Overview

In this lesson, students learn about the history and culture of countries around the world by exploring famous landmarks or monuments.

Around the world calendar

Lesson plan information

Teacher guide

Description

Every country in the world has nationally known landmarks or monuments. Those landmarks help tell the story of that country and its culture. In the United States, fewer than 2,500 sites have been designated as national landmarks. As Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote, in referring to the United States' national landmarks, "As a nation, we have allowed too much of our heritage―the places and objects that comprise the collective memory of America—to deteriorate. These reminders of our past should be protected to inspire future generations. Their preservation is our sacred trust." [Source: http://www.saveamericastreasures.org/release100600.htm].

In this project, students explore the famous landmarks or monuments of countries around the world. They discuss how those landmarks represent the culture of the country, and also how the landmarks reflect that country's collective memory. Working in teams, students then create a year-long calendar that features 12 countries, along with one significant landmark or monument for each of those countries.

Objectives

• Students will explore a country and its culture through its national landmarks.
• Students will use technology tools to research and communicate information.
• Students will demonstrate research skills, using the Internet as well as printed materials.

Prerequisite skills

• Basic experience with Microsoft Office Word
• Basic research skills using Microsoft Internet Explorer and MSN Learning & Research with Microsoft Encarta to conduct research

How to begin

1. Begin a discussion with students about national landmarks by asking students what they know about the Statue of Liberty in New York City, New York (or another world landmark). Explain that the Statue of Liberty is one example of a national landmark. Have students brainstorm to list other U.S. or world landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France; or the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt.
2. Tell students that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has referred to the United States' national landmarks as "America's treasures." She has written, "These reminders of our past should be protected to inspire future generations. Their preservation is our sacred trust." [Source: http://www.saveamericastreasures.org/release100600.htm]. Ask for volunteers to explain what they think she meant by that statement.
3. Explain that the United States has 2,300 National Historic Landmarks. These landmarks have been determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be nationally significant in U.S. history and culture. What are some of the landmarks that students feel should be on this list? Why?
4. Tell students that all countries have national landmarks. These landmarks often represent or symbolize the culture of a country.
5. Explain to students that they are going to research a country other than the United States, focusing on that country's national landmarks. Then, they are going to create a year-long Around the World calendar that depicts national landmarks for each of 12 countries.
6. Divide the class into 12 groups or teams, one for each month of the year. Groups should have access to the Internet and multimedia workstations.
7. Tell the groups that they must first select a country. They then research that country's landmarks and select one to feature in the Around the World calendar. For each landmark selected, teams should include the following information:

• Name of the country
• Name of the landmark
• Physical dimensions of the landmark
• Whether it is natural or was made by people
• Number of visitors annually
• Little-known or interesting fact about the landmark

8. One way in which students might search for online information is through the online Encarta encyclopedia. Tell students to start Internet Explorer and go to MSN Learning & Research with Encarta. In the MSN Learning & Research box, students can type the name of a country that they want to learn more about.
9. Create the Around the World calendar document. (See directions below.) Or, have a group of students create the calendar for the whole class to use. Allow time for each group to complete its page in the calendar.

Create a calendar for the student activity

Before beginning the student activity, create a calendar document for students to use. Here's how:

1. Open Microsoft Word version 2002. From the File menu, click New.
2. In the New Document Task Pane, in the New from template section, click General Templates.
3. On the Other Documents tab, double-click the Calendar Wizard. Click the Next button to begin.

Note: If the Calendar Wizard is not already installed, Word will begin installing it automatically. You might have to supply the Microsoft Office XP CD or network location of the Office XP Setup application.

4. Select a style of calendar from the three choices available (Boxes & borders, Banner, or Jazzy), and then click Next.
5. Select whether you would like to print your calendar in Portrait (tall) or Landscape (sideways). Click Yes to leave room for a picture. Click Next.
6. Select the starting and ending months for the calendar and click Next.
7. Click Finish to see the new calendar.
8. Name the calendar and save it.

Resources and web links

• MSN Learning & Research with Encarta
• World Landmarks

Student activity

Description

In this activity, you will use what you learned about landmarks and countries to create a page about a country in your class's Around the World calendar.

• Software: Microsoft Encarta, Microsoft Internet Explorer
• What to do
  Create a page in the Around the World calendar

1. Open the Around the World calendar.
2. Scroll down to the month that has been assigned to your group.
3. Click Insert, point to Picture, and then click Clip Art to search for a picture of your landmark or monument.

Note: If you have saved a picture of your landmark from a different source, click From File.

4. Under Search text, type the name of your landmark. Click Search.
5. On the calendar page, click the box where you want to insert your picture. (Another picture may already be there.) Then, in the Insert Clip Art task pane, click the picture that you want to insert into your calendar page. That picture will appear in the picture box.
6. Draw a text box under the picture. Type in the information about your landmark.
7. Save your work.

Ways to extend the student activity

Math connection

• Have students research the number of visitors to their landmark annually by month. Then have them create a bar chart or line graph showing the number of visitors by month.
• Have students discuss the implications of the number of visitors during any given month. You may also want to have the groups add this statistic to their calendar pages.

This content is reprinted with permission from Microsoft. For additional content, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/education/default.mspx.