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What's the Difference?

Lesson 3:

From Unit We Are One World

Lesson

Handouts

Academic Standards

Philanthropy Framework

6th-8th Grade

Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

ELA:	Analyze/Interpret; Compare/Contrast; Presentations; Research; Speaking; Synthesizing
PHIL:	Human Rights; Nonprofit Organizations
SOC:	1 genOn; Adaptation; Communities; Cultures; Gross Domestic Product; Primary/Secondary Sources

Purpose:

Students will examine lifestyles of people in selected countries and compare their findings to American lifestyles.

Duration:

Two or Three Sixty-Minute Class Periods

Objectives:

The leaner will:

compare and contrast the living conditions in a selected country with the conditions in the United States.

Materials:

Research texts or materials
Computers with Internet access
Student copies of Research Guide (Attachment One)
Selected narratives and letters from Peace Corps volunteers
These can be found at the Peace Corps Web site listed in the bibliography.
Scoring Guide (Attachment Two)

Handout 1: Research Guide
Handout 2: Scoring Guide

Instructional Procedure(s):

Anticipatory Set:

Ask students to reflect on the information they gathered in the previous lesson.

Instruct students to select one of the countries they used for the map in the previous lesson. Tell the class that they are going to find out more about the country and the conditions under which people live. Students will also be expected to indicate the involvement of outside agencies in the country. These could be human rights groups, relief groups, or health organizations that are attempting to aid the people in the country.
Using atlases, almanacs, textbooks, encyclopedias (print or electronic), and the Internet, ask students to research the country they selected. Use Research Guide (Attachment One) and Scoring Guide (Attachment Two) to help students understand what their work should contain.
Distribute copies of narratives and letters of Peace Corps volunteers. (Note: This information can be found at the Peace Corps Web site [see Bibliographical References]. They are fairly short but very informative.) Ask students to form small groups of three and share the information they read. From each group, select one student to share their reading by speaking to the class in the first person. Allow a couple of minutes for the students to prepare this portion. Teachers may wish to take volunteers for this portion of the lesson.
Students will add the information from the Peace Corp readings to the information they have collected.
Have students write a narrative comparing and contrasting lifestyle, government, and economy of their selected country with that of the United States. Describe human rights groups trying to work on behalf of the people and compare both countries. Are any of the groups the same?

Assessment:

Use Scoring Guide (Attachment Two) to evaluate student writing.

Bibliographical References:

The Central Intelligence Agency Homepage <http://www.cia.gov/>. Click on World Fact Book under Library and Reference.
The Peace Corps Homepage <http://www.peacecorps.gov>. Click on Volunteers.

Lesson Developed By:

Thomas Webb
Fulton Schools
Fulton Middle School
Middleton, MI 48856

Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

Research Guide

I. Human-environmental interaction

A. How have people changed or altered the environment?
B. How does the environment affect the people who live in the country?

II. Economy

A. Economic facts
1. Percent employed in agriculture
a. Chief agricultural products
2. Percent employed in industry
a. Chief manufactured products
3. Percent employed in other areas
4. Gross domestic product or gross national product (where available)
a. Per capita GDP may be helpful in determining the wealth of the people living in the country.
Remember: These figures do NOT indicate income. This figure may be easier to understand than the billions of dollars indicated for the GDP or GNP.
B. Type of economy (market, command, traditional)

III. Government

A. Describe the type of government in the country: democratic, totalitarian, socialist, communist

IV. Examples of injustices and/or discrimination

A. Give examples of discrimination, intolerance, and injustices found. (Examples may be from Lesson Two: Violations and Dreams.)
B. Indicate which organizations (if any) have or are attempting to intervene on behalf of the people.

Handout 2Print Handout 2

Scoring Guide

Points	Description
5	In order to receive a 5-point score, the student must: Describe the living conditions in the country selected. Describe the living conditions in the United States. Describe *at least three* differences and two similarities of the two countries.
4	In order to receive a 4-point score, the student must: Describe the living conditions in the country selected. Describe the living conditions in the United States. Describe at least two differences and one similarity of the two countries.
3	In order to receive a 3-point score, the student must: Describe the living conditions in the country selected. Describe the living conditions in the United States. Describe *at least one* difference between the two countries
2	In order to receive a 2-point score, the student must: Describe the living conditions in the country selected. Describe the living conditions in the United States.
1	In order to receive a 1-point score, the student must: Describe the living conditions in the country selected or Describe the living conditions in the United States.
0	In order to receive a 0-point score, the student's discussion will show no evidence of any of the elements associated with the standard.

Academic Standards:

State/Country:

Philanthropy Framework:

Unit Contents:

Overview:We Are One World Summary

Lessons:

1.: Stereo What?
2.: Violations and Dreams
3.: What's the Difference?
4.: Freedoms We Enjoy

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