Mr Matt Vincent

Lesson Plan from the 2009 Toyota International Teacher Program to Costa Rica

Grade Level: 10

Subject: Social Studies/World Civilizations

Duration: four 45 minute classes

Description: This three-day, hands on lesson, focuses on environmental hazards facing Costa Rica. Students will learn how man has affected the ecosystem of the Central American country and the reasons behind the hazards. The details of the lesson will reflect actual facts and student proposed solutions.

Goals:

  1. To increase students’ knowledge of Central American geography
  2. To place Costa Rica’s environmental concerns in a broader world picture
  3. To involve students in an interactive problem solving situation
  4. For students to synthesize their own solutions and act on them

Objectives:

  1. Locate general geographic features within Costa Rica (pre activity mapping exercise)
  2. Recall environmental hazards facing Central America and Costa Rica in particular
  3. Use environmental facts to create a one minute video or power point public service announcement
  4. Formulate creative strategies solving the environmental hazard (included in public service announcement)
  5. Relate how the environmental hazards facing Costa Rica impact life outside of Central America (post activity class discussion)

Materials:

  1. Text book for mapping exercise
  2. Photos or video from Toyota International Teacher Program in Costa Rica
  3. Computer lab or mobile computer lab
  4. Web-Quest developed by teacher to streamline the research (specific web pages with specific criteria)
  5. One handout per student containing what the students will be searching for during web quest
  6. One handout per student to evaluated peers’ public service announcement
  7. Rubric outlining the assignment

Adaptations:

  1. If computer access is limited or non-existent, student may be given printed materials with information on individual hazards
  2. Students may create a poster in lieu of PSA

Procedure: Students will be placed in mixed ability pairs/groups of 2-3 students assigned by teacher. The students will be given an environmental hazard and a list of attributes they must find on their web quest. The students will complete their web quest and analyze the information they have obtained to create a public service announcement that would draw attention to the environmental hazard they researched. It is to be created as if it would be shown to high school students in Costa Rica. When all PSA’s have been completed, they will be shown to their peers and followed with a five-minute discussion.

This activity requires four class periods to complete. One for research, two for creation of the PSA, and one for presentation and discussion.

Sample Timeframe:

Day One

  • spend 10 minutes explaining assignment and showing an example of a PSA
  • distribute web quest handouts
  • distribute laptops from mobile computer lab
  • circulate class and assist students with their web quest

1) Web quest will guide students as they research the following environmental hazards that face Costa Rica: i. banana farming ii. eco-tourism iii. clearing rainforest for cattle ranching/farming iv. increasing population v. logging

2) While researching the above hazards student will discover a. the reason for the hazard b. the rate of depletion c. the area of Costa Rica effected d. group(s) behind the hazard e. other interesting facts f. pictures of the hazard

Day Two and Three

  • spend 5 minutes explaining assignment of creating a Public Service Announcement
  • distribute laptops
  • distribute rubric showing what is required in PSA
  • circulate class and assist students with PSA

1) PSA should include: a. six slides timed at 10 seconds each b. visuals for each slide c. audio, either music accompanying slide or voice recording d. at least one slide must include a “how you can get involved” message e. Power Point must be placed on school server to be shown in class on fourth day f. If creating a video PSA, students must adhere to one minute time limit and may record during class and place on You-tube

Day Four:

  • play PSA’s one at a time
  • other groups will complete handout covering basics of peer’s environmental hazard
  • class discussion for five minutes on each hazard
  • student vote of best PSA
  • student vote on which environmental hazard is the most important to correct first

Assessment: Students will be assessed formatively via their handout covering their peer’s environmental hazard and summatively via their Public Service Announcement.

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