Introduction to Teachers

The Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) is a vibrant group with information to share and wonderful stories to tell. For many years, ULCT has sponsored an essay competition titled “What I Like About My Community.” Fourth and seventh grade students use the writing process to describe their Utah community. Essays from students around the state describe the special places where individuals live and work. The Utah League of Cities and Towns realizes that these essays tell a unique story of Utah as seen from the history and experiences of its varied communities.

Teachers are always looking for new ways to make curriculum relevant to the lives of their students. The curriculum packet, “This Must Be Utah!” begins with an overview, “Cities and Towns: Cool Places to Live,” that describes the development of cities and identifies common characteristics shared by communities throughout time. Throughout the curriculum students learn how Utah municipalities are planned and developed, how local, state, and national government is structured, and how cities and towns seek to meet the needs of their citizens. Students study historic photographs and compare and contrast their own history, traditions, and lifestyles with those of people across the state. And they study health, business, and transportation issues.

This teacher’s guide is flexible; it allows the instructor to select lesson topics that support their curriculum and that are of interest to their students. Each Utah municipality is unique, and the teacher’s guide spotlights a variety of communities. “This Must Be Utah!” will increase students’ understanding and appreciation of ways in which people live and work in communities across Utah.

TEACHING THE CORE CURRICULUM
Lessons on Utah cities and towns interweave and reinforce current fourth and seventh grade Utah studies. The lessons in the guide support the Utah State Board of Education Core Curriculum. They are keyed to the fourth and seventh grade cores, but can be easily adapted for other grade levels.

ABOUT THE LESSON PLANS
Lessons in “This Must Be Utah!” utilize readily available materials and should require little preparation for the teacher. Background material and historic photos are included in the lessons. Teachers will need to provide Utah maps for some activities. It is suggested that students keep a “Utah Cities and Towns” file. Each student should receive copies of “Utah Cities and Towns: Cool Places to Live” as well as the worksheets that accompany the lessons selected by the teacher.

Each lesson is organized using the following format:

Lesson Title

Lesson Summary provides a basic description of the lesson.

Enduring Understanding identifies the lessons main concepts.

Curricular Tie lists the subject areas in which the lesson fulfills the Utah State Board of Education fourth and seventh grade core curriculum requirements and the specific objectives met.

Essential Questions provide questions to support Enduring Understanding concepts.

Time Frame provides an approximate length of time for each lesson. Lessons can be taught in an hour or extended into a short unit. The extent to which a teacher expands the lessons will create variations in the time it takes to teach them.

Objectives explain the learning goals for the lesson.

Materials lists all the materials needed for the lesson. Student handouts, graphics, and teacher background information listed for a particular lesson are included in the guide. Lessons that require student research provide information to aid students and teachers in their study.

Setting the Stage provides an introductory activity to catch students’ attention or introduce the lesson.

Activities provide step by step instructions for teaching the concepts and skills listed in the objectives. Most lessons have several activities. Depending on the students’ interests, teachers may further explore the lesson by including more activities.

Extensions describe activities that expand on the lesson. Extensions may be used with high-achieving students or with classes that show particular interest in a subject.

The Utah League of Cities and Towns hopes that the study of Utah municipalities will spotlight Utah’s rich culture and environmental diversity while encouraging students to recognize factors common to all communities. We hope that these lessons will provide an understanding of the ways in which geography, history, culture, and tradition have made Utah such a unique and fascinating place to live.