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LESSON PLANS
Assignment: the World Lesson Plans
Originally published by the Agency for Instructional Technology in their online magazine, Technos, these lessons are part of a series of dynamic lesson plans that integrate visual media resources into effective classroom learning activities. The collection is called Lessons Alive! and they promote well-researched methods for utilizing visual media – like using short clips rather than long format videos and calling students’ attention to a specific task for their viewing so that they are active and engaged while viewing. These lessons also promote effective strategies for group work and assessment of student learning. Each lesson is pegged to national curriculum standards. Teachers are encouraged to print and share these materials, and to adapt them for their own class as appropriate.
Submit a lesson plan or teaching tip
for effective ways to that you integrate ATW into your classroom.
New! Download these lesson plans for your classroom.
Voices of History
Grades 4-6 Social Studies – relating history and biographies of historic figures to current events
To implement this lesson, teachers use any episode of Assignment: the World along with biographies of historic figures – video or print materials. Students work in groups to get to know their historic figure very well, and then to interpret how that person might respond to an event today. This technique allows students to consider different points of view and to study an event within a broader context and in greater depth. Voices of History (PDF)
Getting the Right Coordinates
Grades 3-6 Social Studies – Geography and map skills: understanding longitude and latitude
Each episode of Assignment: the World includes the geographic coordinates for the places that are featured in stories on the show. This little addition to the program provides a great opportunity for teachers to activate a deep understanding on how longitude and latitude are used to describe locations on the earth. This lesson is an introduction to how coordinates are written and how the grid lines of longitude and latitude appear on the spherical globe. Students use an orange, and a rubber band to position the lines themselves to promote kinesthetic understanding before locating coordinates on a globe or world map. The lesson includes a printable hand-out that explains the terms as well as the conventions for writing coordinates. Getting the Right Coordinates (PDF)
Bull’s Eye
Grades 3-6 Social Studies – understanding community, region, state, nation, and world
This lesson should be used frequently when viewing Assignment: the World; it uses a simple graphic organizer to help young learners think about how world events impact their nation, state, region or community. The lesson encourages students to assimilate information from more than one source, and then to formulate and justify their own conclusions. Students are encouraged to deliberate and also to keep and update a journal of their experience. Bulls Eye (PDF)
Year-long Current Events Activity
Developed by Linda Friedman, Winslow School, Rush-Henrietta School
District.
Purpose:
To use the Assignment: The World TV program to expand the students'
understanding of location as it relates to current events and to expand
their global awareness.
Materials:
Map of the World displayed in the classroom in an easily accessible
location, newspapers, yarn, push pins.
Objectives:
• Increase students' global awareness.
• Increase students' awareness of current events.
• Increase students' ability to identify location on a world map.
• Relate news events to locations on a world map.
• "Track" stories as they happen.
• Begin to understand that geography is integral to learning about
world events.
• Use higher level thinking skills to discuss news events and brainstorm
their relationship to the 5 geographical themes.
Grade Level:
The program is designed for grades 4 - 6 but also highly suitable for
grades 7 and 8.
This activity is to be ongoing throughout the
school year.
Begin by taking a flat wall map of the world on
a bulletin board with the title "Where in the World."
Watch Assignment: The World each week and have students try to figure
out the clues (this can be difficult) and keep track of the "lead" news
stories.
Use classroom newspapers to find corresponding news articles (this can
be whole class, small group, or individual activities).
Pin newspaper articles to the bulletin board and use yarn to connect
it to the exact (absolute) location on the map. Pinpoint the location
with a pushpin.
Identify and discuss location of news events and content of news article.
Each week change article to correspond with that week’s program but
leave pins in the map to track all the locations that you will identify
and discuss during the school year.
As the class becomes more skilled in this activity and learns the other
geographical themes, expand the activity to include brainstorming how
the news events impact and relate to these themes. Cards labeled with
themes can be added to the board and even color coded to the push pins.
Extension Activities:
Make posters with 5 themes and in small groups generate ideas of stories
having those themes.
Graph frequency for various regions or continents having news events.
Make posters of people in the news noting why they are in the news,
where they come from, and how they are impacted by this event.
Write letters to local newscasters asking how knowledge of geography
is important in their jobs. Invite them to visit your classroom and
share their ideas.
Learn to write a persuasive paragraph and use that skill to respond
to the "Issue" questions of Assignment: The World…for more advanced
students, learn to write editorials.
Compare frequency of news stories in newspapers, television news, and
on Assignment: The World.
Prepare your own T.V. news program. Have small groups write script,
act out, make appropriate maps, and videotape when "polished." Include
International, National, State, and Local news; weather and sports.
For Rochester, NY area classrooms arrange a field trip to WXXI-TV and
sit in on the program.
Submit a lesson plan or teaching
tip
If you have a good idea for using
Assignment: The World with your students please email us at mfrench@wxxi.org
or write WXXI Educational Resources, Attn: M. French, P.O. Box 30021,
Rochester, New York 14603-3021.
© 2009 WXXI-TV/ Assignment: The World.
All Rights Reserved.
