1.+Artifact+Bag


 * ALEXANDRIA WALKER **
 * List your artifacts/artifakes: //(Label tangible artifacts with a __T__//.) **

**“What is Geography?” ** [|**http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAE7xDGLE_4**] - “What is Geography” is a brief 2 minute video introducing students to what geography entails. Telling students that they are not the only ones living on this planet and that the world exceeds what is outside their neighborhoods and community. It introduces the concept of cultural differences and entices the on-lookers with music and vivid pictures. **Pillow-like Globe of Earth (T) ** - The globe is a light weight, colorful, pillow-like resemblance of Earth. It allows students to hold it, turn it upside down, and see where countries are located when compared to the United States. **“Wonder Globe” (T) ** - The ‘Wonder Globe’ is a small replica of Earth as it sits on its axis. The globe can rotate on two axes, permitting students to see all aspects of Earth. The globe is up-to-date with accurate geography.

The short video clip posted above could be shown in the beginning of the unit plan (the beginning timeframe of the social studies lesson). Students will be introduced to all entities of geography, a brief description (with pictures) of why it mattes, and a short introduction to what cultural differences encompass. The video begins by explaining that geography is not all maps of your community, your state, your country (primarily discussing the United States). Geography is not just learning how to read and understand a map scale or a compass. The video explains that “Geography is the word and all that is in it” quoted by Alexander Graham Bell. The words, pictures, and music simultaneously interacting send a powerful message and food for thought for our young learners. After the video has been played, the teacher can then move on to introducing the two globes and have students get a closer look at where they are located in relation to the rest of the world.
 * 1) **How could these artifacts be used to introduce or teach necessary concepts to students? **

The globes can be used to introduce a first geography lesson by displaying the globe to the entire class. The teacher can ask for a volunteer to come to the front of the classroom and point out Florida’s location in reference to the entire world. Once he/she has done so, the teacher can explain that Florida is one state that makes up the 50 United States; that the United States is one of thousands of countries that create continents; and that the United States, Canada, Mexico, and The Caribbean Islands make up North America; one of the 7 continents found on Earth. The mass load of information might be hard for first graders to fully comprehend but it can put it in perspective that even the state we live in, is only a tiny part of the entire world. The teacher can then state that the unit we will be focusing on is on a much smaller scale relating to you (the students) and your community. The class can discuss Florida on a smaller scale as well; breaking the Florida map into smaller increments until they reach their current location (Orlando for example). The teacher can then discuss how Florida is made up of counties, communities, and neighborhoods. Thus, finishing with the student and their community has the main focus of the lesson. Introducing Earth as a whole could create curiosity in the minds’ of the students and have them intrigued in the lesson. Once the students understand that the lesson will be primarily taught towards them, their community, and their location within the community will the students be engaged to learn.

I would really like to incorporate the use of the book, //My Map Book// in the unit plan. The book is compiled of various forms of maps strictly pertaining to the life of a young child/student: maps of his/her bedroom, their heart, their house, their neighborhood, community, etc. //My Map// Book encompasses mapping as labeling as well as the positions of certain items in regard to others. The book is a colorful easy read to which students could easily relate to. The book can be used as a Read Aloud with a special activity once the book has been read. Students can then create their //own// map of their choice or as a collective group; creating a map of their classroom, neighborhood, bedroom, etc.
 * B. . How could the resources compiled here be used in your unit plan to entice, motivate, and educate your students? //Note one example using a book or website.// **

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 21px;">INTERNET SITES **

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Maps4Kids.com ** <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">[|www.maps4kids.com] <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Maps4Kids.Com is a internet site for maps, map information, and games pertaining to maps. At the top of the page is a horizontal tool bar, that when you scan the curser over the word, a drop box is shown containing various activities to do within that topic. For example, under the “Maps” tab, there is a list of interactive thematic maps; under the “Games” tab, there are fun games and quizzes incorporating the use of maps or the symbols found on maps. The website can be used to introduce and teach students how to properly use maps and what the map symbols represent.

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Magnificent Maps ** <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">‘Magnificent Maps’ is a branch off of ‘Teacher Vision” ( <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">). With this particular map, there are instructions for creating a classroom map incorporating symbols and the cardinal directions. Within the template are symbols representing student desks, student chairs, the teacher’s desk, and book shelves. As cooperative team or as individuals, students are to compile their classroom “map” using the symbols.

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Google Earth ** <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">[] <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Google Earth is a known website that takes actual photographs of cities, communities, and places all over the world. The website takes aerial pictures of landmarks, communities, towns, neighborhoods, etc showing the true geography of the area. The teacher can turn the focal point to his/her students’ community (asking students to go home and retrieve their street address). Then during the geography lesson, she can show her students their house from a ‘birds eye view.’

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 21px;">BOOKS **

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Social Studies Alive! //My Community// ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Bert Bower and Jim Lobell <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">This large picture books discusses what a community is, how those communities are different, what a map shows, what exactly is geography, and how do people use the environment. In this particular unit plan, I would utilize Chapter 4 //What is Geography,// Chapter 3 //What Does a Map Show?//, Chapter 1 //What is a Community,// and Chapter 2 //How are Communities Different?// Although Chapter 5 //How Do People Use the Environment// is an important topic to discuss, I feel that the other 4 Chapters would best suite the geography unit lesson plan. The book provides examples and definitions pertaining to each content, along with both fictional and non-fictional pictures portraying each topic being addressed.

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">My Map Book ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Sara Fanelli <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">//My Map Book// is a friendly picture book composed of everyday maps that pertain to young students: for example, a map of their bedroom, a map of their family, a map of their day, a map of their tummy (containing all of the food that he/she ate that day), a map of their community, a map of their heart (how each section is divided per family member and important person or pet), etc. There are many more maps within this awesome picture book. It would be a great asset when introducing mapping skills to young students because they <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">can better relate to anything pertaining to them, their lives, and what is important to them.

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How I Learned Geography ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Uri Shulevitz <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">//How I Learned Geography// is a Caldecott Honor Book telling the story of a young boy moved from his homeland to a new and strange country. The story book tells of the boy having no toys until one day, his father brings home a map and hangs it on the wall. The next thing the boy knows is he is transported to exotic places around the world. The story is a terrific Read Aloud within the geography lesson because it is a fiction picture book using real stories, real geographical places, and real historical events.

**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Read Across America ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Gloria Rothstein <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">//Read Across America// is an activity filled book pertaining to exploring the 7 regions of the United States; with primary attention to the //Southeast// section containing Florida. The short section is compiled with “did you knows” and fun facts students can learn about the Southern part of the United States; the region in which the reside. If a teacher can relate the meaning and purpose of learning about the southern region to the students (the region where YOU (the students) live and call the home) the more adamant students will be to learn about the topic. Special attention is given to Florida on pages 40 and 41. Students are able learn directions, what a peninsula is, and the boarding states of Florida with a fun activity on page 40. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The book also provides ideas for students to create a “Sunshine State” exhibit displaying the major industries of tourism found in Florida; then students are able to share their experiences and places they have traveled with the class. Another activity has students creating the outline of Florida and in small groups (cooperative learning) students can list places they wish to put on their personal map of Florida. This activity can teach students the map making process and how to use outside sources to mark and label various locations found in Florida.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Brittany Hinkley ** <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">**1. Blow up globe ball (T)** <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> - A clear blow up ball that has the globe earth pattern. With all the continents, bodies of water, latitutde, longitude and other imaginary lines. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2. Spacial Scale (T) ** <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> -I created an activity of a spacial scale. Starting with them, then going to their home, street, city, state, country, continent and planet. Students can draw, color, label and write descriptions of each. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">3. Compass (T) ** <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> -I have a hand help compas from my scuba diving equipment. It shows North, East, South and West. The degrees are also labeled. <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**A**. **<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How could these artifacts be used to introduce or teach necessary concepts to students? ** <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> 1. The globe ball shows all the land masses, oceas, latitude and longitude lines etc. The globe ball can be fun to have students toss around and when they catch it name a spot their finger is on. Students should know about the parts of the earth and land masses. <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">2. The spacial scale starts with them and gets bigger all they way to our planet Earth. This activity can be used in the classroom to show students how everything relates and how big the world is. The activity relates to them, by starting with familiar things. <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">3. The compass can be passed around and is durable. Students can see how a compass works and learn about North, South, East and West. <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">B.How could the resources compiled here be used in your unit plan to entice, motivate, and educate your students? //Note one example using a book or website.// ** <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">My artifacts are hands on which i think will keep the kids interested. The globe ball is something different then a map or a regular spinning globe. Students can touch it, toss it and share with each other. The websites can be used for students to explore maps, play games and trivia and learn more about geography. The books I chose can help studetns learn about maps, how they are used and how to read a map etc. <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">**<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 21px;">INTERNET SITES ** <span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">1. Kids Geo, Geography For Kids [] There are some good game links on this site related to geography. One game is Geography Map Match; you choose a map like Countries, Continents and World. Another game where you can match the state and capital, in Geography Capital Catch. Then there is the Latitude and Longitude Map Game, where you can learn the concepts in a step by step walk through. I thought this website can be helpful for students and a fun way to learn geography.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">**List your artifacts/artifakes: //(Label tangible artifacts with a __T__//.)**

2.My Wonderful World [] This website was suggested by the book and it’s a National Geographic led campaign. There are many cool links on this site. There are map videos, photos and a section where you can make your own make. Geography related games, quizzes and trivia. There is even a section for music and dancing related to geography. Also something that I learned about is a fun activity called geocaching; this is something that can be played at home with parents using a GPS.

3.National Geographic Kids [] National Geographic’s is something that most children have heard of and would be familiar with. This website has lots of information. There is a section to learn about what geography is, playing geography trivia, information about Grand Canyon, Mount Everest, weather and continents and states. This is a good site to share with students not only with geography, but any subject.

<span style="font-family: 'cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">**BOOKS**

1. “Looking at Maps and Globes” by Carmen Bredeson

The book talks about what maps are and that they show us where to find different places. Has a brief statement about how maps were scratched into dirt long ago and now most maps are on paper. There is a part where it explains map symbols and map legend. Shows an example of a map students can draw from school to their house and their friend’s house. Introduces directions about north, east, south and west. Something that needs to be told to students is that maps don’t show the real size of things. The book continues on talking about globes and continents.

2. "Florida” by Paul Joseph This book isn’t exactly on maps, but I thought it would be easy for a first grader and it explains more about Florida. The first few pages are an introduction to Florida, about Everglades, states and waters that border Florida. I liked that this book contained pictures from cities in Florida like: Miami Beach, Everglades, Cape Canaveral and even talks about places in Orlando.

3. “Discovering Maps” by Hammond Incorporated This book introduces basic map skills, latitude and longitude, map symbols, different types of maps, how to tell directions, how to find places on a map and so much more. This book might be a little confusing just to hand to a first grade student, but with the help of a teacher it can be helpful. I think the information can be used for teaching first grade student’s different maps as well as the other information I listed earlier.

4.“The Nystrom Atlas of Our Country” by Nystrom The introduction page talks about and shows a little example of political maps, regional maps, physical maps, thematic maps, time frames, tables and graphs, photographs and art. Then goes into the Map Legend and a map of the world .This book even contains a time line at the bottom of the page with good information for students to also learn about. It shows different types of climates, landforms and natural vegetation.

Artifact Bag (Jarrett A. Jefferson)
<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Artifact Assignment <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This map could be used to show what the map of the U.S.A looks like and can be used to locate specific areas throughout the country. It folds up and covers the entire U.S.A. It is a surface map where it shows the ground levels. A.K.A. mountains, sea level, below sea level, etc. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This map could be used when introducing types of maps and how it changes throughout the years. It is made to look like a really old map. It is a map of the world according to what cartographers believed the world to look like back in 1917. It is yellow colored and wrinkly. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">It could be used when introducing tools used in geography. This is a compass and plays a vital role in the concept of cardinal directions. It is a round compass with a suction cup so it can be easily placed on glass. It has water inside, so the round compass bell is able to move freely.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Artifacts **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Large Map of the U.S.A.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Replica map of the World (According to the year 1917)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">3. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Suction Cup Compass (Water)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This site provides videos, photos, games, maps, etc. It is specifically designed for kids and the games it features all relate to geography and different parts of the world. For example, the “Go West with Lewis and Clark” game deals with going on an adventure to the west and you will be asked various questions with different responses. The game changes depending on the responses you give. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This site provides various games and maps that could be used in the classroom. The games include quizzes on different maps across the world. The maps are all interactive as well. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This site allows you to explore the world in an interactive virtual tour. You can pick anywhere and zoom in. The nice feature of this site is the ability to see 3D objects and see what places looked like in the past. This site allows you to see all around the world!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Internet Sites **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1 **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">. National Geographic KIDS: Dare to Explore!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2 **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">. Maps4Kids.com
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">3 **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">. Google Earth

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Author: Tish Rabe <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Summary: It is about the Cat in the Hat with Thing 1 and 2. They meet up with two children and travel the world together. During the journey they learn all about maps. This book introduces basic concepts about the world through an entertaining way. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Author: Carol Crane <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Summary: This is an alphabet book about Florida. Every page has a letter on it and has a short phrase with each letter. It also gives a caption on each page going into detail on the item or thing mentioned for the letter. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Author: Joan Sweeney <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Summary: This book is about a young girl who teaches us about maps. It goes from her home to her state to her country, etc. It also shows different examples of maps as well. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Author: Colin Sale (Consulting Editor) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Summary: This is an extensive book that goes into detail of all the places in the world. The first 30 pages deal with an overview of geography from Maps to natural resources to countries. Then the rest of the book is goes into an overview of different areas in the world from North America to Oceania. Each area gives major cities, different games/activities in the regions, different monuments, and animals.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Literature **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1 **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">. //There’s a Map on My Lap!//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2 **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">. //S is for Sunshine//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">3 **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">. //Me on the Map//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">4 **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">. //The Reader’s Digest: Children’s Atlas of the World//

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**KELLY O'BRIEN**

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**List your artifacts/artifakes: //(Label tangible artifacts with a __T__//.)**

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">**1. “A cut-out of Florida” (__T__)** <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"> The cut-out is of the state of Florida. It has a star located where the capital is and a heart representing home as Orlando. The cutout is in a page protector against a blue background, signifying water. The state can be taken out to be handled by itself, maybe being used to trace. It can also stay in the sleeve and be written on with dry erase markers to document new cities or oceans learned, easily erased.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">**2. "Layered Google maps" (__T__)** <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"> The layered Google maps is an image of the UCF area. That image is placed over a larger image of the central Florida area. The UCF map can be taken off to see where exactly it is on the larger map. This could be done again with a larger map of Florida underneath the central Florida one. There is also a compass rose to help the children understand which direction places are from them.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">**3. “Florida Flag” (__T__)** <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"> This artifact is a small model of the Florida flag. This will assist in providing some Florida history while learning about the geography.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> **A. How could these artifacts be used to introduce or teach necessary concepts to students?** <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> The cut-out is a great way for students to get to know the shape of Florida and even use it to trace on their own paper. They can also write new-found information on it. The layered Google map of the UCF area is a wonderful way to understand what is beyond what is around them. It is also a perfect way to aid in the compass rose instruction. The flag is a neat way to get kids interested while teaching a part of history.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> **B. How could the resources compiled here be used in your unit plan to entice, motivate, and educate your students? //Note one example using a book or website.//** <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"> I love the book "Me on the Map" and I think it is an enjoyable way to introduce the unit of geography. The kids will be interested and then we can complete our own "Me on the Map" activity as a class.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**INTERNET SITES**

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">**Florida Department of Environmental Protection Kid’s Page**

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/kids/default.htm

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> This website was full of interesting options. It had the “ABC’s of Florida”, where children could click on any letter of the alphabet and it gave them a list of things starting with that letter, pertaining to Florida. It also had important facts and people for the children to read about. The website had a lot of other activities to take part in and would be a great resource when teaching students about their home state of Florida.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">**Geography for Kids**

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">http://www.kidsgeo.com/

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Geography for Kids is an amazing website that makes geography fun. It has a large number of pages that teach students about geography. The first two “chapters” would be appropriate for first grade. They discuss the Earth, maps, and other subjects. The website also has a large number of games for children to enjoy. The games are more advanced and could definitely be used in a later geography lesson.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Owl & Mouse: Your Child Learns**

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">http://www.yourchildlearns.com/us_map.htm

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> This website contains an interactive map of the United States. When your mouse hovers over a state, it gives you the name of that particular state and its capital. It also gives you the names of surrounding bodies of water. I believe this website would be a great tool for students to use at the end of our unit plan. It will allow the children to discover where Florida is in relation to the rest of the country and explore the new areas.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**BOOKS**

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">**//Me on the Map//**

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">by Joan Sweeney; illustrated by Annette Cable

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"> This book is an amusing introduction to maps and geography. It is a step-by-step demonstration of a little girl who first shows herself on a map of her room, and then she shows her room on the map of her house, and then her house on the map of her street, it goes all the way to her country on a map of the world. I believe this is a great book to lead into an activity where students create their own “Me on the Map”.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">//**Florida**//

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">by Carmen Bredeson

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> This book holds a large amount of colorful images and easy to read words. The book simply goes through Florida landscapes and other aspects of the state. I think this is a great introductory book for beginning to learn about Florida. The students can spend time looking at the book on their own or use it as a reference later.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**//The Sunshine Champs: A Story about Florida//**

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">by Karen Kenney

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"> This book is about an alligator named Alex and his baseball team. They are currently in a tournament and need to travel throughout the state of Florida. Their journey reveals educational facts about state history, geography, culture and nature. The book comes with a simple map of Florida that shows the route of Alex’s baseball team. This book is a fun way to teach students about their state of Florida.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">//**Hello, Florida!**//

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">by Heather Tomasello; illustrated by David Walker

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> This book informs readers of the many interesting places Florida has to offer. It discusses many areas of Florida. Therefore, I think this book would be a great way to teach student about the different cities in Florida and what they present, while they learn where they are located.