Guiding TEK: 110.15 English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 4 (b) (13) (B)
Image:
http://media.thestate.com/smedia/2012/10/24/00/11/wloke.St.74.jpg
This image is a polling results map for the 2012 presidential election as of October 23, 2012. I found this image on South Carolina Newspaper The State’s website. The map shows the number of electoral votes represented in each state. In addition, the map also displays the majority attitude of voters for the state as of October 23, 2012, which will determine which candidate will win the electoral votes for the state.
An instructional procedure I would incorporate when students are analyzing the map would be to have them fill out a KWL chart on the topic of electoral votes in relation to the map. Students could complete the KWL chart with a partner. Students would have already learned about how electoral votes are determined and the factors in which each state is entitled to a certain number of electoral votes. I would have students determine the state with the highest number of votes in the Electoral College as well as the states with the lowest number. I would also require students to report that states are solid and likely Obama and which states are solid and likely Romney. This activity demonstrates students’ ability to explain factual information presented graphically as stated in the TEKs for fourth grade.
I love the image you chose! I think students would benefit greatly from learning how to decipher and comprehend the map. I think the KWL Chart is a great idea, although I wonder if students would simply fill out the ‘What I Know’ column and not have any other information to put in the other two columns because the map is very straight forward. Another instructional strategy to consider would be to have students participate in a Think-Pair-Share, where you give them questions to consider. Another option would be to utilize a Writing To Learn strategy where students could answer questions about the image, explain what it is representing, or make predictions.
I like the idea of using a polling results map in the social studies classroom as being able to interpret these types of maps is a key skill required to better understand political information in the news. As students may have been exposed to maps in the past, a KWL is a great way to assess prior knowledge.