Geography in the Classroom

Geography in the classroom

This is the root of Moffat's Travels. By teaching with Moffat, my students learn about geography and the unique places, both manmade and natural, that fill the United States. We are fortunate to call the beautiful city of Colorado Springs, at the base of Pikes Peak "America's Mountain", our home. Colorado Springs has also been named "Olympic City USA" and is home to world class athletes.

We learn stories of people and places from across the country. and all the while, these students are writing their own atlas. Technology, including Google Earth, virtual field trips, Youtube videos, and digital books, support our studies on a daily basis. The students learn how to do research and practice grade level writing skills all while learning new content.

A Week Learning With Moffat...

Moffat Visits Colorado PRESENTATION Freebie

Students learn about the unique geography and landmarks of all 50 states throughout the course of a week. During the week, students are engaged throughout the week with primary sources, videos, picture books and artifacts. Each week of learning contains a presentation with photos of Moffat exploring the state and learning about its unique characteristics. At the end of the week, students practice grade level writing skills while writing about Moffat's adventure in the state/states.

Week At A Glance:

MONDAY: Students draw and label images from circle map into their Moffat Journal. Images need to be labeled with the correct spelling to create content specific vocabulary.

TUESDAY-THURSDAY: Students spend time learning more about the state through primary source analysis, videos, and picture books.

FRIDAY: Students complete their weekly state studies by writing about what Moffat saw during the week. Students begin each story with the modeled main idea sentence. They then expand on their understanding by adding more sentences based upon their comprehension from the week. The rubric for assessment changes throughout the year based upon grade level standards.