Online map activity

Website used: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/USA_Geography/USA_GL_1280_800.html
(Home page of www.shappardsoftware.com and click on ‘States- Click on the US states to find their names.’)

Lesson activity: reinforcement/assessment of states of the United States as taught in geography to seventh and eighth graders, beginner ESL students; 30-45 minutes.

Curricular goal: students will be able to correctly identify the location of the states of the United States

Language goal: students will be able to verbalize the states of the United States with improved accuracy and more confidence than their pronunciation prior to using the website

Lesson plan: Students have begun studying the states of the United States in class and are now ready to use their new knowledge to complete an online activity via an interactive map. The activity consists of both on-screen interaction and audio to enhance the learner’s experience.

Procedure: Students would enter the website by following the URL posted on a projector for all to view. Once there, the students will listen to the prompts for each state. As an added learning tool, each student should repeat the state name before selecting it on the map. The states are divided into regions, thereby allowing the students the opportunity to practice saying each state and region as they go along.

Review:
1. The website will help meet the needs of the instructional purpose by serving as a review that feels more like a game; this alleviates much of the anxiety that comes with a formal assessment for language learners. At the end of the activity the students can click on an option to see a percentage based on their performance. As the educator, this percentage aids in my understanding of how the students are coming along in their comprehension. I can use these results to plan my future lessons on the states.
2. The content of this website is appropriate for the review lesson as there is a formal assessment (the percentages), a game format—in my experiences all students, regardless of age, love games; after previewing the maps myself they are accurate so the activity is authentic in its presented knowledge, the language level is accurate as it is for a geography class, the website has audio and this can allow for the listening and the speaking (repetition) of the state names, my students love to play on the computer so the interest level is high, and once the percentages are viewed, my students are going to want to improve their score (and beat their friends’ scores) so their motivation level will be high.
3. The format, organization, and language level of this resource are appropriate for the instructional goals (identification and pronunciation of the states). The format is basic and to the point. The website does not include various pop-ups or other such distractions on the school computer; this helps the students stay focused. The organization of the website is well designed; there are very specific places and directions and the use of color is fun but not overwhelming. There is not a great deal of music or animated objects. It is quite simple and straightforward. The language level is great for this group as, since we have already done the majority of the work on the states in class, the language is not brand new or exceptionally difficult yet it gives the students a one-on-one feel when hearing the state name and being able to repeat it at the privacy of their own computer versus in front of their peers.
4. Technical problems I have to prepare for are the common ones of students not being able to log on the computers, computers being down, not enough computers for everyone, scheduling the lab, etc. To prepare for the problems, I would have each student’s login information printed and ready to use, puzzles of the USA to use in place of the website, partners pre-assigned in case of having a full lab, and scheduling ahead of time to ensure getting a lab.