Skyscrapers

Skyscrapers are the world's tallest buildings. These giant structures were first built during the late 1800's in Chicago and New York City. Skyscrapers have space for offices, stores, hotels, restaurants, sports clubs, and other businesses. Some people live in skyscrapers, too. Some skyscrapers have so much space and offer so many activities and services that they are like small cities.

A lot of planning goes into building a skyscraper. These buildings have two main parts: the foundation, or the part below the ground, and the superstructure, or the part above the ground. Both parts help support the weight of the building.

The world's tallest skyscrapers include Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Shanghai World Financial Centre in China; Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan; the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower in Chicago.

"Skyscraper." World Book Kids World Book, 2010. Web. 8 Dec. 2010.

Land Forms Project

Land Forms Project

In the context of studying how geography influences where people choose to live:

1) Students learned, This Land Is Your Land, a song which portrays the natural beauty of our country and reminds us that it's available for all of us.



2) Students watched a movie in BrainPop Jr. about various land forms found in our country and how they affect where people live. Students discussed these effects and we recorded their responses using a graphic organizer, Kidspiration.






3) Students drew pictures of the various land forms studied using the program Kid Pix.



4) The class recorded a version of This Land Is Your Land using the program Garage Band.




5) Using a program called Animoto we made a presentation of their drawings and song.


Here are the culminating projects from the second grade classes:



CLASS 2-205

Land Forms

Hello Students:

Below are pictures of some of the land forms we have been studying in class:

MOUNTAIN



CONTINENTS



HILL



PLATEAU



VALLEY



ANOTHER VALLEY



YET ANOTHER VALLEY



CANYON




PLAINS



PRAIRIE



COAST



BEACH








ISLAND




Now you will open Kid Pix and draw your own picture of a land form.

Landforms I

Hello Students:

In your classroom, you have been studying about how geography influences where people choose to live. Today we are going to learn about various landforms and how they affect where people live.

Click on this link.

username: ps376

passsword: ps376

When you have finished watching the movie you will take the Hard Quiz at the bottom of the page. Raise your hand when you have a score.


DRAW ABOUT IT

Click here and draw a landscape picture that includes a landfom.

Maps

Hello Students,

You have been studying about maps in your classroom. Today we are going to learn what a variety of maps are used for, how we can read them and then you will make your own map.

Click on this link.

username: ps376

passsword: ps376


DRAW ABOUT IT

Click here and draw a map of your of your room. Be sure to add a map key.

Student Interest Survey

Hello Students:

In order to get to know you a little better (and learn how to save your work online), I would like you to fill out the following Student Interest Survey. It will be fun and interesting to find out about you. I will complete the survey too and when we're finished, we'll see what everyone had to say.

Directions:

1) Open the WORD document in your class folder.

2) Write your name and class number at the top of the page.

3) Answer the questions in the survey.

10) Save and close your document.


REMEMBER:

Check your Writing!

1) Did I proofread my writing for spelling errors?

2) Does the first letter of each new sentence, as well as each proper noun (the names of people, places and things) begin with a capital letter?

3) Is “I” always capitalized?

4) Does every sentence end in a period (.), question mark (?) or exclamation point (!)?

5) Did I put one space between each word and two spaces after each period and between all sentences?

Orientation 2010

http://ps376grade5socialstudies.blogspot.com/

Topic: Introduction to Social Studies/Technology


My mission is to promote teaching and learning as core human activities dependent on relationship, passion and vision--in service to creativity, personal growth and a sustainable world.

Instructor: Mr. Almaas

Hello Students:

A new year and a new room!

Welcome to our Social Studies/Technology class. You are living during a time when we are experiencing the largest increase in expressive capability in human history. It will be a function of this class to help you become effective communicators in the media of your time.

We will be meeting here online every week where we will cover the social studies curriculum using technology.

Today you will be assigned a seat here in our, we'll go over the rules and then jump right in to our first assignment.

The Rules Of Our Class:

1) Be respectful of yourself and others.
2) Raise your hand to speak during class.
3) Listen quietly while others are speaking.
4) Always do your best!

Behavior Rubric





Grading

Each week you will be given an assignment to complete in class. If completed satisfactorily, you will get a check in the grade book beside your name as per the rubric below.


Social Studies/Technology Rubric

Check Plus = Information is accurate and useful. The theme or main idea of the
assignment is clear and related to the purpose or theme of the project.


Check = Information is clear and correct. The theme or main idea of the assignment is more or less clear and related to the purpose or theme of the project.


Check Minus = Completed week's assignment approaching standard. Information is
incomplete or not correct. The completed assignment does not have a clear purpose
or central theme.

No Check = Assignment was not completed.


Final Grade Rubric

All check pluses for the projects and weekly assignments, along with good behavior, during a grading period will result in a final grade of:

4

A mixture of checks and check pluses for the projects and weekly assignments, along with good behavior, during a grading period will result in a final grade of:

3

Too many check minuses and/or questionable classroom behavior during a grading period will result in a final grade of:

2

Too many check minuses, unexcused absences from class and poor classroom behavior during a grading period will result in a final grade of:

1

TODAY'S ACTIVITY

Today we have gone over the rules and procedures of our class, you watched a PowerPoint presentation showing many interesting sights around the Catskill Mountains and you learned how to sign in and access the online activities for this class.

Now you will notice New York State's geographical location in the United States by completing an online activity where it's up to you to point out where the 50 states go on a map of the United States:

Click the hyperlink above and begin.

Good luck!

State And Local Governments

Hello Students:

In your class with Ms. Pizarro you have been looking at the state and local governments of New York and what they do for us. Today we will take a look at how state and local governments work in the United States and then see how that connects to our state and local government.

Click here to open BrainPop Jr, review the film we watched and take the online quiz to assess your understanding of state and local government. When you are finished, raise your hand and I will check your score and show you what to do next.

URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL COMMUNITIES

Urban


Suburban


Rural


Hello Students:

In your classroom, you have been studying about why and how communities develop differently. Today we are going to learn about Urban, Suburban and Rural communities and how they affect where people choose to live.

Click here (username: ps376, password: ps376) to watch a short film about Urban, Suburban and Rural communities. After you are finished taking the quiz, raise your hand and I will direct you to a follow-up activity.

Presidents Day

Hello Students:

Every year on the third Monday in February, we celebrate the holiday Presidents' Day honoring the birthdays of both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln,. Today we will watch a film and do an activity where we learn about these great men.

Click here (username: ps376 / password: ps376) and watch the film about George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. When you are finished, take the graded online quiz. When you are finished, raise your hand, I will come over and check your score and show you what to do next.

Martin Luther King Day

Hello Students:

In honor of Martin Luther King Day (Monday, January 18th), we are going to take a look at the life and work of this great civil rights leader.

Click here to watch a movie about the beginning of the Civil Rights movement and the bus boycott organized by Martin Luther King. After you are finished, take the graded quiz. Raise your hand when you have a score. I will check your work and then you will go on to the Activity Page.

Unit 2: New York City Over Time

Essential Question: How and why did New York City change over time?

Sub category- Features of New York City include the skyscrapers of Manhattan

Students in Class 312 used Kidspiration as a note taking strategy to identify the six New York skyscrapers they are studying.