Know Louisiana!
by Mary Miller, millermr@bellsouth.net

Content Area(s)
Social Studies

Grade Level(s)
7, 8, 

Overview
Students will gather important facts about Louisiana throughout the year and create databases for them. Throughout the year students will be using the information to make maps, discuss, analyze and further research the information they have gathered. At the end of the year students will make Power Point presentations about Louisiana based on the information in their databases

Software
Memo Pad
Address Book

Technology
Handhelds
Computer
Power Point
Textbooks
Computers with internet access
Louisiana Almanac
Other reference materials about Louisiana

Objectives
Students will build a database that will include state and geographical facts about Louisiana.
Students will build a biographical dictionary of individuals who had an impact on Louisiana
Students will locate and describe Louisiana’s geographic features.
Students will describe and analyze the contributions and ideas of people that have had a significant impact on Louisiana History.

Procedures
This is an ongoing project that will last throughout the year. As the year comes to a close students will then take the data collected and develop Power Point presentations for the class on the state of Louisiana.
1.) Students will use the memo pad feature to start their databases. They will create three files—state facts, geographical facts, and other facts. Throughout the year students will add facts to each file.
2.) Using the address book students will begin to build their biographical dictionary of people who had an impact on Louisiana. Student will put the person’s first and last name; company—if an explorer what country; title—something to help the student remember the person. Students will then scroll down to CUSTOM and write at least on important fact about the person.
3.) Data will be collected throughout the year. As the year comes to a close students will be broken up into groups to compose a Power Point presentation. Each group will choose at least 5 facts to make a presentation.
4.) Groups will make a rough draft of what they will include in their presentation in the memo pad. This information will then be beamed to the teacher.
5.) The teacher will then approve and make revisions if necessary and beam back approval to the students. (This is great no huge stacks of papers to take home!)
***NOTE: The teacher can be very specific as to what he or she wants the student to put in their databases or they can give the students choices.***
***Students could beam information in each chapter to the teacher which he/she could use to make quizzes. Student could be broken up into groups and come up with five questions each—write it in the memo pad then beam the information to the teacher who in turn could use this information when making out the test.***

Other Supporting Material

Submitted on: 7/13/2005 9:14:14 PM