ED 305 Lesson 6

Names: Jess Locke and Yvonne Boeskool

Big Idea: Me and the Sleeping Bear: The Exploration of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park
Thread/Crossover: Economics

I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?
The focus of this lesson is to introduce students to the concept of tourism and how it plays a role in our economy. We want
students to make the connection between Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and the larger context in which tourism is important.

How does this lesson tie in to your unit’s Big Idea?

The focus of this lesson is to introduce students to the concept of tourism and how it plays a role in our economy. We want
students to make the connection between Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and the larger context in which tourism is important.
Our big idea is an exploration of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. A huge part of the study of the park is the role it plays in
Michigan’s economy. We want our students to realize tourism brought about by the dunes largely affects the cities surrounding
them. This is the sixth lesson in our unit.

What are your objectives for this lesson?

GLCEs:
3 – E1.0.3 Analyze how Michigan’s location and natural resources influenced its economic development
(e.g., how waterways and other natural resources have influenced economic activities such as mining,
lumbering, automobile manufacturing, furniture making, and tourism).
3 – E1.0.4 Describe how entrepreneurs combine natural, human, and capital resources to produce goods and
services in Michigan.
3 – E1.0.5 Explain the role of business development in Michigan’s economic future.
3 – G4.0.1 Describe major kinds of economic activity in Michigan today, such as agriculture (e.g., corn,
cherries, dairy), manufacturing (e.g., automobiles, wood products), services and tourism, research
and development (e.g., Automation Alley, life sciences corridor, university communities), and explain
the factors influencing the location of these economic activities.

II. Before you start

We have spent the previous five lessons talking about the history, geography, and civics of
Prerequisite knowledge and skills.
Sleeping Bear Dunes so we expect students to come to class knowing these facts already.

- The discussion with the class at the beginning of the lesson serves as the assessment
for learning and gives the teacher an idea of what students already know and what
experiences they may have to relate to the topic of tourism.
- The guided reading serves as an assessment as learning and allows students to
Assessment
monitor their progress and understanding as well as the teacher to see where
(formative and summative)
they’re at.
- The final travel brochure serves as an assessment of learning in that students are
able to apply the concepts to a real world project to show the teacher, peers, and
themselves what they have learned.

Universal Design for Learning Networks/Domains (see UDL Guidelines)

RECOGNITION
Multiple Means of Representation
Options for Perception
Students are given the opportunity to show
what they know in the visual form of a
travel brochure.
STRATEGIC
Multiple Means of Expression (Action)
Options for action/interaction
Students are able to apply concepts
they’ve learned to the real-world project
of a travel brochure.
AFFECTIVE
Multiple Means of Engagement
Options for recruiting interest
Students are asked to draw upon past
experiences with traveling - positive and
negative - and use that knowledge to
enhance their understanding of tourism.
Options for Language/Symbols Options for Expression and Options for Sustaining Effort & Persistence
Communication
Student work with a partner to analyze
the economics article.

Options for Comprehension
Students are provided with guidance
throughout the reading so that even
English Language Learners could follow
along and interact with the text.
Options for Executive Function
Student have to organize their brochure
and pace themselves in their work on it.
Options for Self Regulation
Students are given the opportunity to
monitor their progress throughout the
guided reading by keeping up with the
text and summarizing parts to add to the
running list of ways Sleeping Bear Dunes
benefits Michigan’s economy.

- Copies of the article from https://www.nps.gov/slbe/learn/news/tourism-to-

sleeping-bear-dunes-creates-economic-benefits.htm
- Writing utensils or highlighters
Materials-what materials (books,
- Article projected on screen
handouts, etc) do you need for this
- Space on white board for teacher writing
lesson and do you have them?
- Blank pieces of paper
- Coloring supplies (markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc.)

There should be space at the front of the room for students to gather and discuss ideas in the
Do you need to set up your motivation and closure of the lesson. Student desks can be in whatever configuration they
classroom in any special way for are normally as long as they are all able to see the screen.
this lesson? If so, describe it.

III. The Plan

Time The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher activities and student
Parts
activities (indicate in parenthesis where you are addressing standards and themes)
5 Motivation - Begin class by prompting questions about tourism and having students turn to their partners to
min. (Opening/ answer them:
Introduction/ - Where are you planning to go for your next vacation?
Engagement) - Is there a place you’d never visit again? Where and why?
- Do you prefer traveling alone or with a group on an organized tour?
- Return to whole group and have a few volunteers share their partner’s answers.

5 - Explain to them that: when you are traveling you are a tourist. Tourists play a large role in
min. today’s economy. This is also true for the Sleeping Bear Dunes. As we have discussed Sleeping
Bear Dunes attracts many visitors year round due to their natural resources and history. These
visitors are called tourists.
- Now ask students about the following questions and have them turn to their partners to
discuss their answers:
- What is tourism?
- Who benefits from tourism
- What do you think tourism looks like at the Sleeping Bear Dunes?
- What would you like to know about tourism at the Sleeping Bear Dunes?
- Return to whole group and have a few volunteers share their partner’s answers.
Development
- Give formal definition of Tourism:
- The practice of traveling for enjoyment
15 - Next, pass out copies of the article from https://www.nps.gov/slbe/learn/news/tourism-to-
min. sleeping-bear-dunes-creates-economic-benefits.htm
- You have the option to read the article out loud to the students or do a popcorn reading.
- Students should be ready to read with a writing utensil in hand.
- As you go through the article, have students circle/highlight important points such as the
number of jobs created, revenue earned, etc.
- As each important fact is discovered write it on the board (I.e.” The spending
supported 2,583 jobs”)
 - The article is attached to the back of this lesson with all key details highlighted. Make
sure the class touches on each one.
- When you have made it through the article and have an adequate list, review each point asking
students how each one might contribute to a stronger state economy.
- Explain to students that: all of the elements of tourism make our economy stronger.
- Introduce the application activity by explaining that part of encouraging tourism is advertising
25 the place you want tourists to go. Explain to students that they will each be creating a travel
min. brochure that is meant to convince the reader to visit sleeping bear dunes.
- Hand students a blank sheet of paper and show them how to fold it in thirds.
- Introduce their goals for the project. They will need:
- A title page on the first blank side (show them!!!)
- One page about how the dunes were formed.
- One page about the history of the area where they must include three facts they’ve
learned in previous lessons.
- One page about the natural resources of the area (Can be solely about the beaches,
rivers, effects from human interactions, etc.)
- One page about the attractions, or fun things to do, at the National park.
- Each page should include a drawing, symbol, or diagram (some sort of visual that
represents the information on the page).
- Pass out materials and circulate through the classroom to help any students who are struggling.
- Many students won’t finish this activity by the time the lesson is done, so supplementary time
may be needed the following day or whenever the schedule allows.

5 - Gather students together to recap the economic effect of tourism at Sleeping Bear Dunes.
min. - DIscuss the following questions as a whole class:
- How has tourism affected Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park?
Closure
- What attractions does the park offer that encourage tourism and brings in
revenue/”the dough”?
- How can we encourage tourism?

Explain how this lesson supports your Big Idea. What is the “takeaway”?
The focus of this lesson is to introduce students to the concept of tourism and how it plays a role in our economy. We want
students to make the connection between Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and the larger context in which tourism is important.
Our big idea is an exploration of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. A huge part of the study of the park is the role it plays in
Michigan’s economy. We want our students to realize tourism brought about by the dunes largely affects the cities surrounding
them.
We know that these examples are MUCH more advanced than our third graders, but we still think they serve as great inspiration for
the project.