INTEGRATING A “SENSE OF PLACE” INTO THE FUNDAMENTALS

Have you ever wondered how the world came to be ? Have you ever wondered how a place came to be? Did you ever marvel about your place in the world?

How Well Do you Know a “Place”? Can you guess what and where this is?

The Strawbridge's Building at 9 th and Market Streets

Curriculum Overview This curriculum has been designed to allow children to understand their sense of place in the world and their community. This curriculum can be easily integrated into The Philadelphia School District science scope and sequence for third grade. The fundamentals of that sequence include exploration of minerals and rocks, sound and plants. Within each module lessons can be tailored to allow children to learn and understand their sense of place.

Integrating “Sense of Place” into Minerals & Rocks

List of Activities Explore rocks found in Malcolm X Park and surrounding area Discuss “history of a place” West Philadelphia Look at local historical maps of the area –Davidrumsey.com and philageohistory.org Visit Royage Street Interview older residents of community Use Googleearth.com as a resource to further explore their place as well as others in the world.

Integrating “Sense of Place” into Sound

List of Activities (After learning about sound and how it is produced through the use of experiments) create a KWL chart to lead into investigation of other kinds of waves. Microwave experiment –Lead into discussion of the cosmos Create dioramas of planets in our solar system Use “Where is M13” website as a additional resource to investigate the cosmos Trip to the Franklin Institute to further understand the various types of waves *Literary connection- “Postcards from Pluto” Students will use book to create “postcards” from the planet of their choice.

Integrating “Sense of Place” into Plants

List of Activities Trip to Malcolm X Park to observe plants in their “sense of place” Trip to Cobbs Creek to identify different types of plants and conduct watershed experiments. Use maps to locate watersheds in the city Produce mobiles tracking the course of rain from the sky to a watershed

It’s Your Turn Where Does Water Go? Objective: Students will be able to explain the watershed process. Students will create mobiles illustrating the watershed process Students will use Step Up To Writing to explicate this process Materials:hangars crayons paperhole puncher yarn“Where Does it Go?” information sheet Procedures: 1. Review objectives of today’s lesson 2. Have students recall information about the watershed process, list on chart paper 3. Divide class into groups of two 4. With partnerships read “Where Does Water Go” handout 5. Using Step Up To Writing partnerships will write the steps in the watershed process 6. One student from each partnership will gather materials from designated area. 7. Last, use Step Up To Writing paragraph to assist in the construction of mobiles illustrating the watershed process

Culminating Activity Design “A Perfect Place” Students will use information learned from each module to design a place that encompasses who they are. Students will make 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional representations of their place. –Poster boards, tripods, dioramas or alice.com In conclusion students will write a well-organized and detailed description of their place.

Who We Are Dalia Gorham & Deidre Bennett