France

**Subject:** 6th grade Social Studies **Class period:** 50 minutes **Location:** France, Western Europe
 * Lesson title:** Tour de France

** Objectives: ** · **2.01** Identify key physical characteristics such as landforms, water forms, and climate, and evaluate their influence on the development of cultures in and selected South American and European regions. · **7.01** Identify key historical events such as invasions, conquests, and migrations and evaluate their relationship to current issues. · **8.01** Describe the role of key historical figures and evaluate their impact on past and present societies in South America and Europe. · **12.02** Describe the relationship between cultural values of selected societies in South America and Europe and their art, architecture, music, and literature, and assess their significance in contemporary culture.

**Goals:** Students will be able to: · Understand the history behind the Tour de France · Identify key cities associated with the Tour de France · Describe the cities’ physical landforms, history, and culture · Utilize the internet, encyclopedias, and their textbooks in an effective way to research specific items about the French cities · Work collaboratively in groups by creating a Glogster presentation (brochure)

** Materials: ** · Smart Board · Computers/laptops · Encyclopedias · Social Studies textbooks

** Procedures: ** ** 1. ** **Opening** //(5-6 minutes)-// Once the bell rings, I will show a short clip about the Tour de France, []. The video is from the 2010 Tour de France and shows the final kilometer of Stage 13. After viewing the short clip, the students will then discuss their reactions to the clip and any information they know about the Tour de France. ** 2. ** **Mini-lecture** //(10-15 minutes)-// There will be a brief lecture and discussion about the Tour de France. I will have a Glogster presentation that focuses on the key facts about the famous Tour, including the history and the cities involved. I will also introduce Glogster to the class, giving a brief orientation/overview on how to utilize this tool. ** 3. ** **Activity set up** //(3-4 minutes)-// I will then divide the class into groups, with 4 or 5 students in each. (pre-assigned) I will also explain the assignment: the kids will have to create a brochure on their assigned city. In the brochure, they have to include information about the geography, landforms, history, and culture (architecture, art, music, literature). They also have to include what stage of the Tour the city is part of. The groups are as follows: · Cambrai · Carpentras (Mont Ventoux) · Station des Rousses · Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne · Col du Tourmalet · Bordeaux ** 4. ** **Group activity**//(20-22 minutes)-// Students will research the specific items about their city. The internet, encyclopedias, and their textbooks will be available for their use. Included are websites that the students may find useful: · **[]** · **[]** · **[]** ** 5. ** **Closure** //(3 minutes)-// Before class ends, I will have the students give me a report on the progress of their assignment. The assignment will extend into the next class period, along with the group presentations.

**Assessment:** For this class period, students will be graded on how well they were on task. I will know because I will walk around the class and observe who's working and who isn't. Students will be graded on their Glog brochures. They will be graded on how informative their brochures are (should include the specific items that I mentioned before), creativity, and attractiveness. The students will also evaluate the other members of their groups, including themselves, based on their performance and cooperation.

Lesson Narrative:

Each and every country is so unique that is was hard to choose one country to focus on. I eventually came to France because I have always been drawn to the French language and culture. I have many family members living in France, and I have visited there a few times, so I knew that from my knowledge and personal experiences about France, that it would be a good country to focus on.

I wanted to start off the lesson with a topic that most people have heard about: Tour de France. This cycling race is famous, especially because of America’s own Lance Armstrong. So I figured I would begin the lesson with something familiar, so the kids will easily relate to or seem interested in. I would begin the class with a short video clip about the final kilometer in Stage 13 of the race. It took me quite some time to find a decent video to show because I wanted to make sure that it was short and showed the essence of what the race is about. I wanted to find a video that showed the cyclers close up in order for the students to feel like they were actually in the race. After the video, I want the kids to discuss their reactions to the video and/or any information they know about the Tour de France. If the students were having trouble coming up with ideas, I would mention Lance Armstrong. Hopefully that will trigger some thoughts.

I will then proceed to my mini-lecture on the Tour de France. This will be a Glog presentation, and it will include information on the basic facts about the race, the history, and the cities involved. I will include how the race is usually a 21 day race and that it covers about 2,000 miles. It usually starts in July and the first race was in 1903. The winner of the first race was a Frenchman by the name of Maurice Garin. I will mention how Lance Armstrong has the most wins (7) and how Spain’s Alberto Contador was the most recent winner.

After the Glogster presentation, I will then give a brief orientation on Glogster itself. I will show the kids how Glogster is a multimedia poster by describing how they can put pictures, videos, text all in one presentation. I can imagine that the kids will be somewhat confused by how to actually create a poster. So I will help them as much as I can, but I will allow for some time for the kids to experiment with the Glogs for themselves. I will mention that the final product of the assignment is a brochure about their assigned city.

I will then divide the class into groups with 4 or 5 students in each. The groups will be already pre-assigned and I will place them with students that they haven’t really worked with before. This is to give all of the students the opportunity to get to know each other. I will assign each group a specific city that is associated with the race. On the board, I will have the specific items that I want each group to research on, which includes the geography, landforms, history, and culture. The students might feel a little overwhelmed with all of this information, but I would provide as much assistance as I can. I will also highlight key pages in their textbooks and encyclopedias that may help. I will also provide some websites that they may find useful. I will mention to the kids that in their presentations, I will want to see an image of the map of the city and an image of a famous piece of architecture and landform that is unique to the specified city.

I realize that the kids will not be able to finish this assignment within one day. I will give them an additional class period along with their presentations. Before class ends, I want each group to report out to me the progress of the group. I want to know how far they have gotten on their research and brochures. They should also mention any problems they are having, whether it is about their group members or finding information.

I will grade the brochure itself, not necessarily the presentation of it. I will grade for accuracy, creativity, and attractiveness. I will also have the kids fill out a self and group evaluation. I want the kids to be able to grade themselves and their peers in a positive, constructive way. I hope that the students will have an enjoyable learning experience through this whole process.