Would you live in my state?

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Social Studies
Digital Literacy and Computer Science

Grade(s)

7

Overview

In this learning activity, each student will be assigned a state, research their state, and create a video presentation about the settlement patterns of their assigned state using Adobe Spark.  Their video presentation should include reasons to live in that state and persuade others to move into their state.  This activity will give the students an opportunity to learn about other locations in the United States through peer presentations.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 7

DLCS18.7.R6

Produce, review, and revise authentic artifacts that include multimedia using appropriate digital tools.

UP:DLCS18.7.R6

Knowledge

Students know:
  • feedback is important in a design process.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • create a multimedia artifact.
  • critique the work of others.
  • revise their work based on feedback received.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • much like the writing process, design of a multimedia artifact nets the best results when creators have the opportunity to be given feedback and revise as needed.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 7 - 7th Grade: Geography

SS10.7G.7

Classify spatial patterns of settlement in different regions of the world, including types and sizes of settlement patterns.

UP:SS10.7G.7

Vocabulary

  • linear
  • clustered
  • grid
  • settlement
  • settlement patterns
  • urban area
  • spatial interaction

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Different types of settlements by type, size, major functions, such as linear, clustered, grid, large urban, small urban, and rural.
  • Ways in which urban areas interact and influence surrounding regions.
    Examples: daily commuters from nearby regions; communication centers that service nearby and distant locations through television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet; regional specialization in services or production
  • Regions where human activities resulted in the development of settlements at particular locations due to trade, political importance, or natural resources.
    Examples: Timbuktu near caravan routes; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Birmingham, Alabama, as manufacturing centers near coal and iron ore deposits; Singapore near a major ocean transportation corridor (Alabama)
  • Settlement patterns in association with the location of resources.
    Examples: fall line settlements near waterfalls used as a source of energy for mills, European industrial settlements near coal seams, spatial arrangement of towns and cities in North American Corn Belt settlements

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Classify types and sizes of settlements.
  • Determine geographic and cultural reasons for settlement locations.
  • Evaluate relationships between different settlement regions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are spatial patterns of settlement in different regions of the world.

Learning Objectives

I can use appropriate digital tools to produce, review, and revise an authentic engaging presentation.

I can describe ways in which urban areas interact and influence surrounding regions in my assigned state.

I can describe ways settlement patterns are associated with the location of resources in my assigned state.

I can explain human activities that resulted in the development of settlements at particular locations due to trade, political importance, or natural resources in my assigned state.

I can classify spatial patterns of settlement in my assigned state, including types and sizes of settlement patterns.

Activity Details

This learning activity should be used during a lesson on settlement patterns.  The students will be assigned one of the 50 states and learn how to use Adobe Spark to create a video presentation about their assigned state. Students can work individually or in pairs.  The project would work better if done individually because it will give the class of students a better opportunity to learn about more states. The students will be given a State Information Research document to help them research information to use when developing their video presentation. 

Assessment Strategies

Students' video presentation will be assessed using the requirements from the State Information Research document.

Background / Preparation

The teacher and students will need to be familiar with Adobe Spark.  The Teacher may want to view and share the following tutorial video with the class.  will need to be familiar with Adobe Spark and students will need to be familiar with Adobe Spark.

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