Commencement content standards
Standard 2: Information Systems-Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Standard 3:Mathematics-Students will understand mathematics and become mathematically confident by communicating and reasoning mathematically, by applying mathematics in real-world settings, and by solving problems through the integrated study of number systems, geometry, algebra, data analysis, probability, and trigonometry.

Standard 5:Technology-Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.

Benchmark standard: Elementary at Grade 3
Content Standards:

Standard 2: Information Systems
Number 1: Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information as a tool to enhance learning. (Bullets 1, 2, 3)

Number 2:Knowledge of the impacts and limitations of information systems is essential to its effective and ethical use. (Bullets, 2,3)

Standard 3: Mathematics
Number and Numeration-Students will use whole numbers to identify locations, quantify groups of objects, and measure distances and demonstrate the concept of percent through problems related to actual situations

Modeling &Multiple Representation-Students will use mathematical modeling/multiple representation to provide a means of presenting, interpreting, communicating, and collecting mathematical information and relationships.

Standard 5: Technology
Engineering Design: Students will investigate ideas from books, magazines, family, friends, neighbors and community members to plan and build, under supervision, a model using familiar materials, processes, and hand tools

Tools: Students will use appropriate graphic and electronic tools and techniques to process information

Computer Students will identify and describe the functions of major computer system components

Performance Standards

The third graders will be doing a project in social studies involving research skills, technology, and writing skills. They will be making a brochure on the country of Israel in class. In addition to making a brochure in class, they will also be assigned a brochure report on a country of their choice.

The students will be making their brochure according to the model we have developed, which is attached. Our third graders will be encouraged to use a variety of resources as listed on the attached bibliography checklist. Our school library teacher as well as the children's librarian in the Public Library have been notified about this project. The school library teacher will be assisting the children with researching the information in conjunction with their classroom activities.

We will also be using our computer research programs as well as traditional resources to locate information. Third graders will be encouraged to use the same research process m both the classroom project and the independent project.

The attached forms will be used to organize their notes. This will assist the students when they are putting their thoughts together for their written pieces. The project done in class will serve as a model for their independent project.

We are asking for your support and assistance in facilitating the research process. The students are going to be encouraged to use the town library, the school library, and the technology available m and outside of the classroom. This project may be written by hand or word processed. The attached scoring rubric will serve as a guide to the student as to what the expectations are for this project.

The project is due on Friday, __________ Please include all notes and the bibliography checklist. Please sign the attached form and return to your child's teacher by

    As always, we thank you for your continued support m the education of our children.

    Sincerely,

    Third Grade Team

Activity 1: Introduce model of brochure and discuss uses in real world and production
Day I
Necessary Materials: Travel brochure, Chart paper, and marker
Time frame: Approximately 40 minutes

The teacher will display completed travel brochure to class and discuss the places they have been and real world experiences with using travel brochures. Following this, the teacher will go through each section of the brochure they will be creating and discuss information in each part:

Section #1: Countr!es name and flag
Section #2: Countr.Vs map and paragraph describing the country including continent location, its capital and major cities, neighboring countries, bodies of water near it, longitude and latitude, and its major physical features.
Section #3: Describe three important places of interest in their country with one illustration for the section
Section #4: Explain three holidays or festivals and illustrate
Section #5: Facts about their country including population, major religions, currency, type of government, climate, agricultural products, manufactured products, favorite sports and pastimes, and any facts they feel are important to include.
Section #6: In paragraph form tell why you think this country is interesting and persuade others to come and visit.

In the computer lab, the students will be given an introductory lesson on the major components of the computer (monitor, keyboard, printer, and mouse). The teacher will demo how to enter and exit a program using horizontal vertical, and graphic menus to locate an assigned program. With teacher assistance, each student will then become fitmiliar with the computer keyboard by entering and exiting the Jigsaw Program on the computer.

In the computer lab, the students will enter the Jigsaw Program and do activities on the program such as correctly piecing together the world map using the mouse. After completing the map, they will print it.

The children will be instructed by the use of a mnemonic device to help them distinguish between longitude and latitude. Using the wall map, the teacher will model by locating the longitude and latitude of several countries. The children will then be asked to locate the longitude and latitude of six countries on their desk map and record the information on a table chart. The results will later be recorded on a class chart during sharing time.

 The teacher will review longitude and latitude with the class. Each child will locate their selected country and identify it the points of longitude and latitude. Children will then meet in cooperative groups of 4 to share the process used to locate longitude.

The children will get into groups of four. They will be given a copy of four different flags. They will have to go into the PC Globe and identify which flag belongs to their country. Next, they will go back and color the flag correctly. Flags will then be displayed on a bulletin board for a later lesson.

The children will enter the Encarta program and research the following information about their country: continent the country is located on, the capital and five major cities, bordering countries, bodies of water near it and it's major physical features. The children will record this information on a note-taking sheet.

The children will examine the flags and record any notable patterns they notice (ABAB, ABBABB, etc.).

The children will examine the flags for geometric shapes and patterns. After the children have located and recorded the geometric shapes.

The children will share the patterns and geometric shapes they found with the class. The teacher will record on large chart paper.

The children will locate their selected country on the world map. They will record what continent their country is on and what ocean(s) it touches. We will graph the results on the large class bar graph after we take a class tally. The children will also create an individual bar graph.

The children will enter the graphing computer program. Using the data from yesterday's ocean and continent graph, the children will create another graph (not a bar graph) to show the data. They will print it out when completed.

The children will hamburger fold their large piece of construction paper. On the front they will display the bar graph they created. On the left inside cover, they will display the computer graph they created. Then, using the sheet of paper, they will explain in writing how each graph represents the same data or information. They will display this paper on the inside right inside cover when completed.

The children will locate sites on the internet that are related to their important places of interest in their country. With teacher assistance, they will bookmark the sites to retrieve later.

The children will find and retrieve their bookmarked sites about their selected countries important places of interest. After printing the information, they will take notes about the places.

In the computer lab, the students will be given an introductory lesson on the uses and content of the program. The children will explore the program and locate the longitude and latitude of the country they have chosen. The children will print the information and label it section two (the appropriate placement of this information in the completed travel brochure.)

In the computer lab, the students will be given a review lesson on the uses and content of the program- The students will use the graphic organizer provided to guide their research in locating population, major religions, currency, type of government,- climate, agricultural products, manufactured products, favorite sports and pastimes, and other unimportant facts for the Facts About section 5 (the appropriate placement Of this information in the completed travel brochure.)

In the the computer lab the children will be given a review lesson on how to use Encarta.
The children will use the Encarta program to locate the major physical features of the country ( rivers, mountains, deserts etc.) The children will print the information and label it section two ( the appropriate placement of this information in the completed travel brochure.)

In the computer lab the children will receive an introductory lesson to Groliers Multimedia Encyclopedia Program. Children win search for holidays and festivals which are celebrated in the country they selected. Each child will print three holidays or festivals and label it section 4 (the appropriate placement of this information the completed travel brochure.)

In the classroom or art room if available the children will sketch a rough draft of a picture representing one of the holidays celebrated in the country they selected. The children will be able to use books, print outs from Groliers, their own imagination and any other resources available to them to guide in the illustrating of the picture.
The next day the children will be given time to reconstruct their illustration on final draft paper. This will eventually be placed on section 4 of the travel brochure.

In the computer lab, using the Student Writing Center Program, the students will utilize the writing process to compose a persuasive piece summarizing the information researched on the country selected. The focus of the writing piece is to persuade the reader to come to the country. This will be the final section of the brochure, section six.

Students will have the opportunity to examine at least two exemplars. The students will go through their project folders to make sure they have all of the necessary components to complete their brochure. The students who do not have all the necessary information will be given time in the computer lab to gather the missing artifacts. For those who have all the necessary components, a mini-lesson on organizational structure will be provided by the teacher. The students will construct (cut and paste) sections one and two of the brochure.

In classroom, each student will prepare sections 3 and 4 and place in appropriate place,' Children will place work in progress in their project folders and return folders to project station area.

In the classroom the children will work with scissors, glue, printed materials and brochure to place sections 5 & 6 in the appropriate place. Children will place work in progress in their project folders and return folders to project station area.

In the classroom each student will check his/her completed brochure with the expectations on the rubric checklist. Any additional changes will be made at this time.

The teacher will meet with each student. The student will read the brochure to the teacher and the teacher will grade the brochure using the rubric. Each child will have the choice to display their brochure in a special area of the room.

Six children will be given an opportunity to present his/her completed brochure. The students will be able to use video, music, or any other multimedia equipment to present the brochure. The class will be given the opportunity to respond. make comments, and ask questions.

Each child will be given a section on a table in the cafeteria to set tip his/her completed brochure. The parents will be invited to "visit" several countries in the cafeteria. Parents will be able to ask questions and the students will provide the answers. Several snacks -representing the countries will be used in the celebration following.

 MAP INFORMATION

The country I am researching is on the continent of ____________________.

Its capital is: ________________________.

Name its major cities.____________________________________________

Name the countries which are neighbors to the country you are researching.

What bodies of water are near this country?

 Record the longitude and latitude of this country.

Describe its major physical features (rivers, mountains, deserts etc.)

Population:

Major Religions:

Currency:

Type of Government:

Climate:

Agricultural Products:

Manufactured Products:

Favorite Sports and Pastimes:

Any Facts You Feel Are Important to Include: