Title: A New, Capital Idea#141

National Standard: 12 The processes, patterns and functions of human settlement.

State Standard: 13

Teaching Level: E

Lesson Introduction: This lesson could be used as an extension to the lesson titled: A Capital Idea.

Objective/Purpose: Students will create a pamphlet, which persuades others as to the location of a capital for a new country. The pamphlet should include reasons for the location of the capital by citing the importance of the location to physical and human features.

Materials: Base map of New England without the six state borders marked, samples of pamphlets, paper -coloring utensils - old calendars or magazines depicting scenes from New England, reference maps of New England showing physical features, highways, airports, largely populated areas, agricultural areas, etc.

Procedure:
1)Introduce the lesson by distributing maps. Have students identify the New England states. Tell students that the six states that make up the New England region have decided to join together and create their own country. In order to do this they must decide on a capital where the people of this new country can meet and create a new constitution and government.
2)Working in groups of two or three, students discuss the following points as they determine where to place the capital: location of major population centers, transportation routes to and from the new capital to other cities, the U.S. and Canada, purpose of the new capital.
3)Students develop persuasive arguments for their location and create a pamphlet expressing their major points. Encourage students to be precise and creative. They are trying to sell their idea utilizing a limited format.
4)Have students present. Using a larger version of the base map, mark each group's capital with a different symbol or color.
5)After each group has presented have students vote on the location of the new capital.

Evaluation/Assessment: Have students write in their journals their thoughts about the location of the new capital as voted on by the class. Ask them to support their answers. Have them reflect on a secondary location that was not mentioned by any of the groups and ask them to support their choice.

Extension/Enrichment: Students create the new country created by the former New England region. Students determine a government, form of currency, constitution, and decide on a new name for the country. Make models or maps of the new country.

Reflection: How successful was this lesson? Did all students benefit? Were there any surprises? What might you do differently another time? Please note any changes that will make this lesson more effective and useful in the future and pass them along to the NHGA. We appreciate your comments.
Thank you.
The authors.

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Original file name: 141rtf - converted on Tuesday, 20 October 1998, 20:55