Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles in Mexico

[Pages:25]Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles in Mexico

By Fulbright Seminar Abroad -- Mexico-Peru

Summer 2008

Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles in Mexico

Menomonie Area School District, WI ? Menomonie Middle School Designer: Subject: Social Studies & English Time Frame: 1?2 weeks Grades: 6?8 Key Concepts: Geographic Regions and People in Mexico

Connections to Wisconsin State Standards Social Studies

Geography A.8.1 Use a variety of geographic representations, such as political, physical, and topographic maps, a globe, aerial photographs, and satellite images, to gather and compare information about a place. A.8.8 Describe and analyze the ways in which people in different regions of the world interact with their physical environments through vocational and recreational activities. A.8.9 Describe how buildings and their decoration reflect cultural values and ideas, providing examples such as cave paintings, pyramids, sacred cities, castles, and cathedrals. A.8.11 Give examples of the causes and consequences of current global issues, such as the expansion of global markets, the urbanization of the developing world, the consumption of natural resources, and the extinction of species, and suggest possible responses by various individuals, groups, and nations. Political Science and Citizenship C.8.1 Identify and explain democracy's basic principles, including individual rights, responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws, freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights. Economics D.8.11 Describe how personal decisions can have a global impact on issues such as trade agreements, recycling, and conserving the environment. Behavioral Science E.8.7 Identify and explain examples of bias, prejudice, and stereotyping, and how they contribute to conflict in a society.

Language Arts

Reading/Literature A.8.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading. A.8.3 Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in order to understand human experience. A.8.4 Read to acquire information. Writing B.8.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles p. 2 of 25

B.8.3 Understand the function of various forms, structures, and punctuation marks of standard American English and use them appropriately in communications.

Unit Goals: ? Use and interpret maps and graphs to answer geographic questions about Mexico's landforms, waterways, and cities. ? Compare and contrast the life of different groups of people in select regions of Mexico.

? Understand the class systems in both urban and rural settings with comparisons to our

community.

Understandings: ? Students will understand that geography affects lifestyle and culture. ? Students will understand that class affects lifestyle and culture.

Essential Questions: ? What are the geographic features of specific regions in Mexico? ? Where are major cities located? ? What is the climate and vegetation that is located in specific regions? ? How does geography affect lifestyle and culture? ? How does class standing affect lifestyle and culture?

Students will know and be able to: 1. Cite place, location, and demographics of Mexico. 2. Develop cultural understanding of regions and how it pertains to different socioeconomic groups. 3. Collect and organize data. 4. Synthesize information and communicate findings with differentiated projects 5. Read and interpret maps, graphs, charts, etc. 6. See life from an alternate perspective. 7. Understand that lifestyle and culture is determined by many things, including geography and class.

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Task: ? Students will write a RAFT from an alternate perspective graded by a rubric. ? Students will do map work locating cities, landform, and waterways. ? Students will analyze climate and vegetation from specific regions.

Other Evidence: ? Assessment of notes taken on short readings ? Daily check on progress toward final projects ? Map test on location of cities and major landforms

Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles p. 3 of 25

Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles p. 4 of 25

LEARNING PLAN

Materials needed [all handouts are included in this document]: Geography

Maps of Mexico ? political, physical, climate, population density, and vegetation List of cities, landforms, and waterways to label and memorize for Map Test Map test Regional maps of landforms, climate, and vegetation ? South Central-Mexico City,

Southeast-San Cristobal de las Casas, Gulf Coast-Verazcruz/Merida Survey

Cultural Study Contemporary Stories of young people in the region ? South Central-Mexico City, SoutheastSan Cristobal de las Casas, Gulf Coast-Veracruz/Merida Notetaking Grid RAFT Organizer RAFT (Roles, Audience, Format, Topic) Sheet Rubric for RAFT Regional photos [not included here; suggested download: Mexico PowerPoint from Galina Tchoulirova's unit on this Web site]

Sequence of Teaching and Learning:

1. Present the maps of Mexico (political, physical, climate, population density, and vegetation) to students. Compare maps to discuss issues that affect people's lives, such as: the most comfortable climate, the kind of natural environment that's pleasant, the number of people in the area, etc.

2. Hand out map list for the test. Have students fill in the map. This information will be tested at a later date.

3. Divide students into 3 groups: South Central-Mexico City, Southeast-San Cristobal de las Casas, Gulf Coast-Merida/Veracruz. Hand students in each group the maps (landforms, climate, vegetation) of their region, along with the survey for them to complete. Students will analyze maps and answer questions on surveys.

4. Hand out regional stories. Students will use the notetaking grid to record important information. Show photos of each region.

5. Hand out RAFT organizer and RAFT sheet. Students need to select an identity and audience from regional group choices. Students will then create their RAFT. Grade using the attached rubric.

6. Have students create a Venn Diagram comparing cultures in U.S. and the different regions of Mexico.

Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles p. 5 of 25

Political Map of Mexico

Source: Perry-Casta?eda Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin,

Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles p. 6 of 25

Physical Map of Mexico

Source: National Geographic,

Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles p. 7 of 25

Climate Map of Mexico

Source: Perry-Casta?eda Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin,

Exploring Geography and Cultural Roles p. 8 of 25

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download