River sources and stories
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/03/g35/morellriver.html
A lesson plan for grade 7 English Language Arts and Social Studies
In this Xpeditions lesson, students compare the physical characteristics of different regions and to understand the significance of one region to an adjoining area.
Students will:
- read about the Nile’s importance to ancient Egypt;
- read about the Nile and its source rivers, and map important locations;
- create online maps showing elevations and precipitation levels in Africa, and compare the regions of the White Nile, Blue Nile, and Nile delta;
- look at pictures of the Nile and its source rivers; and
- write letters to friends describing a fictitious trip along the Blue and White Nile rivers.
Xpeditions provides links to helpful web resources, directions for completing the lesson, and suggestions for assessment and extension activities.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 6
- Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
- Objective 6.02: Identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:
- reviewing and using common spelling rules, applying common spelling patterns, and developing and mastering an individualized list of words that are commonly misspelled.
- applying proofreading symbols when editing.
- producing final drafts that demonstrate accurate spelling and the correct use of punctuation and capitalization.
- developing an awareness of errors in everyday speech.
- Objective 6.02: Identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:
Grade 7
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
- Objective 1.01: Narrate an account such as a news story or historical episode which:
- creates a coherent organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
- orients the reader/listener to the scene, the people, and the events.
- engages the reader/listener by establishing a context and creating a point of view.
- establishes the signficance of events.
- Objective 1.03: Interact in group settings by:
- responding appropriately to comments and questions.
- offering personal opinions confidently without dominating.
- giving appropriate reasons that support opinions.
- soliciting and respecting another person's opinion.
- Objective 1.01: Narrate an account such as a news story or historical episode which:
- Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of application of grammar and language usage.
- Objective 6.01: Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
- using a variety of sentences correctly, punctuating them properly, and avoiding fragments and run-ons.
- using subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.
- applying the parts of speech to clarify language usage.
- using pronouns correctly, including clear antecedents and correct case.
- using phrases and clauses correctly, including proper punctuation (e.g., prepositional phrases, appositives, dependent and independent clauses).
- determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.
- extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.
- determining when and where dialects and standard/nonstandard English usage are appropriate.
- applying language conventions and usage during oral presentations.
- choosing language that is precise, engaging, and well suited to the topic and audience.
- experimenting with figurative language and speech patterns.
- Objective 6.01: Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 7
- Goal 1: The learner will use the five themes of geography and geographic tools to answer geographic questions and analyze geographic concepts.
- Objective 1.01: Create maps, charts, graphs, databases, and models as tools to illustrate information about different people, places and regions in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
- Objective 1.02: Generate, interpret, and manipulate information from tools such as maps, globes, charts, graphs, databases, and models to pose and answer questions about space and place, environment and society, and spatial dynamics and connections.
- Goal 2: The learner will assess the relationship between physical environment and cultural characteristics of selected societies and regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia.
- Objective 2.01: Identify key physical characteristics such as landforms, water forms, and climate and evaluate their influence on the development of cultures in selected African, Asian and Australian regions.
- Objective 2.02: Describe factors that influence changes in distribution patterns of population, resources, and climate in selected regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia and evaluate their impact on the environment.
- Objective 2.03: Examine factors such as climate change, location of resources, and environmental challenges that influence human migration and assess their significance in the development of selected cultures in Africa, Asia, and Australia.



