LESSON TITLE: The Road to Writing Perfect Paragraphs: Follow The Old Red Trail WRITTEN BY: Julie Costello GRADE LEVELS: Sixth grade, but appropriate for 4-8 TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 class period, 45 minutes in length for introduction to summarization. More time required for practice and mastery. OVERVIEW: Students will learn the R,D,F (Reason, Detail, Fact) strategy for writing a paragraph while learning about the creation of Interstate 94. SUBJECT MATTER: Language Arts Social Studies Science LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to write a 6-8 sentence paragraph to answer a question. NORTH DAKOTA STATE STANDARDS: Language Arts 5.1.2 Plan and use a research strategy 5.1.3 Use relevant resource materials to access information; e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, videos, interviews, cassette recordings, electronic databases, and Internet 5.1.5 Use note-taking strategies to organize information that would include paraphrasing, summarizing, and identifying main concepts in information sources 6.1.2 Use sources that are appropriate for the research purpose 6.1.4 Use information from several sources 6.2.4 Use graphic organizers and summarizing to enhance comprehension 6.3.1 Produce informative writing; e.g., research-based report, instructions 6.3.7 Incorporate grade-level appropriate vocabulary in writing 6.4.2 Use supporting materials for topic development; e.g., research, personal experience, literature, interview
Social Studies 1.2.1 Compare past and present family life (e.g., housing, transportation, technology) over time 3.2.2 Describe how community life has changed from past (i.e., pioneer and tribal) to the present 3.2.1 Explain the importance of the accomplishments of scientists and inventors (e.g., light bulb, automobile, discovery of electricity, computer, telephone) 3.5.3 Describe ways (e.g., the development of transportation, communication, industry, and land use) geography has affected the development of the local community over time 4.2.3 Identify similarities and differences between past events and current events in North Dakota (e.g., in the lives of people from different cultures past and present) 4.2.11 Describe the effects of changes in industry, agriculture, and technology in North Dakota (e.g., energy production, transportation, farming methods) 4.2.4 Use chronological order and sequence to describe the cause-and-effect relationships of historical events and periods in North Dakota (e.g., how the railroads led to settlements in the state) 4.5.6 Describe ways geography has affected the development (e.g., the development of transportation, communication, industry, and land use) of the state over time 4.5.3 Identify the location and characteristics of significant features of North Dakota (e.g., landforms, river systems, climate, regions, major cities) 5.2.3 Describe similarities and differences between past events and current events in U.S. history (e.g., in the lives of people from different cultures past and present) 7.1.6 Use maps to find location, calculate scale, and distinguish other geographic relationships (e.g., latitude and longitude, population density) 8.2.1 Analyze the transformation of the nation (e.g., Imperialism, industrialization, immigration, political/social reformers, urbanization, mechanization of agriculture, changing business environment) 9 12.2.2 Evaluate the impact of various factors that led to the transformation of the nation (e.g., imperialism, industrialization, immigration, political/social reformers, urbanization, mechanization of agriculture, changing business environment)
Science 4.7.2Identify ways in which science and technology have greatly improved human lives (e.g., food quality and quantity, transportation, health, sanitation, communication) 4.6.1Evaluate the effects of technology on people and the environment (e.g., new construction, oil drilling, electric cars) 4.6.2Explain how an invention may lead to other inventions 6.6.1Identify examples of how technologies have evolved 7.6.1Identify ways in which technology has influenced the course of history and improved the quality of life MEDIA COMPONENTS: Video - The Old Red Trail http://www.ndstudies.org/index.php/media/old_red_trail_how_the_old_red_trail_came_to_be MATERIALS: Tarzan/Jane sheet (double-sided) one per student with extra as needed PREP FOR TEACHERS Bookmark website Familiarize yourself with stopping points in video Prepare a Tarzan and Jane cue (picture) Prepare Tarzan/Jane sheet one per student with extras as may be needed INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY: SETTING THE STAGE 1. Enter room with suitcase, or explain to students that you are in a hurry to get the lesson done as you are heading on a trip to Medora as soon as you finish. I m in a hurry, so today we are going to cut to the chase. This phrase has its origin in movies. Cutting to the chase, is jumping to where the action takes place, such as a chase scene. Today, the phrase means telling the important parts. Cutting to the chase, requires summarization. Summarization is a learned skill and today we are going to practice the skill of summarization, but let s hurry so that I can hit The Old Red Trail. Now you re probably wondering what The Old Red Trail is as it has had many names. I think you could learn some interesting things about The Old Red Trail a part of your heritage as a North Dakotan. You are in luck. Today you are going to learn about summarization, or cutting to the chase, as you learn about the Old Red Trail. LEARNING ACTIVITIES: 1. First, I will teach you about summarization. I m going to introduce you to two people: Tarzan and Jane. (Hold up picture of each as you speak about them.) Tarzan is the poster
child for cutting to the chase. If he were to tell you about himself it would go something like this: Me, Tarzan Plane crashed jungle Parents died Baby lived Animals raised Me, Tarzan. 2. This is Jane. (Hold up picture of Jane.) Jane is very educated and she explains Tarzan Talk. Jane would explain what Tarzan said something like this, What Tarzan is trying to tell you is that when he was a baby, he was traveling in an airplane with his parents. The plane crashed in the jungle and everyone died except for him. He survived in the jungle with the help of the wild animals. 3. Now we are going to practice Tarzan Talk as we learn about The Old Red Trail which is one of the names given to what we now call Interstate 94. Your assignment is to write a summary about what it would be like to travel on what was once called The Old Red Trail. 4. Play Clip 3 of The Old Red Trail. http://www.ndstudies.org/index.php/media/old_red_trail_how_the_old_red_trail_came_to_be 5. Using a strategy of Pausing the Video at various times, model to the class how to use Tarzan Talk to list some Details and Facts from the video. See examples below. Stop the video clip at 00:12. Use Tarzan talk to list details from the first 12 seconds of the video clip: 1923, Highway #s, State 3. Resume playing the video clip. Stop at 00:29. Use Tarzan talk to list details from the next part of the video clip: Tarzan talk, Nat l, 1925, 3 US 10; Ludington, WI to Seattle, WA. Resume playing the video clip. Stop at 00:50. Use Tarzan talk to list details from the this part of the video clip: 1934, Mostly gravel. Resume playing the video. Stop at 1:13. Use Tarzan talk to list details from this part of the video clip: 25 mph.
Resume video. Stop at 2:12. Tarzan talk: VCity (unimportant information), Ridge in middle, Ed Stern dad Buick (unimportant information) Resume video. Stop at 2:23. Tarzan talk: Train better, Winter one lane. Resume video. Play to the end if the video clip. Tarzan talk: Traffic no passing, No signs, Confusion, Water towers signs CULMIATING ACTIVITY: 1. Students transpose the Tarzan Talk into Jane Talk by deciding which information is important. 2. Students use the Paragraph Organizer (handout) to write a paragraph summarizing video. CROSS-CURRICULAR EXTENSIONS: Have students jig-saw all video clips of The Old Red Trail, summarizing each section. Create a book (or news reports) and share with history classes the story of the Old Red Trail. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: 1. Students could invite community members or members of a younger class in to hear the story they create. 2. Students could choose topics of interest and interview people from the community (create a panel of community members) to answer questions. Examples: road construction today, signage along roads, how are roadways developed and maintained, cost of roads, car travel-aaa. STUDENT MATERIALS: Tarzan/Jane pictures, pencil, paper for writing paragraph summary Old Red Trail State Hwy 3 US Hwy 10 Interstate 94