Welcome To New York State, Author(s):Deborah Scherzi and Kathleen A. Stewart, Grade Level: 4, Standards: ELA,MST,SS, Teacher will introduce the concept of what makes an effective travel brochure, showing examples of past projects created by other classes. Students will be asked to compare and contrast the effectiveness of these examples. This will also be discussed during art class as an extending and refining activity

New York State Academy for Teaching and Learning

LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Welcome to New York State

Deborah Scherzi – 4^th Grade Teacher – W. A. Wettel Elementary School

Kathleen A. Stewart – Media Specialist – W. A. Wettel Elementary School

PO Box 990 Peterboro Road Vernon NY 13476 (315) 829 – 3615

Vernon – Verona – Sherrill Central School District

Students will create a New York State travel brochure of their own, choosing one of the 11 regions featured above, and highlighting the following topics:

name of geographical region
accessibility to the region
noteworthy geographical features
historical / current places of interest
economic highlights

1. Learning Context

Content Area Math / Science / Technology

Standard 2 - Information Systems

Students will access, generate, process and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Information Systems

Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

Students:

use a variety of equipment and software packages to enter, process, display and communicate information in different forms using text, tables, pictures, and sound.
access needed information from printed media, electronic data bases, and community resources

Content Area: ENGLISH / LANGUAGE ARTS

Level: Upper Elementary

Standard 1

Students will read, write, listen and speak, for information and understanding.

Listening and Reading

Listening and reading to acquire information and understanding involves collecting data, facts, and ideas; discovering relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written, and electronic sources.

Students:

gather and interpret information from children’s reference books, magazines, textbooks, electronic bulletin boards, audio and media presentations, oral interviews, and from such forms as charts, graphs, maps and diagrams
select information appropriate to the purpose of their investigation and relate ideas from one text to another
select and use strategies they have been taught for note taking, organizing, and categorizing information

Speaking and Writing

Speaking and writing to acquire and transmit information requires asking probing questions and clarifying questions, interpreting information in one's own words, applying information from one context to another, and presenting the information and interpretation clearly, concisely, and comprehensibly.

Students:

present information clearly in a variety of oral and written forms such as summaries, paraphrases, brief reports, stories, posters and charts

include relevant information and exclude extraneous material
observe basic writing conventions, such as correct spelling, punctuation and capitalization, as well as sentence and paragraph structures appropriate to written forms

Content Area – Social Studies

Level: Elementary

Standard 3 – Geography - Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live – local, national, and global – including the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earth’s surface.

Geography can be divided into six essential elements, which can be used to analyze important historic, geographic, economic, and environmental questions and issues. These six elements include: the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical settings (including natural resources), human systems, environment and society, and the use of geography.

Students:

study about how people live, work, and utilize natural resources
locate places within the local community, State, and nation
identify and compare the physical, human, and cultural characteristics of different regions and people
investigate how people depend on and modify the physical environment.

This experience ties into 4^th grade’s study of the geography, economics, and cultural characteristics of the regions of New York State.

Students need to be able to:

Research a topic
Take notes
Follow the steps of the "writing process"
Use the computer program Inspiration to web their results
Work independently to produce a informative travel brochure focused on one geographical region of New York State
Use the Internet to find appropriate web sites , such as I Love NY
Learn how to use the computer program Microsoft Publisher to create their brochure
Copy images from the Internet or other sources to illustrate their project
Use the standard MLA citation form for print and non-print material to document their research
Produce a signed District Acceptable Use Policy giving them permission to use the Internet

PROCEDURE

Teacher will introduce the concept of what makes an effective travel brochure, showing examples of past projects created by other classes. Students will be asked to compare and contrast the effectiveness of these examples. This will also be discussed during art class as an extending and refining activity. Examples of brochures will be on display in the classroom, art room and media center. Students will create a New York State travel brochure of their own, highlighting the following topics:

name of geographical region
accessibility to the region
noteworthy geographical features
historical / current places of interest
economic highlights

** map is available at www.iloveny.state.ny.us/

As they research their area, students will use the accepted MLA citation format to record their sources, both print and electronic. After they research, students will use Inspiration to create a web organizing their information. This web will be used to help them plan and write their brochures. Students will complete their writing activities, including pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and proof reading (the "writing process") to produce well-constructed informational texts. The students will then receive instruction in the use of Microsoft Publisher, specifically how to use the "Works Wizard" to create a three-page brochure. This instruction will take place during their scheduled library classes. A sample template of a brochure will be given to each student to help them plan their final work. Students will publish their final copy using Microsoft Publisher, and, using the brochure, present a brief, informative talk to the class detailing the many places of interest in their region. Final projects will also be displayed during the school’s Social Studies Fair, at which time their schoolmates, teachers and the community will be invited to share their social studies experiences.

INSTRUCTIONAL / ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS
Students who are scheduled to go to the Resource Room may work together as a group to complete their assignment. The Resource Room teacher / aide will assist them, and offer appropriate help for the students. Modifications as to the length of the final brochure will be made after conferencing with their teachers. Their final brochure may be typed either by the students or their scribes. Additional assistance will be offered to help the students locate appropriate web sites and graphics.
Time Required
The classroom teacher and media specialist spent approximately 2 hours researching, book marking and printing appropriate New York State web sites for reference information and graphics.
Three 40-minute library classes were set aside for student research, Internet activity, and introduction to the brochure template. Students had already received some instruction in the use of Microsoft Publisher at an earlier time. Students then took their notes to the classroom and, under the direction of the classroom teacher, completed their webs and pre-writing activities. Approximately 3 40-minute class periods were used to complete the typing and printing of their documents.

Student work was displayed at the school’s Social Studies Fair, and, at a later date, students presented their brochures to the class as their culminating performance.
RESOURCES
Students will receive a list of the regions of New York State; sample brochures; access to Internet computers with book marked sites, including www.iloveny.state.ny.us/; print materials for additional research available in the media center / classroom; a blank Microsoft Publisher template; a computer with the program Inspiration; Microsoft Publisher program; citation / bibliography checklists; project checklist.
ASSESSMENT PLAN
ELA Standard 1 - Speaking & Writing -
Rubric for Travel Brochure (See attached)

Writing Rubric (See attached)

Project Checklist (See attached)

ELA Standard 1 - Listening and Reading -

Citation / Bibliography Checklist (See attached)

Project Checklist (See attached)

Teacher Observation / Conferencing

SS Standard 3 – Understanding the interdependent world…

Writing Rubric (See attached)

Project Checklist (See attached)

Teacher Observation / Conferencing

MST Standard 2 – Information Systems - Students will… generate… information using appropriate technologies

Rubric for Travel Brochure (See attached)

Project Checklist (See attached)

Citation / Bibliography Checklist

Teacher Observation
STUDENT WORK
See attached
REFLECTION

Students became independent learners as they explored a new computer program, Inspiration. Cooperative learning occurred in the classroom and media center as those students that quickly learned Inspiration and Publisher shared their expertise with other classmates. They learned how to use technology to accomplish real-world tasks as they became part of a "travel agency". They quickly realized that blah brochures wouldn’t attract crowds to their region. Changes were made as they shared and compared their thoughts and ideas with their classmates. Students were excited as their final colorful brochures came off the "printing press". A pitfall students encountered was printing their brochure in "portrait" rather than "landscape" mode. This required additional printing time, and reduced their final score (see Rubric - NYS Travel Brochure).

Citation / Bibliography Check List

Author’s name (last, first) ____________________________________________________

Title _________________________________________________________________________

City of publication ___________________________________________________________

Publishing Company _________________________________________________________