Place Poem
Lou Ann Getz
Eisenhower Middle School
Manhattan, Kansas

Overview:

Every where you are, is some place. Our lives are grounded in our place. What makes your place special or significant? This lesson provides an outline of features about a location and the students research their place and put the responses in a poem format.


Grade Level: 5-8

 

Time Needed:

One to two class periods. (May require homework time)


Geographic theme: Place

 

Kansas Social Studies Standards for Benchmarks, Grade Levels 8-K:

The student will understand the connections among people, places, and environments in the local school and community, Kansas, the United States, and different nations in the world.


National Geography Standards, Grades 5-8:

#14	The geographically informed person knows and understands how Human Actions Modify the Physical Environment




Outcome:

The student will research their areas and find that their place is somewhere near water and people have learned to adapt to the geographic features of the land.


Performance objective:

The student will create a poem listing the physical features, native plants and animals, early settlers and sources of water for their place.


Material:

Climate and Weather Atlas of Kansas
Physical maps of area
Historical documents of region
Newspapers to determine current problems


Procedure:

In this lesson, the students will put together what they know about their place in a poem form. This is a guideline and the poem doesn't need to rhyme. The purpose is to begin to learn what makes their place special. Have the students review the categories and begin a listing of answers for each line of the poem. Using adjectives and adverbs, construct sentences that will bring the poem together and give the reader a sense of the place.

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(SAMPLE)

Line 1
Name of the place

Pottawatomie County

 

Line 2
Physical features or landmarks

Rolling grass covered lands in the Kansas River Valley. During the ice ages, this was a glaciated region.

 

Line 3
Native trees and/or flowers (at least 3)

Oak, butternut, hickory, black walnut along with elm, sycamore and cottonwood were once abundant in this area. A variety of flowers were found on the plains: sunflowers, phlox, wild rose, larkspur, sumac, spiderwort and evening primrose.

 

Line 4
Native mammals and/or reptiles (at least 3)

Rattlesnake, copperhead, skunks, and prairie chicken, quail, wild turkey could be found here. Deer, duck, & wild geese were once plentiful. Occasionally large gray wolf, panthers and bobcats could be seen.

 

Line 5
Source of water and description of climate

The water for this area is drawn from the alluvial aquifers along the Kansas River. Pot. County receives about; 35-40 inches of rain per year along with 21 inches of snow. The average temperature in the summer is 73-75 and in the winter it is 29-31 degrees.

 

Line 6
Identify the early settlers

The name Pottawatomie meant, People of the Place of the Fire. These Indians settled here in 1832. As the West opened, the area was settled by Swedes, Germans, and Irish. A few French and Russians also called this home.

 

Line 7
Historical trends that have shaped this place

Water, Trails and Rails brought the explorers and shaped the country. Rivers brought the traders. They were followed by the trails: Oregon, and Military Trail road. The military trail leads from Ft. Leavenworth to Ft. Riley. The railroads caused abandonment of the trails and played a part in the development of many towns.

 

Line 8
Two issues or problems of this place

Road construction and a clean supply of water are two issues that continue to be of concern to the people here in Pottawatomie County.

 

Line 9
Name of the Place

Pottawatomie County

 

Conclusion:

Students will use a variety of resources to find the answers to the questions and put these together in a poem format. As they complete the lesson, they will have a better understanding of the physical and cultural geography of their place.


Assessment:

Check the completion of the poem.

 

Extensions:

Have the students complete the answers using the native plants and animals found in the area today. Use current demographics to determine the ethnic settlement of the area. Divide the class in half and have both groups create new categories and exchange and find the answers.

 

Another poem could be written describing the water resources of the area.

Line 1
Name of the water (Source or supply)

Line 2
Four physical features of the land where this water is found

Line 3
Three economic activities that are based on this waters presence

Line 4
How is the water made available to you? (City wells, private wells, gas or electric powered pumps)

Line 5
Amount of snow and/or precipitation this area receives

Line 6
Amount of gallons of water that the people in your town use daily

Line 7
Historical events that have shaped the use of this water. (Floods, dams, irrigation)

Line 8
Issues or problems related to this water

Line 9
Name of the water source

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Resources:

• Goodin, D.C., Mitchell, J. E., Knapp, M. C., & Bivens, R. E. (1995). Climate and Water Atlas of Kansas. Lawrence, KS: Kansas Geological Survey.
• Kansas Water Office, (1994). Kansas Municipalities Water Use.
• Kansas Geography Alliance, Kansas Water Office, Kansas State Board of Education, The Kansas Geography Natural Resources Curriculum for K-12, Version 1.1, 1994.
• Riley County Genealogical Society, (1976). Pioneers of the Bluestem Prairie.

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irc staff 11/13/97 (updated kn 06/18/99) judi 04/19/00 Disclaimer