Date: September 20, 1999

Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5

Subject(s):

• Language Arts/Writing (composition)
• Social Studies/Geography

Description: A Social Studies lesson on modes of transportation in Finland and how they differ from modes of transportation in the United States.

Goal: Students will familiarize themselves with folktales from other countries and will engage in the disscussion of the characteristics of a folktale, 
and making comparsions between life in Finland and the United States.

Objectives: The students will be able to:

1. write a fairy tale based on the characteristics of a fairy tale. (cognitive)
2. explain the differences between life in Finland and life in the United States by using the Venn Diagram the class constructed. (cognitive)
3. pinpoint the major cities in Finland. (cognitive)
4. rationalize why they did or did not agree with the father's decision to leave his daughter. (affective)
5. demonstrate how a reindeer pulls a sleigh. (psychomotor)

• Map of Finland
• note cards with cities written on them

Prereading Activities:

· Students will determine what a fairly tale is by using examples of fairy tales they already know.
· Students will write their own fairy tales that incorporate methods of transportation (ex- horses) used long ago using a chart they will copy onto paper. This chart will also include good characters, evil characters, the beginning, the magical event, and the ending.
· We will share these fairy tales with partner reading and place the finished product in the reading area for future use.
· Explain that we will now read a fairy tale common in Finland. Show Finland on a map. Briefly describe the typical weather in that area, and ask students to imagine what type of transportation may be used there prior to automobiles.

Guided Instruction:

· The teacher will read the folk tale aloud to the students as they sit in circle time.
· As the students listen, they are to make a mental note of the mode of transportation used by the Saame people.
· When the reindeer is mentioned in the story pulling a sleigh as a mode of transportation used by the Saame people , show a picture of a reindeer pulling a sleigh so students get the idea of Santa's sleigh out of their minds.
· Students will act out the manner in which the reindeer pull a sleigh through dramatization.

Concluding Set:

· As a class, the students will make a Venn Diagram showing the differences and similarities of life in Finland and life in the United States during the same period.
· They will then write a journal entry stating whether they agreed or disagreed with the father actions in the story and why.