Review, Reflect, and Extend the Mission
Comprehension/Application • Analysis • Evaluation • Creative/Synthesis
How to use these activities: (Click to open the printables. Save to your device and print.)
Choose the review/reflection/assessment questions at the Bloom's Taxonomy level to best fit your teaching situation. You may want to create small, heterogeneous groups and provide a multi-level question to all groups. Multi-level questions are indicated with the levels in parentheses with the higher level in bold. Or you may want to provide questions from the higher levels to students who have already demonstrated understanding of the major concepts and need greater challenge. Do not be afraid to include all students with the “combination level” questions.
How do I grade these??
Since all the printable or group activities require applying terms and generating open-ended responses, the best way to grade student work will be to use a rubric. TeachersFirst offers rubric information and several reviews of online rubric makers so you can customize to your grade level and curriculum emphasis.
Comprehension/Application • Analysis • Evaluation • Creative/Synthesis
Comprehension/Application Level Activities
Choose a Region (printable)
In this application/evaluation level activity, students use terms they have learned and the places Geo and Meri visited to choose a region of the U.S. to visit and explain their reasons. A step-by step approach has students use three charts to collect information and ideas for a final paragraph or blog entry.Find the Location (printable)
Students use map coordinates and hints to find specific locations. Share the link to the printable file on student computers so they can open the URL with a click.Top Three Destinations (printable)
Students research and choose among several key tourist attractions. After taking virtual tours, they write a paragraph justifying their choices. Share the link to the printable file on student computers so they can open the URL with a click.
Comprehension/Application Level Discussion questions:
Use these questions with Globetracker's Mission up on your projector, whiteboard or student computers. Challenge student groups/partners to use the final Google Earth or Google Maps file, class logs of Geo and Meri's travels, episodes from the Mission, and other resources to generate a response they can present to the class.
- How many major cities have Geo and Meri visited that are NOT located on a body of water? Why do you think waterways do/do not matter in the success of a city or community? (comprehension/analysis)
- Please explain the difference between longitude and latitude. Create a visual way to remember these terms. What invisible lines are found at 0 degrees latitude and longitude? (comprehension/analysis)
- Do you remember which is the largest city, mountain, etc.? With your group, make a list of other “largest” places or things you can recall from this journey.
Analysis Level Activities:
Climate Effects (printable)
Students find evidence of the impact of climate on human activities. This printable offers one strategy for answering the questions and invites students to devise their own problem-solving method, as well. Differentiate by allowing your more capable students to plot their own course.Three Transports (printable)
Students use links to explore the reasons why certain areas of the U.S. use different means of transportation. This information-gathering activity asks students to generate a conclusion based on their findings. You may want to allow students to compose and revise the conclusions on an interactive whiteboard as a whole-class activity. Share the printable file on student computers so they can open the URL with a click.
Analysis Level Discussion Questions:
Use these questions with Globetracker's Mission up on your projector, whiteboard, or student computers. Challenge student groups/partners to use the final Google Earth or Google Maps file, class logs of Geo and Meri's travels, episodes from the Mission, and other resources to generate a response they can present to the class.- What natural resources did you notice were mentioned most often? Were there specific natural resources more common in certain parts of the U.S.? Which natural resources do you think are the most valuable? Explain your answer.
- What terms do we use to discuss different areas of our country? What states do YOU think form a region -- and what would you name it? Explain your answer. (analysis/synthesis)
Evaluation Level Discussion Question:
Use these questions with Globetracker's Mission up on your projector, whiteboard, or student computers. Challenge student groups/partners to use the final Google Earth file, class logs of Geo and Meri's travels, episodes from the Mission, and other resources to generate a response they can present to the class.
Throughout this journey, we have learned about many manmade or natural wonders that have changed the lives of people throughout the U.S. (Ex. Hoover Dam, the Appalachian Trail, St. Louis Arch). Which of these do you think had the largest impact on the most people? Explain your answer.
Creative/Synthesis Question:
This question draws on knowledge outside the Mission, such as other social studies topics, or asking students to create a new product, combining ideas from multiple arenas.
Plan another mission for Geo and Meri to tour North and/or South America. What would you want their focus to be and why? What would you want them to find out, explain, and compare about the places they visit? If you create an outline for a next episode, ask your teacher to submit it to TeachersFirst by contacting us through our webmaster account. TeachersFirst might be in touch to find out more and use your help in planning the next mission!