Touring the Caribbean : The Dominican Republic Teaching Guide ( SS : Grade 7 ; LA : Grade 7 ; WL : Grade 7/ 8)

Touring the Caribbean: The Dominican Republic


Emily MacWhinnie, Joanna Browne-Marke, Marilyn Pinto
Stone Middle School


Brevard County, Florida














Caribbean Diversity Brevard Public Schools

Title: Touring the Caribbean: The Dominican Republic

Overview: Students will be learning about the Caribbean, specifically the culture of the
Dominican Republic.

Time Required: Two Weeks (non-block schedule)

Target Audiences:

SS: Grade 7

LA: Grade 7

WL: Grade 7/ 8

Materials required:

SS:

1. Map of the Caribbean
2. 30-Second Expert Handout
3. The Caribbean Up Close: Looking at a Map Handout
4. Article "Cauldron of Conflict" by Paul Dosal
5. The Caribbean Up Close: Looking at a Document
6. Example of a Wordle Image

LA:

1. Internet Access
2. Printer
3. Paper, colored pencils
4. Magazines: Images

WL:

1. Dominican Republic DVD
2. Computer with Internet access, Pages, Microsoft Word, or PowerPoint
3. Magazines
4. Printer









Cross-curricular connections:


SS: Geography: The Caribbean, Climate, Economy, Maps

LA: Context Clues, Writing Prompt, Sequential Order, Main Idea

WL: Culture of the Dominican Republic, Vocabulary

Lesson objectives and SSS:

SS: Standards:

1. Understand physical and cultural characteristics of places.
a. SS.7.G.2.3: Explain how major physical characteristics, natural resources,
climate, and absolute and relative location have influenced settlement,
economies, and inter-governmental relations in North America.
2. Economics:
a. SS.7.E.2.5: Explain how economic institutions impact the national
economy.
b. SS.7.E.3.1: Explain how international trade requires a system for
exchanging currency between and among nations.
3. Civics and Government:
a. SS.7.C.2.11: Analyze media and political communications (bias,
symbolism, propaganda).

LA: Standards:

1. Reading Process
a. LA.7.1.6.3: The student will use context clues to determine meanings of
unfamiliar words.
b. LA.7.1.7.3: The student will determine the main idea or essential message
in grade-level or higher texts through inferring, paraphrasing,
summarizing, and identifying relevant details.
2. Literary Analysis:
a. LA.7.2.2.3: The student will organize information to show understanding
(e.g., representing main ideas within text through charting, mapping,
paraphrasing, summarizing, or comparing/contrasting.
3. Writing: Drafting:
a. LA.7.3.2.2: The student will draft writing by organizing information into a
logical sequence and combining or deleting sentences to enhance clarity.


4. Communication: Listening and Speaking:









a. LA.7.5.2.3: The student will organize and effectively deliver speeches to
entertain, inform and persuade, demonstrating appropriate language
choices, body language, eye contact, gestures, and the use of supporting
graphics and technology.

WL: Standards:

1. FL. D. 1.2.2. Use simple vocabulary and short phrases in the target
language.
2. FL. D.2.2.1. Distinguish the similarities and differences between the patterns of
behavior of the target culture related to recreation, holidays, and celebrations

SS: Objectives:

1. Students will be able to evaluate a map of the Caribbean and complete a handout.
2. Students will be able to sequence information into two columns: known and
learned information.
3. Students will be able to analyze a nonfiction text and describe the main ideas.
4. Students will be able to identify key terms, main ideas, and other information in a
nonfiction text.
5. Students will be able to use technology to create an image.

LA: Objectives:

1. Students will be able to research The Dominican Republic using the Internet.
2. Students will be able to collect information and take Cornell notes.
3. Students will be able to create a brochure and present it to the class.

WL: Objectives:

1. Students will be able to use simple vocabulary and short phrases in the target
language.
2. Students will be able to distinguish the similarities and differences between the
patterns of behavior of the target culture related to recreation, holidays, and
celebrations.

Teaching activities:

SS:

1. Introduction to the Caribbean: To begin, students will look at a map of the
Caribbean taken from Discovery Education Website
(www.discoveryeducation.com), and complete "The Caribbean Up Close:
Looking at a Map" handout.









2. Students will complete a 30-Second Expert graphic organizer about their
knowledge or lack there of the Caribbean. Class discussion will follow.
3. Students will read the article "Cauldron of Conflict" by Paul Dosal.
4. As students read, they will circle key terms, underline section titles, highlight
main ideas, box author's names, and put brackets around other pertinent
information in the article.
5. When students have completed the reading, they will answer "The Caribbean Up
Close: Looking at a Document" handout about the article.
6. Then, as a class we will discuss the article and its intentions with regards to
understanding the Caribbean.
7. Finally, students will take the information learned and create a "Wordle" of the
main ideas in the article.

LA:

1. Students will be introduced to the Dominican Republic by viewing a video.
2. Students will research the Dominican Republic: different regions, vacationing
sites, attractions, economy, climate, transportation, etc.
3. Brainstorm what is included in a brochure about a country.
4. Finally, students will create a brochure using Pages, based on a rubric.

WL:

1. Introduce the lesson by presenting the location of the Dominican Republic, a flag
of the Dominican Republic, and talk about the importance of the culture.
2. Tell students to imagine that they are working in the Travel Agency, and they
need to create a traveling brochure to show the people the culture of the
Dominican Republic. Include the following details: location, transportation,
holidays, music, attractions, dance, etc. in Spanish.

Assessments:

SS:

1. Completion Grade: 30-Second Expert, The Caribbean Up Close: Looking at a
Map
2. Accuracy Grade: The Caribbean Up Close: Looking at a Document

LA:

1. Participation in Class Discussions
2. Brochure
3. Presentation









WL:

1. Spanish Brochure on The Dominican Republic

Resources/ Links:

http://www.everyculture.com/Cr-Ga/Dominican Republic.html

http://en.Wikipedi.or2/wiki/culture-of-the-Dominican-Republic

www.welcome-dominican-repubblic-culture.php

http://tfk.factmonster.com

www.all-holidav-brochures.com