Second Grade

Social Studies/Science

 

 

  • Theme:  Traveling the Continents and Oceans

 

  • Synopsis:  An adventurous violin, Vi, decides to explore the world and its music.  He visits every continent and crosses every ocean.

 

  • Content Specifications/Goals

 

The students will:

 

1.      Name and locate the seven continents and four oceans.  SS113.4 5a

 

2.      Learn to use the compass rose, four cardinal directions, and a distance scale.  SS113.4 5a

 

3.      Identify and define landforms.  SS113.4 6a,b

 

4.      Compare and contrast climate of continents.  SS113.4 7a

 

5.      Research famous landforms, animals, buildings, products, people, art, music, and other interesting facts about each continent.  SS113.4 13

 

6.      Recognize the impact of geography (or physical environment) on the music of or about each continent.  SS113.4 7b

 

7.      Recognize the relationship of environment and human activity.

Sc112.4 9, 10b

 

  • Activities:  The students observe Vi as he boards an ocean liner to journey across the Atlantic.  They will receive a world map on which to trace Vi’s journey and a travel log in which they will record Vi’s adventures.

 

    1. Crossing the Atlantic
      • Learn song and dance “Continental Hop”
      • Learn “Great with a Beat” (“hello” in five languages)
      • Learn directions on compass rose
      • Learn vocabulary; salt water, fresh water

 

    1. Travel to Europe
      • Teach “Turn the Glasses Over” (England); and

“Sheep Shearing” (Swedish folk song)

      • Divide students into groups.  Each group follows Vi on an excursion to an assigned country and reports on “sights.”
      • Learn vocabulary as Vi travels through various landforms;  river, stream, mountain, hill, valley, peninsula, lake, island

 

    1. Travel on a train east to Asia.  Trace a possible route on a map.  Record landforms crossed.  Use a distance scale to determine miles between cities.

 

      • Listen to “Sabre Dance” (Russia)
      • Learn “Mandarin Duck” (China)
      • Visit Mt. Everest
      • Learn “Dal Taro Kacha “ (South Korean children’s song)
      • Discuss Japanese woodblock prints.  Students make potato block prints.

 

    1. Fly on a plane southeast to Australia over the Pacific.

 

      • Teach songs “Australia’s on the Wallaby” and “Cookaburro.”
      • Discuss animals named in the songs
      • Group students and select an animal.  Identify the habitat of the animal, its enemies (predators), food,  animal covering, etc.
      • Compare and contrast the landforms

 

    1.  Fly west over Indian Ocean to Africa

 

      • See pyramids
      • Travel South down the Nile River and cross the equator
      • Learn the song “Swahili”
      • Learn the song “Sorida” (Zimbabwe greeting song)

 

    1. Fly south to Antarctica

 

      • Visit a research station
      • Study penguins
      • Learn the song “Three Penguins” (students move as penguins)

 

    1. Fly north to South America

 

§         Visit Brazil

§         Learn song “Mama Paquita” and “Caranguejo”

§         Sample foods from the songs (banana, papaya)

§         Discuss climate of Brazil

§         Visit the Amazon rain forest.

§         Learn the song “El Tren”

§         Visit Caracas Venezuela (valley) and see Los Teques (mountain)

§         Visit Argentina and learn the song “Mi Chacra.”  Discuss the animals named in the song.

§         Learn weather hazards: monsoon, drought, flood

 

    1. Take a bus to North America

 

§         Continue north to Canada

§         Learn the song “Canadia.” Discuss silver birch, lowlands, beaver, moose mentioned in the song.

§         Travel south to the USA

§         Learn the song “Rocky Mountain” (Appalachian folk song)

§         Discuss Appalachians, Rocky Mountains, Mississippi River,

Discuss use/sound of the dulcimer in these regional areas.

§         Learn the song “America the Beautiful”

§         Identify landforms and crops “from sea to shining sea”

§         Learn landform vocabulary;  mountain, hill, valley, ocean, continent, river, lake, stream, equator, hemisphere, peninsula, border

SONGS

 

 

 

Crossing the Atlantic

            “Greet with a Beat,” Share the Music

            “Continental Hop,”

 

Europe

            “Turn the Glasses Over,” Share the Music

            “Sheep Shearing,” Spotlight on Music

 

Asia

            “Sabre Dance”

            “Mandarin Duck,” Spotlight on Music

            “Dal Taro Kacha,” Spotlight on Music

 

Australia

            “Australias on the Wallaby,” Spotlight on Music

            “Cookaburro,” Spotlight on Music

 

Africa

            “Swahili Song,” Spotlight on Music

           

 

South America

            Brazil

 “Mam Paquita,” Spotlight on Music

 “Caranguijo,” Spotlight on Music

 

            Venezuela 

“El Tren,” Spotlight on Music

 

North America 

            USA

            “Rocky Mountain,” Spotlight on Music

            “America the Beautiful,” Spotlight on Music

 

            Canada

            “Canadia,” Spotlight on Music

 

RESOURCES

 

           

Music Books (songs)

            Share the Music, McMillan/McGraw-Hill, Grade 2, 1995

            Spotlight on Music, McMillan/McGraw-Hill, Grade 2, 2006     

 

CD player (with tape player, various song formats)           

plus cd’s (to record songs)

 

Books on seven continents

(from school or public library)

 

Continents (set of 7 books) JN-158813 ($53.00)

Transitional Readers Assortment

MARI catalog, K-6 Fall 2006

 

Consumables                                                             

            CD’s (to record and practice songs)

Construction paper, large/small (to trace routes)

World Map, per student

Travel Log, per student

Maps, overhead and individual student copy

 

Fruit:  banana, papaya

 

Instruments

            Wood block w/drumstick

            Kazoo

            “Drums” - Various size plastic tubs/containers