Date: 4-5 November 2013 Teacher: Darryl Plummer Course Name: Geography Unit: Europe Lesson: What is a Country?

Total Estimated Time: Two 51 Minute Class Periods

Overview: A country is the most fundamental unit of political organization on Earth. The 5 things that distinguish a country from a non-country are: Sovereignty, Territory, People, External Legitimacy, and Internal Legitimacy. A deficiency in one of these areas will make a region a non-country. Where the line of a country is drawn affects 4 of the 5 themes of geography; Place, Movement, Human Environment Interaction, and Region. Understanding what defines a country is key to understanding how a political boundary influences geography. It is also fundamental to understanding why people in a country behave the way they do and why they either want to be part of a country or feel a sense of separatism. This lesson will function as a precursor to a lesson on the European Union and separatism in Spain. The primary goal is for students to understand that there is NOT some central committee that decides what a country is and what it is not. The concept of a country is nebulous , yet has real world implications for the people who live there and the land they live on. The other function of this lesson is to create a cross-disciplinary link to civics. To understand why people form countries and what defines them will help students grapple with why the European Union exists and why people are willing to fight to leave an existing country. Finally, this lesson will involve significant use of 21st century skills to solve an open ended question in a group. Standards: Geography: 2. Explain and interpret geographic variables that influence the interactions of people, places, and environments. Explanation: Political boundaries are geographic variables 21st Century Skills: 1. Learning and Innovation Skills a. Critical thinking and problem solving b. Communication and collaboration

c. Cross-disciplinary thinking 2. Life and Career Skills a. Initiative and self direction b. Social and cross-cultural skills st 3. 21 Century Themes a. Global Awareness b. Civic Literacy Daily Objectives: Students will be able to (SWBAT) Break down the concept of a country into component parts Describe and defends a core concept of a country Appraise and critique a core concept of a country Reconstruct the concept of a country from component parts

Preparation: Lesson plan for easy reference Form groups of 3-4 (teacher directed) Clean whiteboard

Materials: White board Students sheet of paper http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AivEQmfPpk (in case discussion lags) Warm up PP slide

Pre-Assessment: Pre-assessment will be the warm-up on the board: Name 2 things a country needs in order to be a country. Anticipatory Set: The pre-assessment functions as an anticipatory set. It gets students thinking about the central question of the lesson. We will be focusing on this question for the entire lesson, whether in groups or as a class discussion.

Connection to previous learning or life: I will highlight how many students noticed on their last map quiz that Montenegro and Kosovo were not on their maps, yet were on the list of places they needed to know. I will also highlight some countries

they may have heard of, yet are not on the map anymore (Austrian-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire, USSR, Tibet) Agenda for the Board: Will be written on the board: Schedule on back white board Brainstorming for group discussion

Instruction/Activity Day 1 1. Students will start by writing the agenda for the week in their planners (Monday Routine) 2. (5-10 Minutes) Students will begin working on the warm up on the board (Name 2 things a country needs in order to be a country) 3. (5 Minutes) Break students into pre-assigned groups. These groupings split up groups of friends. Although I have no seating chart in this class and in the past have let students work with whoever they want, I feel students will be able to stay on track better with these groups. I also think it will expose them to people and ideas that they are not used to. I will point to a cluster of desks as I assign the groups so students know where to sit. I will also instruct students to circle the desks to facilitate discussion. a. Brody, Tania, Courtney, Jessica b. Nikki, Matt, Kate, CJ c. Mariana, Jerica, Jacob W, Sam d. Siena, Rylan, Logan, Ashkia e. Josh, Claudia, Jacob S f. Tabby, Jade, Kobe, Haley 4. (5 Minutes) Explain that in these groups, students will discuss the warm-up and create a new composite list of what defines a country. Groups are free to pull from the lists that they created individually. a. Students will have to assign a recorder b. Students will be reminded to be respectful of each others ideas c. Students will be reminded that in class discussion, they need to raise their hands 5. (15-20 Minutes) Begin group discussions. 6. Call students back to the classroom. a. Re-iterate that students must raise their hands to be called upon 7. (20 Minutes) Begin class discussion on the topic. a. Begin by calling on groups for one of their ideas b. Write it on the board c. Ask other groups for agreement or disagreement, if they have something similar, if they have something contradicting, why they agree/disagree 8. (5 Minutes) Wrap up the discussion and summarize what has happened so far.

a. Have students keep their individual warm-up and group discussion sheet b. Have students put desks back and return to their seats c. Direct students to sit with their groups when they come in tomorrow. 9. I will make an assessment here whether the lesson should go to Day 2. If students are not engaged or do not seem to care about making good arguments, I will collect their papers and end the lesson Day 2 1. 2. 3. 4. (5 Minutes) Recap what happened yesterday using examples from the brainstorming board. (5 Minutes) Allow groups to get oriented and discuss (15-20 Minutes) Continue class discussion (20 Minutes) Write a paragraph or make a list with explanations individually (but can ask their group questions) of the fundamental things that every country has. This will be due at the end of class or the start of the next day. 5. (5 Minutes) Closure remind students that what makes a country has an effect on geography. What laws are present in what area and which people think of themselves as one nation affects not only the political map, but also physical aspects of the land. Additionally, tell students that this will lead into the European Union and Separatism of Spain lessons. Closure: 1. Remind students that what makes a country has an effect on geography. What laws are present in what area and which people think of themselves as one nation affects not only the political map, but also physical aspects of the land. Additionally, tell students that this will lead into the European Union and Separatism of Spain lessons. Post Assessment: Paragraph or list with explanations for the things that every country has to have to be a country. This will be done by every student, but they can work on it in a group. Potential Modifications: 1. I could let students choose their own groups of 3-4. I am not doing this in this lesson because I feel some groups would become distracted from the task. I also believe students need to break out of their cliques and talk to other students. 2. If the group or class discussion on Day 1 Is lacking, I will show a Youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AivEQmfPpk that partially answers the question and may stimulate thought. I will only use this as a backup plan in case the lesson is bombing. 3. If discussion is lacking on Day 1, I will not continue to Day 2. 4. I may ask students if they want to continue with this lesson or go on to the European Union (they seemed excited about the European Union) if I am unsure of their engagement.

5. All students are working in groups and can even use their group members to help complete their post-assessment paragraph. 6. Students will be given the option of writing a paragraph or a list of attributes of a country with explanations. 7. If students need more time for the post-assessment, they can turn it in the following day.