Kirstin Schulz
Eunice Smith
2400 N Henry
Alton, Il.
62002
Promoting
Geographic Knowledge Through Literature Workshop
July 7-19, 2002
I an effort to make my fourth grade students more aware of their surroundings and the state, I wanted to develop an activity that would show them the people, places, animals, and activities that are not only in their surrounding area but also their entire state.
These activities may be used in Social Studies, Language Arts, and Art.
Grade Levels: Grades 3 to 6
Themes: Place, Region, Human-Environment Interaction
Geography Standards include: Places and Regions #4 and #5, Physical Systems #8
Illinois Learning Standards: #16E and #17A
The students will be able to
1. Identify characteristics of Illinois
2. List items found in Illinois
3. Create a patchwork quilt that shows different aspects of the state
4. Write a book about Illinois
The book Heartland written by Diane Siebert Harper Trophy 1989
Isbn: 0-06-443287-4
A large cardstock cutout of Illinois for each student
Construction paper
Glue, paper, pencils
As a class look at the pictures of the book Heartland and ask the students to
predict what the book might be about.
Read the book out loud to the students.
Lead a discussion of the thoughts and opinions on the book. Were their
predictions correct?
Reread the book to the students slowly.
Have the students make a list of things that they hear in the book but have seen in
Illinois
The students will then take the construction paper and tear small patches of
different colors
Have the students glue their patches onto the cardstock cutout of Illinois.
On each patch of their Illinois quilt ask the students to write (draw a picture)
one of the items from their list ( things heard in the book and seen in
Illinois)
Once their quilt is finished, have the students create a new book, fictional or
nonfictional, about Illinois and using the items written on their quilt.
Closure
Have the students read their books out loud to the class.
Glue all of the Illinois quilts together to make one large class quilt of Illinois.
Have the students read their books and/or share their quilts with students
in other classes.
Label your town and other major towns on their Illinois quilt.
Oral discussion of the book Heartland
Completed quilts and books