their middle school years. Many of the projects we will be doing are intended for grades 5-8 and could pose to be a slight challenge, but there are to be no worries, I am always around for any questions or concerns about a child's progress. Many times with such a vast age range, children at this age feel that they may not be as bright as children in higher grades such as 7th or 8th, but with the techniques I will be using, the only difference our class may have rivaled against an 8th grade class is, they might be a little shorter! I feel 5th graders are the smartest out of the bunch and more willing to dig into whatever is in store for them. Our children are ready and eager to learn this year so I hope it will pose to be a wonderful year for all of us.
We will be jumping into the wonderful world of GEOGRAPHY!
There are many countries around the world, for the next week we will be studying a group of countries known as CIS countries. CIS stands for the Commonwealth of Independent States. This title represents 11 countries of Asia. Before becoming the CIS, all of these countries were ruled under one political power known as the USSR ( Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), this was mostly Russian ruled. The USSR was a communist country, this meant that everything was handled by the government. This went on many years until the major break up of the USSR in 1991. Though all of the CIS is interesting, we will be focusing on one country in particular, this country is UZBEKISTAN! Uzbekistan is a beautiful historic country set in the midst of Central Asia. The most populous country in Central Asia, Uzbekistan stands in the top five producers of cotton as well as the third largest ethnic group of the former USSR. Along with that, Uzbekistan is mainly Muslim which is the majority religion. There are many historical cities in Uzbekistan including the ancient cities of Tashkent (the capital), Samarqand, and Bukhara, all which created the great Silk Road to China. Though most populated, the country is still 80% desert. What else can you find out???
(Please
check off as we complete)(100
pt. project!!!)
1. Comparing the USA, Tennessee, and Nashville to Uzbekistan.
A. Does Uzbekistan have any zoos, parks, bridges, or political landmarks like your city of Nashville?
B. How does the size of Uzbekistan compare to the state of Tennessee? To the United States? *hint: Use your Student Atlas of World Geography.*
C. What do kids do for fun in Uzbekistan? Is it anything like you may do?
D. Is the way of life any different in Uzbekistan than in Nashville? Or anywhere in the United States?
2. Knowing major landmarks and cities such as major bodies of water, the capital city, and mountain ranges.
3. Outlining a map of Uzbekistan and filling in cities, rivers, lakes, and anything else that may be interesting, like mountain ranges or where an important event took place. *hint: Use links at the bottom for information and map outline!*
4. Knowing the surrounding countries by adding them to your map.
5. Reporting anything that you may find extra interesting to the class during your presentation. (5-10pts. Extra Credit!)
6. Understand the three Geography Standards we will be using and how they relate to our study. (Will be multiple choice on test!)
A. Standard 1: "How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective."
B. Standard 3: "How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface."
C. Standard 4: "The physical and human characteristics of places."
7. Lastly, you will be planning a weekend trip to Uzbekistan. (This will be in the form of a short essay done as a group and handed in during your presentation (20 pts. of the 60 pt. project portion)
A. How will you get there?
B. Where in Uzbekistan will you go?
C. What will you see?
D. What is there to do?
*You will be tested on all information learned in this study of a foreign land in the form of a 20 question test (40 pts.), and group project (60 pts.). All extra or exciting materials and/or information will be awarded extra credit individually! Please do not, I repeat, do not blow off the test, it is very important to our geography study as well as the project portion!*
Uzbekistan Info. Do you know it?
1. Groups will be no larger than 3 persons (Please choose groups wisely!!!).
2. Class time should and will be used to prepare projects and study the region of Uzbekistan more in depth in the form of class discussion and lecture.
3. Each project must include a visual with limited information.
4. All other information will be split up equally between each member of the group in the form of verbal communication to the class.
5. Have fun with this and be as creative as you can!
