Name: Karli Feaster

Subject Areas: Art, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies

Grade Level: 4th Grade
Unit Theme or Topic: Through this unit, students will be studying the song This Land is Your
Land and its application in a number of subject areas. In math, students will be looking at
distance and the adding and subtracting of decimals. In Language Arts, students will be studying
the poetry in the song and writing a verse of their own. In Art, students will be looking at
different styles of art and then combining these to create a mixed media landscape inspired by
This Land is Your Land. In Social Studies, students will be looking at the darker verse in the
song and learning about the Great Depression through a simulation. The vocabulary for this unit
includes the following:
Mixed Media: A work of art that is created using a variety of media and techniques.
Inspire: To make (someone) want to do something: to give (someone) an idea about what
to do or create.
Decimal Number: Lies between to whole numbers. Is equivalent to a fraction or a mixed
number.
Hundredths: Two place values beyond the decimal point. Each hundredth is equal to
1/100 of the whole number 1
Mile: Used to measure long distances in the US. One mile is equal to 5,280 feet.
Speaker: The point of view of the poem. The person or thing from whose perspective the
poem is shared.
Imagery: Descriptive words that allow the reader to experience the poem from their five
senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching).
Depression: A time when business is bad and many people lose their jobs.
Economy: The control of money that is earned and spent in a home, business, or
government.
Stock Market: A place in New York City where shares of ownership in many different
companies are offered for sale (traded). Due to unrealistic buying and selling of shares,
there was a crash of this market in 1929. Many shares lost much of their value when
people panicked and almost everyone tried to sell at the same time.
Necessities: Something that is needed.
Luxury: Something that gives comfort or pleasure but is not needed.
Time Frame and Number of Lessons: This unit will take place over the course of a week and
includes four lessons.

Objective: After studying This Land is Your Land through different lenses including
mathematics, language arts, visual arts, and history, the student will be able to demonstrate a
deeper understanding of the inspiration of the song and its influences and application in a
modern United States of America to teachers satisfaction.
Standards:
1.4.4.A: Write poems, multi-paragraph stories and plays. Include detailed descriptions of
people, places, and things. Include literary elements. Begin to use literary devices.
1.6.4.B: Demonstrate awareness of audience using appropriate volume and clarity in
formal speaking presentations.
5.2.4.A: Identify individual rights and needs and the rights and needs of others in the
classroom, school, and community.
5.3.4.C: Identify the services performed by local and state governments.
M4.A.3.2.1: Solve addition or subtraction problems involving decimals through
hundredths (decimal numbers must have the same number of places).
9.1.5.B: Recognize, know, use, and demonstrate a variety of appropriate art elements and
principles to produce, review, and revise original works in the arts. (Visual Arts: paint;
draw; craft; sculpt; print; design for environment, communication, multi-media)
9.1.5.E: Know and demonstrate how arts can communicate experiences, stories or
emotions through the production of works in the arts.
9.1.5.H: Use and maintain materials, equipment, and tools safely at work and
performance spaces.
9.2.5.A Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the
arts.
Assessment: There is no culminating assessment for this unit.

This Land is Your Land Visual Art Landscapes

(Miss Karli Feaster/4th Grade Language Arts)
I. Topic:
Students will create visual art landscapes inspired by Woody Guthries This is Your
Land using mixed media.
II. Objective/Standards:
After studying and discussing a variety of art techniques and materials and listening to
the song This Land is Your Land, the student will be able to create a mixed media
landscape clearly inspired by the song to teacher satisfaction.
Standards:
9.1.5.B: Recognize, know, use, and demonstrate a variety of appropriate art
elements and principles to produce, review, and revise original works in the arts.
(Visual Arts: paint; draw; craft; sculpt; print; design for environment,
communication, multi-media)
9.1.5.H: Use and maintain materials, equipment, and tools safely at work and
performance spaces.
III. Vocabulary
Mixed Media: A work of art that is created using a variety of media and techniques.
Inspire: To make (someone) want to do something: to give (someone) an idea about what
to do or create.
-From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inspire
III. Teaching Procedures (60 minutes):
(5 minutes) Anticipatory Set:
A. Teacher will show students a slideshow of landscapes created using different
materials and different kinds of art including impressionism, pointillism,
cubism, surrealism, and pop art.
B. Teacher will ask students to pick their two favorites and write a sentence on
each as to why it is their favorite. Teacher will have a few students share their
favorites and their reasoning.
(10 minutes) Development:
A. Going through the slideshow again, the teacher will give a brief description of
each painting including the artist, the style, the time period, the techniques
used and more.

B. After finishing the slideshow, the teacher will share with the students that they
will be creating a landscape using mixed media inspired by This Land is
Your Land. Teacher will explain that in mixed media art, artists use a variety
of materials and techniques to create. Teacher will share a few examples of
mixed media art.
(5 minutes) Guided Practice:
A. Teacher will play the song This Land is Your Land one time as students
sketch an idea for their landscape inspired by the song. Students make talk
quietly with those at their table for ideas and suggestions. Teacher will
monitor, giving suggestions and asking questions as necessary.
(30 minutes) Independent Practice:
A. Students will create a mixed media landscape inspired by the song This Land
is Your Land, which teacher will play while the students are working.
Students will also have a copy of the lyrics to which to refer. Students may
pick a specific verse to create art for or may make a piece of art inspired by
the song in general.
B. Students will choose to create from a variety of materials using a variety of
techniques. Teacher will remind students that mixed media means that at least
two kinds of materials must be used.
(10 minutes) Closure:
A. Teacher will divide class into groups of 5. Students will share their art with
others being sure to answer the following questions:
a. What different types of media did you use?
b. What about the song inspired you?
c. Does your picture refer to a specific verse? Which one?
d. Did you use any techniques talked about at the beginning of class?
Which ones?
IV. Materials
- Woody Guthries This Land is Your Land Recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxiMrvDbq3s
- Media for project (Paint, scissors, glue, magazines, crayons, markers, pencils, paint
brushes, sponges, etc.)
- Slideshow of famous landscapes from the following artists/styles
-Impressionism (Van Gogh)
-Pointillism (Georges Seurat)
-Cubism (Gianfranco Benicia)

-Surrealism (Salvador Dali)

-Pop Art (Andy Warhol)
- Slideshow of famous mixed media artwork
- This Land is Your Land lyrics (1 per student)
VI. Assessment
Formative Assessment- Teacher will formatively assess students understanding through
questioning during the development and monitoring during the guided practice.
Summative Assessment- Through the students art work, teacher will be able to see
whether students have met the objectives and standards. Art should be created using at
least two mediums and clearly be inspired by This Land is Your Land.
VII. Reflection
-Was the anticipatory set and development engaging, or were the students bored?
-Were the students able understand inspiration and create visual artwork inspired by a
song?
-Did the students need more time to create their landscapes?

This Land is Your Land Poetry

(Miss Karli Feaster/4th Grade Language Arts)
I. Topic:
Students will study the poetry in Woody Guthries This Land is Your Land and write
their own verse to add to the song, which they will share with the class.
II. Objective/Standards:
After studying the literary elements and devices in This Land is Your Land, the student
will be able to write and perform a verse that models those in the song written to average
proficiency on the rubric provided.
Standards:
1.4.4.A: Write poems, multi-paragraph stories and plays. Include detailed
descriptions of people, places, and things. Include literary elements. Begin to
use literary devices.
1.6.4.B: Demonstrate awareness of audience using appropriate volume and clarity
in formal speaking presentations.
9.1.5.E: Know and demonstrate how arts can communicate experiences, stories or
emotions through the production of works in the arts.
III. Vocabulary
Speaker: The point of view of the poem. The person or thing from whose perspective the
poem is shared.
Imagery: Descriptive words that allow the reader to experience the poem from their five
senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching).
III. Teaching Procedures (60 minutes):
(5 minutes) Anticipatory Set:
A. Teacher will pass out blank sheets of paper and crayons. Teacher will play a
recording of Woody Guthrie singing This Land is Your Land. She will tell
students to draw what they see as Woody Guthrie sings.
B. When the song is over, teacher will ask students to hold up their pictures and
look at some of their peers pictures around the room. She will ask the
following questions:
a. Did the song paint a picture, tell a story, or share Woody Guthries
opinion?
b. Does everyones picture look the same?
c. What literary elements of poems did you hear? (Rhyme, rhythm, etc.)

(15 minutes) Development:

A. Teacher will explain to students that songs are poems set to music. We can
look at songs the same way we look at poems. She will pass out a copy of the
lyrics of This Land is Your Land to the students.
B. Breaking the song down into parts, the teacher and students will discuss the
elements of the poem. She will provoke thinking in the following categories
asking questions while writing the main literary elements of the poem on the
board.
a. Voice/Point of View: 1st Person
i. What do we learn about Woody Guthries personal story
because of this point of view?
ii. Does this point of view allow Woody Guthrie to take
ownership? (Use of the word my)
b. Tone/Attitude: How the speaker feels about the content.
i. What kind of attitude does Woody Guthrie have towards his
country in this song?
ii. Did his description of America make you feel proud?
c. Imagery: Words painted a picture
i. What did you see, hear, taste, smell, and touch? (Anticipatory
Set)
d. Rhyme:
i. Was there rhyme?
ii. Was there a rhyme pattern or was it inconsistent?
e. Repetition: This land is made for you and me.
i. Why do you think Woody Guthrie repeated this line so many
times?
(10 minutes) Independent Practice:
A. Students will write a new verse to Woody Guthries song about a place or
time in the United States that is special to them written from a first person
point of view. Their verse should include imagery, rhyme, and tone. Teacher
will inform the students that this is only the first draft, so they should do as
much as they can but it does not have to be perfect.
B. Teacher will continue to play This Land is Your Land in the background as
students are working, so they can continue to hear the rhythm and rhyme.
(10 minutes) Guided Practice:
A. Following the editing checklist, students will trade verses with the person
sitting next to them to suggest edits and get feedback. After completing the
checklist for their partners, the students will write one sentence about what the
write did well and two sentences about what they could improve.
B. Students will trade papers back and explain comments as necessary.

(10 minutes) Independent Practice:

A. Students will revise the drafts of their verses according to their peers
suggestions and the rubrics requirement.
(10 minutes) Closure:
A. Students will share their verse will the class. Each student will take a turn to
stand up at their seat and read (or sing if they are comfortable) their verse to
the rest of the class. As each writer finishes sharing his work, the rest of the
class will snap their fingers as if in a poetry slam.
IV. Materials
- This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie and Kathy Jakobsen
- Woody Guthries This Land is Your Land Recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxiMrvDbq3s
- Blank sheets of paper (1 per student)
- Crayons
-This Land is Your Land lyrics sheet (1 per student)
- Editing Checklists (1 per student)
VI. Assessment
Formative Assessment- Teacher will formatively check for students understanding
though questioning during the development. Teacher will also be monitoring students as
they write and edit to gain a sense of their understanding.
Summative Assessment- Teacher will assess the students verses using the following
categories:
-Literary Devices/Elements: Advanced, Proficient, Basic, Below Basic
-Creativity/Uniqueness: Advanced, Proficient, Basic, Below Basic
-Growth (from draft to final): Advanced, Proficient, Basic, Below Basic
VII. Reflection
-Were the literary elements discussed in the development new or review for the students?
-Were the student able to provide good feedback to their peers in a polite way that
improved their writing?
-Did the students have enough time to write, conference, and revise their verses?
-Was the lesson too long or too short?

Editing Checklist for This Land is Your Land Poetry

Writer: ____________________

Editor: ____________________

Does the verse include the same rhythm as This Land is Your Land?
Yes

No

Is the verse written in 1st Person with the writer as the speaker?
Yes

No

Does the writers tone shine through? Are you able to understand what
the writer feels about what he is writing?
Yes

No

Does the writer use imagery? Are you able to see, taste, hear, feel, and/or
smell what he or she is writing about?
Yes

No

Does the writer include the repeating line of This land was made for you
and me?
Yes

No

Is the verse creative and unique?

Yes
What did the writer do well?
1.

What could the writer improve?

1.

2.

No

This Land is Your Land Adding and Subtracting Decimals to the Hundredths Place
(Miss Karli Feaster/4th Grade Math)
I. Topic:
Students will learn and practice adding and subtracting decimals using the distance
between destinations in Woody Guthries This Land is Your Land.
II. Objective/Standards:
After teachers explanation of adding and subtracting decimals to the hundredths and
group practice applying this content to distances across the US, the student will be able to
add and subtract decimals to the hundredths place to 80% accuracy.
Standards:
M4.A.3.2.1: Solve addition or subtraction problems involving decimals through
hundredths (decimal numbers must have the same number of places).
9.1.5.E: Know and demonstrate how arts can communicate experiences, stories or
emotions through the production of works in the arts.
III. Vocabulary
Decimal Number: Lies between to whole numbers. Is equivalent to a fraction or a mixed
number.
Hundredths: Two place values beyond the decimal point. Each hundredth is equal to
1/100 of the whole number 1
Mile: Used to measure long distances in the US. One mile is equal to 5,280 feet.
III. Teaching Procedures (45 minutes):
(10 minutes) Anticipatory Set:
A. Teacher will have students gather on the carpet to listen to This Land is Your
Land. The first verse and chorus the teacher will sing by herself. For the
second repetition of the chorus and so on, the teacher will invite students to
sing along.
B. Teacher will read/sing (or quickly walk through) the story a second time and
highlight a few of the places in the story. On the large map on the bulletin
board, with teachers guidance students will place labels of the places on the
map. Teacher will share with students that the places Woody Guthrie wrote
about in his song all across the United States. Teacher will let students know
that they will come back to this idea in just a couple minutes.
(5 minutes) Development:

A. Teacher will introduce the idea of adding and subtracting decimals to the
hundredths place by comparing it adding and subtracting decimals to the
hundredths place. She will go over the steps of adding and subtracting
decimals to the tenths, which the students should remember from previous
lessons, and she will explain that there is simply another place value to add or
subtract.
a. The Steps of Adding and Subtracting Decimals (adapted from
http://www.teachingwithamountainview.com/2013/10/adding-andsubtracting-decimals.html )
1. Line up decimals vertically.
2. Beginning in the lowest place value, begin adding or
subtracting from right to left.
3. Bring down the decimal!
4. Check to make sure the answer is reasonable by
estimation.
(10 minutes) Guided Practice:
A. Teacher will have students pull out their white boards while she writes a
practice problem on the board. Together, students and teacher will walk
through the first problem step by step.
B. For the next few problems, the teacher will have students do the problem by
themselves and hold up their answer. Depending on the students answers, the
teacher will then provide an explanation of problems as needed.
C. Teacher have class continue completing practice problems and providing
explanations until she believes they are ready for the application.
(10 minutes) Independent Practice:
A. Teacher will remind students of the places used in This Land is Your Land.
She will explain to students that they will be completing a worksheet, which
includes adding and subtracting the distances between destinations. The will
use a map of some of the destinations from the song to complete the
worksheet.
B. Teacher divide the class into mixed ability groups of 3. She will pass out the
worksheets and maps and have the students work as groups to complete the
problems.
C. Teacher will circulate around to the groups, checking to make sure all students
are understanding the concept of adding and subtracting decimals to the
hundredths place.
(10 minutes) Closure:
A. In their small groups, teacher will ask students to plan a road trip using the
road trip worksheet. Together they must decide on two destinations they want
to go to on their trip. Using MapQuest on their iPads/devices, students will

find the distance between their current location and destination A giving them
distance A. Then they will find the distance from destination A to destination
B giving them distance B. Students will add together the two distances to
determine the one way mileage of their road trip (from the current location to
destination B including destination A).
a. Example:
Destination A: Watkins Glenn State Park
Destination B: Augusta, Maine
Distance A (from current location (Grove City) to Watkins Glenn
State Park): 270.16 miles
Distance B (from Watkins Glenn State Park to Augusta, Maine):
527.08 miles
Total One Way Distance (Distance A + Distance B): 270.16 miles
+ 527.08 miles = 797.24 miles
Estimation: 270 miles + 527 miles = 797 miles
B. Teacher will ask one group to volunteer to share their road trip distance and
thinking process with the class.
IV. Materials
- This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie and Kathy Jakobsen
- Large map of US on bulletin board and labels
- Board (SMART board or whiteboard)
- Student white boards and markers
- Adding and Subtracting Decimals This Land is Your Land Worksheet and map
- Our Road Trip Worksheet
- MapQuest on iPads or other devices
VI. Assessment
Formative Assessment- During the guided practice, teacher will check students answers
to the practice problems on the white board.
Summative Assessment- Teacher will collect the Adding and Subtracting Decimals
Worksheet and grade it. She will be looking for 80% accuracy.
VII. Reflection

-Did using the book and singing This Land is Your Land get the students excited and
ready to learn the lesson?
-Were the students able to make the connection between adding and subtraction with
decimals to the tenths place and decimals to the hundredths place?
-Did I give enough time for students to complete the practice problems and the
worksheet?
-Were the students able to read the map or was it too cluttered?
-Were the students able to apply what they learned to real life with the closure activity?

Name: _________________________

Adding and Subtracting Decimals

This Land is Your Land
1. How much longer is the distance from the Redwood forest to Coney
Island than the distance from the Redwood forest to New Orleans?
3,036.78 miles
-2,619.62 miles

2. How much longer is the distance from Gateway Arch to the Grand
Coulee Dam than the distance from the Grand Coulee Dam to the
Pampa, TX?
1,953.96 miles
- 1,612.40 miles

3. How much longer is the distance from Portland Head Light Station to
the Kennedy Space Center than the distance from Coney Island to New
Orleans?

miles
miles

4. How much longer is the distance from New Orleans to the Kennedy
Space Center than the distance from Hollywood to the Grand Canyon?

miles
miles

5. You are taking a trip from Coney Island to the Water Tower and then to
New Orleans. What is the total distance you will travel?
811.12 miles
+926.15 miles

6. You are taking a trip from Pampa, Texas to the Grand Canyon and then
to Hollywood. What is the total distance you will travel?
753.44 miles
+498.84 miles

7. You are taking a trip from Gateway Arch to the Grand Coulee Dam and
then to Pampa, TX. What is the total distance you will travel?

miles
miles

8. You are taking a trip from the Grand Canyon to the Redwood Forrest
and then to the Grand Coulee Dam. What is the total distance you will
travel?

miles
miles

Name: ________________________

Our Road Trip

We are planning to take a road trip from here to
__________________________ and then to _________________________.
Using MapQuest:
The distance from here to ______________________ (our first
destination) is __________miles. The distance from _________________ (our
first destination) to __________________ (our second destination) is
__________miles.
Using Our Brains:
The total one-way distance of our road trip will be the distance
from here to our first destination plus the distance from our first
destination to our second destination.
miles
+

miles

The total one-way distance of our road trip is ___________miles.

This Land is Your Land & The Great Depression

(Miss Karli Feaster/4th Grade Social Studies)
I. Topic:
Students will learn about and be exposed to some of the struggles that those who lived
during the Great Depression faced. They will compared the needs and rights of citizens
and the governments role in providing for them.
II. Objective/Standards:
After participating in a Great Depression simulation, reading Born and Bred in the Great
Depression, and engaging in a classroom discussion, the student will be able to explain
difficulties many faced during the Great Depression and the governments role in
securing their rights and needs as citizens through a journal entry to teachers satisfaction.
Standards:
5.2.4.A: Identify individual rights and needs and the rights and needs of others in
the classroom, school, and community.
5.3.4.C: Identify the services performed by local and state governments.
9.2.5.A Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in
the arts.
III. Vocabulary (adapted from
http://www.bringinghistoryhome.org/assets/bringinghistoryhome/4th-grade/unit2/4_depvocabulary.pdf )
Depression: A time when business is bad and many people lose their jobs.
Economy: The control of money that is earned and spent in a home, business, or
government.
Stock Market: A place in New York City where shares of ownership in many different
companies are offered for sale (traded). Due to unrealistic buying and selling of shares,
there was a crash of this market in 1929. Many shares lost much of their value when
people panicked and almost everyone tried to sell at the same time.
Necessities: Something that is needed.
Luxury: Something that gives comfort or pleasure but is not needed.
III. Teaching Procedures (60 minutes):
(5 minutes) Anticipatory Set:
A. Teacher will ask students to think about their favorite movie or book. She will
ask them if their favorite movie or book has a happy ending (thumbs up or

down). Then she will ask them whether it is happy the whole way throughout
the story or I there are sad and bad parts in the story, too (thumbs up or down).
Most students should answer that there are ups and downs to the storyline.
B. Teacher will explain that our history as a country has ups and downs just like
their favorite books and movies. While we celebrate the good times and parts
about our country, we also must remember and learn from the bad times.
C. Teacher will remind students about the dark verse in Woody Guthries This
Land is Your Land. She will read/sing the pages of the book to the students.
Teacher will explain that this part of the song shares about a difficult time in
our history called the Great Depression.
(15 minutes) Development:
A. Teacher will read Born and Bred in the Great Depression, which tells the true
story of a boy who grew up during the Great Depression.
B. At the end of the story, students will compare the boys experience in the
story to the verse in This Land is Your Land with the person sitting next to
them. They will come up with two similarities and one difference (or new
thing they learned). Teacher will have two groups share with the class.
(30 minutes) Development/Guided Practice:
A. Teacher will explain to students that they will be playing a game/simulation
that allows students to experience of the Great Depression. The simulation
game takes place in 4 rounds, which takes the students from the end of WWI
to the 1940s. Each round is preceded by a description of what is happening in
history at that time. Throughout the simulation, students in pairs will have to
make decisions of how to spend their money, find work, etc. Through this
simulation students will learn the difference between necessities and luxuries
and the way the government stepped in or did not step in to help people in
need.
B. At the end of each round, there are discussion questions. Students (in pairs)
will journal about these questions in their personal notebooks before the class
discussion where a few students will share their thoughts.
a. Simulation is created by Rebecca Benedix found at
http://www.bringinghistoryhome.org/assets/bringinghistoryhome/4thgrade/unit-2/4_dep_depression_game.pdf
C. Teacher will define vocabulary words as they arise in simulation.
(10 minutes) Closure:
A. Students will individually write a journal entry on the following questions:
a. How did the government help people during the Great Depression?
b. How did the government fail to help people during the Great
Depression?

c. What do you think is better about our country because we went

through a dark time called the Great Depression?
B. Students will turn in the journal entry for teacher to read/grade.
IV. Materials
- This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie and Kathy Jakobsen
- Born and Bred in the Great Depression by Jonah Winter and Kimberly Bulken Root
- Great Depression Simulation (Instructions attached)
-Found http://www.bringinghistoryhome.org/assets/bringinghistoryhome/4thgrade/unit-2/4_dep_depression_game.pdf
- Simulation Supplies (listed on simulation instructions)
VI. Assessment
Formative Assessment- After reading Born and Bred in the Great Depression and
throughout the journaling and discussion during the simulation, the teacher will be
checking for understanding as students share their thoughts in pairs and with the class.
Summative Assessment- The closure journaling will act as a ticket out the door and a
summative assessment. Through this journaling, the teacher will be able to see if the
students understanding lines up with the objective.
VII. Reflection
-Did the nonfiction story deepen the students knowledge of the darker verse in This
Land is Your Land?
-Were the students able to follow the development of history in the simulation?
-Was the simulation appropriate in driving home the key points of this lesson on the
Great Depression, or did the students simply see it as a game?
-Did the lesson need more time or need to be broken up?