Arizona Alphabet Book

In the classroom/library:

Introduction:
Grade Level: 5th
Subject: Geography/Language/Vocabulary
Overview: In this lesson, students will make associations with places around Arizona using alliterations, maps, and artifacts.
Purpose: To acquaint the students with places around their state in a memorable fashion. Associations will include cultural variations such as food and art, historical, geographic, or natural features in the flora and fauna. Vocabulary will be introduced through alliterations about each alphabetized area.

Outcomes:
Students will:
1.) Acquire personal references for 26 areas around the state.
2.) Identify and use alliterations
3.) Become familiar with new vocabulary words.

Standards:
Geography 3SS-E1. Demonstrate understanding of the physical and human features that define places and regions in Arizona, including the use of geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data, with emphasis on:
PO 2. explaining and using map titles, symbols, scale, cardinal and intermediate directions, and elevation on maps of Arizona
PO 3. locating and comparing the three landform regions of Arizona--the plateau, mountain, and desert regions--according to their physical features, plants, and animals
PO 4. the location and description of the important physical features in each landform region, including the Grand Canyon, Colorado River, and Mogollon Rim
PO 5. the location and significance of the important human features of Arizona, including those in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Yuma Ell Standards ELL V
The student will:
acquire English language vocabulary and use it in relevant contexts.
(ELL-R-3)
analyze text for expression, enjoyment and response to other related content areas.
(ELL-R-5)

Resources:
1.) Arizona Alphabet Book by Donna Dee Schmid-Belk and illustrated by Michael Ives.
2.) Arizona maps

Materials:
Two copies of the Arizona Alphabet Book, various artifacts, one garbage bag, two maps of Arizona, blackboard, one set of bullhorns, post-its, and blank maps of Arizona (one per student).

Process:
Introductory Set:
"We're going to have some fun getting to know some places around Arizona." Here, I have two maps of Arizona." Point out and describe the nature of the desert, pine forest, upper grassland-desert plateau, and Grand Canyon area on the maps. "We'll be using these maps and alliterations. Would someone like to tell me what alliteration is?" Make sure the class has a clear definition. Write the word alliteration on the board. Explain tongue twisters. Ask for any tongue twisters students know and have class practice them. "When we are done we will make our own alliterations." Explain that the purpose of a tongue twister is to "mess it up". In this case it is okay to mess up and laugh at each other. We want to have fun.

Objective/purpose:
Explain how all people learn from building on what they already know with association." We will learn ways to remember these places, by building associations of information." We can remember a lot about Arizona today, and use this information in the future, as we live and travel in our state. "When the book is done we will play a game together to see how many places we remember. You may see how you remember these places." Students will learn about alliterations and how to use them. Students will identify some vocabulary words in the text, learn their meaning and take a match-up quiz.

Input:
Two maps of Arizona are posted on the board. One has Post-its with the corresponding letter on the place in Arizona, and one does not. Hand out a copy of the map of the back cover of the book to each student for reference, and as a visual cue. This map is without the names listed. "At each page, I'm going to read from this book. Then each of you, in turn, will get to read the same part." "Then, I will ask for a show of hands if you know about this place, or maybe you have been there. I will give you associations about these places." "After reading your page, you will put the letter on the map showing where the place is. Everyone will then write down the name of the place on your maps that are on your individual sheets." "There are ten vocabulary words (on the projection screen). You will be tested on five of them tomorrow. We will choose these five words together, today. You must speak up if you see or hear one of these words as we read."

Modeling:
Start with the letter "A" as you are holding the book for the class to read and see the picture. Invite one student to read this same page in turn. Encourage a bold expression. Give the letter "A" post-it to the student and have it put on the empty map, in the appropriate position. Ask, "Has anyone been to Alpine? What do you see in the pictures that tells you something about Alpine? Can you imagine the smell of Pine trees?" Does anyone else see any clues about what it is like in Alpine? Give informational and geographical anecdotes to give reference/associations to the place. Have the students write the name down on their sheet maps by the corresponding dot. Point to the letter on the map and have the students repeat, "Alpine." Ask, "Did anyone see or hear one of the vocabulary words? Ask for understanding.

Check for Understanding:
Does everyone know how we will be doing this, now? At least twice during the lesson, stop and review with the children, by pointing at the letters on the map, and having them state the name of the place, together.

Guided Practice:
Continue with each letter on each page. Place the bull horns next to your head for Lochiel. State, "If the big bull looks down he will say, 'You are low child.'" Express the Prescott page by nearly spitting the "P" sounds. Put a piece of plastic under the chin of the reader student and have another hold the book away so they "don't get any on themselves, or the book." Explain the alliteration is about the sounds, not just the letters. Explain that Prescott has a big real-estate industry and they have exceeded their lawful supply of water. Prescott needs water, and don't have….

The Game:
Collect students completed map sheets. Divide the class into six groups. Each group will have a turn to identify each place on the map, as the instructor points at it, until one group does. The identifying group then will receive the post-it letter from the map. Going to the next group, the process is repeated. The group who collects the most post-it letters wins.

Independent Practice:
The class will now create an alliteration about the book and the lesson. Give two clues. In this case, "Donaldson", and bring out the word "Dolphins" to start the process on the white board. Before the rest is done, have the students take out a paper and pencil, and write a sentence about the book. Instruct them to make a list of alliterations that maybe used on the group project. Then, bring them back to the alliteration on the board to complete it. Have students review the vocabulary list and vote on most desirable five words. Use match-up quiz the next day.

Closure:
Remind students of the possibility of visiting or reading about these places around Arizona someday. They have now built some associations with these place names. Have them whisper the definition of alliteration within their groups. Remind them about the vocabulary test and make sure they have the words written down. Remind them if they have any questions about the vocabulary they can use a dictionary. Remind them that their work can't be used on the Southwestern Children's Literature Website, unless they have turned in their permission slips. Remind them to write a review or opinion of the book.

Assessment:
Observation will be noted of student's participation in the reading. Participation will show them actively using and discovering the value of the associative strategies. Vocabulary matching test will receive a grade. Student response in periodic review will be noted. A competitive game, between student group tables, will decide a "winner" with scores tallied. Students will create as a class, alliteration about their response to the book. Individual alliteration sheets will be created to facilitate this process. Students will label each place on sheet maps.

Extensions/Modifications:
The following week the students may create and present five alliterations after dividing up into three groups, the southern colonies, middle colonies, and New England colonies. If the creation of alliterations on day two becomes too difficult, then full class participation can be utilized, with individual alliteration sheets. Participation will show students actively using and discovering the value of the strategies from previous session.

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