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Voki Lesson Plan

Class Title: Social Studies, Geography, Music, or Reading

Lesson Title: Vocabulary

Grade Level: Elementary School

Author: Stephanie Bushman, adapted from Renee Goulart

Objectives:

Students will

1. Learn new vocabulary and use in sentences

2. Learn the meaning of new words through context

3. Increase knowledge and appreciation for American geography

4. Students will learn to sing “This Land is Your Land”

5. Students will learn about using technology to create avatars

Materials:

1. The song, This land is your land. Either play a recording of the song, or play this YouTube

video which includes the words for the class (lyrics at bottom of lesson).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeMLaQTwIgU

2. This Land Is Your Land. Woody Guthrie, Kathy Jakobsen. Little, Brown, Young Readers, 1998.

3. Voki.com and internet access for each pair of students

4. Paper chart or chalkboard for the teacher to keep

5. Geographical map of the United States (to show location of “red wood forest” “gulf stream

water” etc)

6. A large sheet of butcher paper and markers for each pair of students (or station)

7. Voki.com (http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=3253112&height=400&width=300)

Class Duration: 1 day

Activities:

Part I

1. Ask students about sights, sounds, and places in the United States. Have students identify and

name geographic features of these areas. Ask students to tell about places they may have

visited and what kinds of things they have experienced (Where there mountains? What did

you smell? Etc). Chart student responses; keep the chart for use later.

2. One word at a time, ask students if anyone knows the meanings of the following words from

the song "This land is your land": red wood forest, Gulf Stream Waters, etc. Accept all

reasonable responses and tell students they will learn more about these words. Ask how

many can sing "This Land is Your Land" and give them a chance to demonstrate.

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3. Read aloud the book This Land is Your Land, showing the pictures while you read. After

reading, do a repeat "picture walk," and allow students to respond and make connections to

the text or the photographs. When students have finished responding, tell them that the

words in this book are actually the words to the song "This land is Your Land," which they will

learn to sing.

4. Post and call students' attention to a prepared chart with the words to "This Land is Your

Land." Play or sing the song for them. If students know the song, encourage them to sing

along while you track the words on the chart.

5. After singing the song once or twice, ask students to identify any words they do not know.

Underline those words on the chart with a colored marker and leave the chart posted on the

wall. Tell students that they will learn the meanings of these words in the next session.

Part II

1. Gather students into a group where everyone can clearly see the chart with the words to "This

Land is Your Land." Have students sing the song with you once or twice while you track the

words on the chart.

2. Have students help you identify and read the words that you highlighted on the chart in the

previous session. Then revisit the book This Land is Your Land, and discuss the pictures that

illustrate the highlighted words. To help them understand the meanings of the words, ask

questions such as:

a. What do you see in this picture? (point to specifics)

b. How does the sky look? (for the word spacious)

c. What color is this? (for the words “diamond highway” and “Golden valley”)

d. When the wind blows, what does tall grass do? (for the “wheat fields waving”)

e. What can you say about the sky? (for the “endless skyway”)

f. What is growing here? (for the red wood forest)

g. How does this land look? (for the word valley)

h. What do you see on this page? (for “my people”)

3. Where would you find each of these things? Show students a geographical map (red wood

forest, valley, etc). Leave this map up to give students a geographical location of the new

phrases they have learned.

4. After reviewing and questioning all the identified words, revisit each word, asking student

volunteers to tell what they mean and/or use them aloud in sentences.

5. Conclude this session by singing the song again while tracking the words on the chart.

Part III

1. Review the words students learned in part two by having students identify and read the words

on the lyrics chart. Write the words on the board, or have student volunteers write them.

Have student volunteers give informal definitions for each word or phrase, and ask other

students to use each of the words in at least two different sentences.

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2. Then, have students work in small groups to choose one or two of the words. Alternatively,

the teacher can assign words to the groups so that each group will work with a different word,

or the teacher can choose just one or two words for all students to work with. For younger

students and students who need assistance, this activity can be done in centers or stations,

with an adult on hand to help with writing.

3. Give each group a large sheet of construction paper or an appropriate-sized sheet of butcher

paper or chart paper. Have students follow these instructions to create a poster for each

word:

a. Write the word on your paper.

b. Write what the word means, or talk about the meaning with your adult helper.

c. Use the word in two different sentences. Write the sentences on your paper.

d. Draw a picture that shows the meaning of the word.

e. Each group or pair will log onto Voki.com and create a character. This character will

live in a part of the United States that would see things like “golden valley” or “red

wood forest”, etc

4. The character will say where they are from and what they see of the United States

5. When all students are finished, have them share their vocabulary posters and Voki characters

with the entire class. Then display posters on the wall.

6. Add all the words to an existing classroom word wall, or create a thematic word wall just for

this lesson's words. Encourage students to use the words in their writing and conversations.

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND

words and music by Woody Guthrie

Chorus:

This land is your land, this land is my land

From California, to the New York Island

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters

This land was made for you and me

As I was walking a ribbon of highway

I saw above me an endless skyway

I saw below me a golden valley

This land was made for you and me

Chorus

I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps

To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts

And all around me a voice was sounding

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This land was made for you and me

Chorus

The sun comes shining as I was strolling

The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling

The fog was lifting a voice come chanting

This land was made for you and me

Chorus

As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there

And that sign said - no tress passin'

But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!

Now that side was made for you and me!

Chorus

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple

Near the relief office - I see my people

And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'

If this land's still made for you and me.

Chorus (2x)

©1956 (renewed 1984), 1958 (renewed 1986) and 1970 TRO-Ludlow Music, Inc. (BMI)