Vermont Unit Teaching Outline

Week 1

• Begin poetry. Show examples of different types of poetry and resources, which will help them in their writing. Begin rough drafts of poems.
• Begin discussion of original Vermonters: Paleo, Archaic, Woodland, and Contact. Show Original Vermonters video, having students take notes on each. Discuss video.
• Begin research in the library for Vermont Facts packet.
• Overview of library resources.
• Begin Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare.

Week 2

• Finish poetry rough drafts.
• Demonstrate how to self edit and how to edit with a friend.
• Edit rough drafts.
• Collect leaves from the woods outside and press under books.
• Discuss information students obtained from Original Vermonters video. Make classroom chart to show comparisons and contrasts.
• Continue researching information for Vermont Facts packet.

Week 3

• Students type final copy of their poems into Word.
• Students display final copies on colored oak tag with pressed autumn leaves, which they collected the previous week.
• Continue researching Vermont Facts packet during library time.

Week 4

• Discuss Abenaki influence on Vermont culture.

• Show map of Abenaki territory.
• Abenaki place names. Discuss various names in Vermont and their connection to Abenaki language.
• Read Abenaki legends.

Week 5

• Finish researching Vermont Facts using Internet and other library resources.
• Review map skills; directions, keys, etc.
• Distribute maps of Vermont. Discuss borders, landscape, and other physical features.

Week 6

• Review note taking strategies and how to summarize material from expository text.
• From a generated list, have students choose a significant event in Vermont history.
• Students research their event during library time.
• In small groups (2-3) students read Vermont Lakes packet, answer questions and fill in map.
• Whole group discussion of information obtained on Vermont lakes.
• Begin Cave of Falling Water by Janice Ovecka.

Week 7

• In small groups (2-3) students read Vermont Rivers packet, answer questions and fill in map.
• Whole group discussion of information obtained on Vermont Rivers.

Week 8

• Discuss Vermont counties: French influence on their names, location, boundaries, etc.
• Give students large county map. Have them label counties, cut out counties and try to reassemble.
• Each child chooses one county to research.
• Begin researching county.

Week 9

• Students begin their Vermont brochures. They format them into three columns, type in title and their name.
• Begin inserting images from disc (field trips) and internet into Word.

Week 10

• Students choose digital image from one field trip. Write one to three paragraphs describing trip, photo and what they learned while on the field trip.
• Students insert photo into Word and type their final copy with photo.

Week 11

• Students copy and paste their Vermont poem from their workspace into their Vermont brochure.
• Begin typing Vermont facts into brochure.
• Print field trip pages on color printer. Uses these pages for classroom field trip book. Bind book with stick binding to reflect nature of Vermont.

Week 12

Thanksgiving Recess, no school

• Type final copy of description of significant event in Vermont history. Copy and paste from workspace into Vermont brochure.
• Continue typing Vermont facts into Vermont brochure.
• Begin Green Mountain Hero by Edgar N. Jackson.

Week 14

• Finish typing all components of criteria into Vermont brochure (Vermont facts, historical event, poem, lakes, rivers, county, etc.).
• Begin inserting images from workspace and Internet into Vermont brochure, which connect with or add to written text.

Week 15

• Demonstrate to whole class how to put finishing touches on brochure: edit, spell check, font size, font color, Word Art, format, etc.
• Allow one complete library time for students to put finishing touches on their brochures.
• Edit all brochures one at a time with student.

Week 16

• Print brochures on color printer
• Laminate
• Have students share their final products with class.
• Display in book carousel.