Details and Share
Comparing Countries
Students will research information on places in the world, outside their own country, compile the info and create a display to show the info compared to other countries.
Grade Level: 6th Grade
Subject:
Length of Time: Twp 45-Minute Class Periods
Objectives & Outcomes
The students will be able to use a variety of resources to research statistics for a country, and use the information to create a display, such as a graph or diagram.
Materials Needed
Computer with Internet, an almanac or other resources with a country’s statistics for a chosen year, regular-sized index cards or slips of paper, markers or colored pencils, graph paper or similar (size may vary) to create a display.
Teacher will need: Current vital stats and a map of the country classroom is located.
Procedure
Opening to Lesson
- Display a map of the country the classroom is located.
- Ask students to guess some of the country’s statistics: total population, number of men, women, children, square miles (Km), average income, life expectancy, others (at least one per the ½ the number of students in your classroom)
- Write the information on the board
- Reveal the accurate statistics of the home country
- Ask students if they know how these statistics compare to other countries
- Discuss the responses and ask how they can find out more about other countries
Body of Lesson
Modeling
- The teacher will demonstrate how he/she discovered the vital statistics for the home country.
- Teacher will then assign or allow students/pairs of students to choose a country to research.
- One index card for each statistic will be given to the student(s) – (10 statistics/10 index cards)
- Instruct the students to write on each index card: Country, type of statistic, the stat itself (for example: Canada, Population: xx,xxx,xxx)
- Once all research is completed, whether in the classroom or from the homework assignment, collect all index cards and separate by statistic
Guided Practice
- Distribute separate statistic to each student/pairs of students. For example, give all population cards to one student/pair of students
- Distribute graph paper, markers, colored pencils, etc.
- Students will then have the option of choosing a type of display to compare/contrast the statistic between countries (This could also be assigned to them, creating more than one type of display)
- The students will create the displays at their desks/tables
- Option: Have students exchange the statistic they have with another student and repeat the above steps
- Display final displays around the room where students will have easy access to reading them.
Independent Practice
- Using the displayed statistics on charts, graphs, grids, etc.; the students will respond to a worksheet with questions such as: Which country is the most populated? If you lived in____, would there be more men or women? Questions generated are endless.
- For homework, allow students to choose their favorite country to research other information, writing a summary about the country.
- The teacher will collect the completed pages. This will be used as an assessment.
Closing
At the end of the guided practice or in-class assessment, discuss with students the differences between the researched countries and why some may be more populated than others, and other differences. Discuss which country they would like to visit, etc.
Assessment & Evaluation
The students will be able to use a variety of resources to research statistics for a country, and use the information to create a display, such as a graph or diagram.
Modification & Differentiation
The students will be able to use a variety of resources to research statistics for a country, and use the information to create a display, such as a graph or diagram.
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