America+is...Reinforcing+Activity


 * //__ America is... Reinforcing Activity __//**

“America is our country. It is the place we call home.”

“We are the nation whose name means freedom to people all over the world.”

These quotes from //America is…// are views that many Americans have about the country in which they live. The reading displays that there are many aspects to what America truly is. America can be described by geographic location, ideas, culture of the people, the ways people make money, etc.

Objectives/Directions:

The goal of this activity is analyze a place you have been to in the United States, or maybe where you live, and analyze how this place is a part of America. Use a graphic organizer similar to the one below and define and classify specific characteristics of the place such as location, culture, economics, education, etc.

Once students have looked at specific characteristics of their place in the United States, they are going to construct a creative writing piece (e.g. poem, letter, song, etc.), explaining how this place can be considered a part of America. By doing this, students will be explaining what being a part of America means to them. Students will work individually on the creative writing piece and share them after they have been constructed.

To extend this activity, students could pick a place that does not belong to America and do the same graphic organizer with that location. After this, students could write about how this place does not belong to America, which would help students to learn about what sets certain regions apart from others. By doing this, students are creating nonexample for themselves, which would help them to remember the characteristics of America at an even deeper level.