Choosing Our Country and Doing Our Research

Unit	World Olympics, p. 171
Lesson Name	Choosing Our Country and Doing Our Research
Grade Band	Elementary (Grades 3-5) Middle School (Grades 6-8)

Unit

World Olympics, p. 171

Lesson Name

Choosing Our Country and Doing Our Research

Grade Band

Elementary (Grades 3-5)

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

Required Materials	Have available in the classroom books, pictures and other materials about the country or countries that the team or teams are researching. (The teacher may wish to read books, excerpts from books, or articles; show films; listen to music; learn songs; and discuss everyday life in the chosen country with students.) Provide students with access to the internet for research and assist them in locating reliable websites with information about the country. Have a world map posted at the front of the class so all students can see and use it as needed. Have chart paper and markers. Have copies of Research Notes: What I Learned about __________ Country, enough for all students, with extra copies available as needed.
Standards / Competencies	CASEL Core Competencies Self-Awareness Self-Management Social Awareness Relationship Skills Common Core ELA-Literacy Standards Listening and Speaking Writing Writing NCSS Social Studies Themes Individual Development and Identity Civic Ideals and Practices Culture
Recommended Time	5 days

Required Materials

Have available in the classroom books, pictures and other materials about the country or countries that the team or teams are researching. (The teacher may wish to read books, excerpts from books, or articles; show films; listen to music; learn songs; and discuss everyday life in the chosen country with students.)
Provide students with access to the internet for research and assist them in locating reliable websites with information about the country.
Have a world map posted at the front of the class so all students can see and use it as needed.
Have chart paper and markers.
Have copies of Research Notes: What I Learned about __________ Country, enough for all students, with extra copies available as needed.

Standards / Competencies

CASEL Core Competencies

Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Social Awareness
Relationship Skills

Common Core ELA-Literacy Standards

Listening and Speaking
Writing
Writing

NCSS Social Studies Themes

Individual Development and Identity
Civic Ideals and Practices
Culture

Recommended Time

5 days

Essential Question	How can we use research to appreciate the countries and cultures represented at the Olympic Games?
Learning Objectives	Develop skills in basic research using library and internet resources Work collaboratively with classmates in small groups to complete a report about the history and culture of the selected country Work collaboratively with classmates to provide an oral and written presentation which includes poster displays about the country to other classes

Activating Prior Knowledge	Note to the Teacher: This lesson is an opportunity for students to learn about a country and culture different from the US. The lessons should be seen as a way to help build bridges between students who come from different cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds and traditions. We recommend choosing a country with which they are not familiar. It is also a valuable opportunity to choose a country from which newly arrived families in your community have immigrated. This is especially important if there are limited interactions between groups within the community. When students begin research on the country, it is essential to remind them that there are both similarities and differences to be found within each country and culture. One way to do this is to talk with them about the similarities and differences found across fifty states depending on where people live, where their families emigrated from, their beliefs and traditions, and so on. Give each student a copy of the What I Think A Person Should Know About the US Worksheet and tell them they have five minutes to jot down important topics they think a stranger to the US should know about our country. Give as an example, I think they should know the name of the capital or how many states we have. At the end of five minutes, ask students to name topics and chart their responses. Tell the class they are going to revisit this list.
Core Instruction	Note to the Teacher: To build a sense of ownership in the team regarding the country they will represent in the games, we suggest you use this method to actively engage students in choosing their team’s country. If the Olympics is being held school-wide or as part of a large afterschool program, then each class or team within the program must choose a different country that it will represent at the Olympics. If the Olympics is being conducted school- or program-wide, then teachers of individual groups may need to stagger the days on which the lesson is taught or use another method to ensure that two groups do not chose the same nation. If a class is divided into two or more teams, then the teacher will need to ensure that each group chooses a different country. Day 1 – Choosing a Country to Research Ask students by a show of hands to respond to the following questions; Have you ever visited another country? Ask students to name the country or countries and list on chart paper. Ask one or two volunteers to share what they remember most about the country. Has anyone ever lived in another country? Ask students to name the country or countries and list them on chart paper. Ask for one or two volunteers to share a similarity and a difference between the US and the other country they lived in. Ask if any students know someone – either someone in their family or a neighbor or someone else in the community – who has recently come from another country to live in the US. Add the country to list. If the teacher has lived in or visited other countries, share with the class and add to the list. (Note: if a country has not been named that corresponds to the issues raised in the Note to the Teacher above, add that country to the list as one of yours.) If you do not have a list of at least 15 countries, ask if anyone has heard about another country from a neighbor or other community member or from stories a grandparent or parent has told them. Add to the list. Go to the map. Remind students there are seven continents and name them as you point to them on the map. Name a country from the list and ask students which continent the country is on. Repeat with two or three different countries. Distribute an index card to each student. Ask students to look carefully at the list of countries on the chart paper and write down the name of the country they know the least about. Tell them you are going to walk around the room collecting their index cards. While you are collecting the cards, tell students to look at their What I Think a Person Should Know About the US Worksheet and add any additional topics. Give as an example: I think people should know what continent the US is on. Tell students to work on adding to their lists while you tally the cards. Sort the index cards to identify the country or countries the students know the least about. Share with the students the name of either the one country (if a particular nation was chosen by an overwhelming majority of the class) or the top two or three countries (if the count was close). If you announce two countries, tell students to think about the two countries and decide by a show of hands which they know the least about. Remind students the country they have selected is the one they will represent at the Olympics. In order to do so, they will need to know important information about the country. Post the What We Need to Know About ____ chart paper and fill in the name of the country. Tell students the group is going to make a list of what the class needs to know about the country. List the continent or where the country is located as the first item. Ask the class to look at the lists they made about the United States. Ask students for topics to add to the list. Generate a list of topics that includes: languages spoken, religions practiced by people, major holidays, foods people eat, main type of work, what the country is like (climate and topography), music, cultural practices, what people wear every day, what people wear on special days, what the flag looks like, and so on. Ask students: Where do you think the team is going to find out about all the topics we just listed? Chart student responses, such as: look in books, world atlas, or encyclopedia; ask the librarian for help; check magazines; go on the internet. Tell them that at the next session the team is going to begin their research. Days 2-3 The teacher should arrange in advance for access to the library and/or media center so that the librarian can prepare resources and provide an introductory lesson on using the resources including online resources. Depending on the age/grade level of the students, teams will need between two and three days to complete research on their team’s country. The handout, Research Notes: What I Learned about ___, can be amended depending on grade and ability level of students. Days 4 or 5 (Depending on number of days needed for Research) Creating a Presentation Divide the group into small groups of three or four students per group. Each group will be responsible for creating a part of the presentation about the country the team will represent in the Olympics. Work with the groups to decide which group will be responsible for each part of the presentation. Explain to the groups that they can use various ways to introduce the country to others, such as by playing music associated with the country or the country’s national anthem; creating a replica of the country’s flag; presenting an example of a game that was created in the country; preparing samples of food from the country; or creating different kinds of posters, a display of clothing, and so on. Younger students may require a great deal of guidance on this project. Regardless of the grade level, the teacher’s active oversight of each group’s work will facilitate effective student presentations. Provide materials such as poster and/or card stock, construction paper, markers, and fabric, as well as access to audio visual equipment that students will need to create the class presentation. Making the Country Presentation Since each team competing in the World Olympics will present its country to the other teams, presentations may take several days. On each day, one or more teams present on their country depending on time and space constraints. Have each group of students set up posters, games and other aspects of their presentation at different “stations” around the room. The other teams will “visit” that country and walk through the exhibits. Student presenters should be posted at each of the stations around the room to answer any questions visitors may have. Invite parents and caregivers, teachers and other visitors to view the displays as well. Note: A school/program could decide to schedule the presentations on an evening when the PTA meets so that family members and other teachers can view their work. When students visit the presentations of other classes, provide each with a copy of the Olympic Passport Form to record what they learned about each country they visited. At the end of their trip to the countries of other classes, each student “visitor” must fill out the passport for each country they visited and get their passport signed by the teacher of each class.

Activating Prior Knowledge

Note to the Teacher: This lesson is an opportunity for
students to learn about a country and culture different from the US. The
lessons should be seen as a way to help build bridges between students
who come from different cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds and
traditions. We recommend choosing a country with which they are
not familiar. It is also a valuable opportunity to choose a
country from which newly arrived families in your community have
immigrated. This is especially important if there are limited
interactions between groups within the community.

When students begin research on the country, it is essential to remind
them that there are both similarities and differences to be found within
each country and culture. One way to do this is to talk with them about
the similarities and differences found across fifty states depending on
where people live, where their families emigrated from, their beliefs
and traditions, and so on.

Give each student a copy of the What I Think A Person Should Know About the US Worksheet and tell them they have five minutes to jot down important topics they think a stranger to the US should know about our country. Give as an example, I think they should know the name of
the capital or how many states we have.

At the end of five minutes, ask students to name topics and chart their responses. Tell the class they are going to revisit this list.

Core Instruction

Note to the Teacher: To build a sense of ownership in the
team regarding the country they will represent in the games, we suggest
you use this method to actively engage students in choosing their team’s
country.

If the Olympics is being held school-wide or as part of a
large afterschool program, then each class or team within the program
must choose a different country that it will represent at the
Olympics.
If the Olympics is being conducted school- or program-wide,
then teachers of individual groups may need to stagger the days on which
the lesson is taught or use another method to ensure that two groups do
not chose the same nation.
If a class is divided into two or more teams, then the
teacher will need to ensure that each group chooses a different
country.

Day 1 – Choosing a Country to Research

Ask students by a show of hands to respond to the following questions;

Have you ever visited another country? Ask students to name the country or countries and list on chart paper.
Ask one or two volunteers to share what they remember most about the country.

Has anyone ever lived in another country? Ask students to name the country or countries and list them on chart paper.

Ask for one or two volunteers to share a similarity and a difference between the US and the other country they lived in.

Ask if any students know someone – either someone in their family or a neighbor or someone else in the community – who has recently come from another country to live in the US. Add the country to list.

If the teacher has lived in or visited other countries, share with the class and add to the list. (Note: if a country has not been
named that corresponds to the issues raised in the Note to the Teacher
above, add that country to the list as one of yours.)
If you do not have a list of at least 15 countries, ask if anyone has heard about another country from a neighbor or other community member or from stories a grandparent or parent has told them. Add to the list.

Go to the map. Remind students there are seven continents and name them as you point to them on the map. Name a country from the list and ask students which continent the country is on. Repeat with two or three different countries.

Distribute an index card to each student. Ask students to look carefully at the list of countries on the chart paper and write down the name of the country they know the least about. Tell them you are going to walk around the room collecting their index cards.

While you are collecting the cards, tell students to look at their What I Think a Person Should Know About the US Worksheet and add any additional topics. Give as an example: I think people should know
what continent the US is on. Tell students to work on adding to their lists while you tally the cards.

Sort the index cards to identify the country or countries the students know the least about.

Share with the students the name of either the one country (if a particular nation was chosen by an overwhelming majority of the class) or the top two or three countries (if the count was close). If you announce two countries, tell students to think about the two countries and decide by a show of hands which they know the least about.

Remind students the country they have selected is the one they will represent at the Olympics. In order to do so, they will need to know important information about the country.

Post the What We Need to Know About ____ chart paper and fill in the name of the country.

Tell students the group is going to make a list of what the class needs to know about the country. List the continent or where the country is located as the first item.

Ask the class to look at the lists they made about the United States. Ask students for topics to add to the list. Generate a list of topics that includes: languages spoken, religions practiced by people, major holidays, foods people eat, main type of work, what the country is like (climate and topography), music, cultural practices, what people wear every day, what people wear on special days, what the flag looks like, and so on.

Ask students: Where do you think the team is going to find out
about all the topics we just listed? Chart student responses, such as: look in books, world atlas, or encyclopedia; ask the librarian for help; check magazines; go on the internet. Tell them that at the next session the team is going to begin their research.

Days 2-3

The teacher should arrange in advance for access to the library and/or media center so that the librarian can prepare resources and provide an introductory lesson on using the resources including online resources.

Depending on the age/grade level of the students, teams will need between two and three days to complete research on their team’s country.

The handout, Research Notes: What I Learned about ___, can be amended depending on grade and ability level of students.

Days 4 or 5 (Depending on number of days needed for Research) Creating a Presentation

Divide the group into small groups of three or four students per group. Each group will be responsible for creating a part of the presentation about the country the team will represent in the Olympics. Work with the groups to decide which group will be responsible for each part of the presentation.

Explain to the groups that they can use various ways to introduce the country to others, such as by playing music associated with the country or the country’s national anthem; creating a replica of the country’s flag; presenting an example of a game that was created in the country; preparing samples of food from the country; or creating different kinds of posters, a display of clothing, and so on.

Younger students may require a great deal of guidance on this project. Regardless of the grade level, the teacher’s active oversight of each group’s work will facilitate effective student presentations.

Provide materials such as poster and/or card stock, construction paper, markers, and fabric, as well as access to audio visual equipment that students will need to create the class presentation.

Making the Country Presentation

Since each team competing in the World Olympics will present its country to the other teams, presentations may take several days. On each day, one or more teams present on their country depending on time and space constraints.

Have each group of students set up posters, games and other aspects of their presentation at different “stations” around the room. The other teams will “visit” that country and walk through the exhibits. Student presenters should be posted at each of the stations around the room to answer any questions visitors may have.

Invite parents and caregivers, teachers and other visitors to view the displays as well. Note: A school/program could decide to
schedule the presentations on an evening when the PTA meets so that
family members and other teachers can view their work.

When students visit the presentations of other classes, provide each with a copy of the Olympic Passport Form to record what they learned about each country they visited. At the end of their trip to the countries of other classes, each student “visitor” must fill out the passport for each country they visited and get their passport signed by the teacher of each class.

Download this lesson to access handouts.

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