WHY LOUISIANA AIN'T MISSISSIPPI... OR ANY PLACE ELSE!

OBJECTIVES

1. Students will be familiarized with the ecosystems of the state of Louisiana-ecology, plants, animals, food, and culture.
   
2. Students will see how ecosystems and culture relate to one another, including energy exchange.
3. Students will gain experience using animals to personify humans.
   
4. Students may gain knowledge of scenes from history.

EDUCATION STANDARDS: SOCIAL STUDIES, ELA

• Louisiana Social Studies Standards: 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.9b, 8.17a
• Louisiana English Language Arts Standards: Reading Informational Text: 8.1, 8.4, 8.6, 8.8, Writing: 8.3 (a-e), 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9 (a-b), Speaking/Listening: 8.1 (a-d), 8.3, 8.4, Language: 8.1, 8.2, 8.3a, 8.4 (a-d), 8.6
• Louisiana Science Standards: 8-MS-PS3-3, 8-MS-PS3-5

MEDIA RESOURCES & WEBSITES

• Why Louisiana Ain't Mississippi... Or Anyplace Else Video Clips
  • Ecosystem Part 1
  • Ecosystem Part 2
  • Ecosystem Part 3
  • Ecosystem Part 4
• Reading Material
  • Culture and Ecosystem Activity

MATERIALS NEEDED

Internet, Computers

SUGGESTED TIME

1. Students will need three 45-minute class periods to read, research, prepare arguments, and write argumentative essays.
2. Students will need five 45-minute class periods to read, research, and prepare arguments to debate.
3. Students will need time to read, research, and study the life and professional history of Huey P. Long.

VERIFICATION
Checks for Understanding

ACTIVITY/LESSON

Argumentative Essay

1. Clips are added above to be watched from Why Louisiana Ain’t Mississippi.

2. Students should take notes from the clips and do research to better familiarize themselves with the animals, plants, trees, and ethnic groups who are inhabitants of the land types of Louisiana.

3. The regions of Louisiana consist of Wetlands/Marsh, Piney Woods and Prairies/Grasslands.

4. Please find the assignment instructions to send out to students, linked here. Culture and Ecosystem Activity This activity may be done as a group project or individually.

5. Teachers, you may want to put all the works of one class together and have the work published as a book. Perhaps through a free online portal (Book Creator, Google Pages…).

6. (For an additional challenge) Teachers may also want students to do Slides or PP as a backdrop with pictures of the ecosystem to have running behind students while they read their stories.

Ecosystems & Culture of Louisiana

Louisiana is made up of Piney Woods, Marsh (Wetlands), and Grasslands (Prairie). Select one of the areas as your focus. Become familiar with the animals, plants and ecology of the area. Based on the program, Why Louisiana Ain’t Mississippi, people from different parts of the world settled in different segments of the state. Become familiar, through research, with the people who live in the area of the state where you will place the concentration of your work. What is their culture like? What do they eat? How do they celebrate?

You will write a fictional short story, set in one of the ecosystems of Louisiana. The story will be developed using the culture typical to the area, from the perspective of the animals that are prevalent in the area. In other words, the characters will be animals personifying the actions of the people of the area. Develop the story around the typical culture and ecosystem of the area you have selected. Remember that fictional stories are based on some truth. Remember to include the element of energy flow in an environment between sources, such as thermal, mechanical, chemical. Examples might include eating plants or other animals, lighting fires, using electricity…

• It could be based around, or in response to a historical event that occurred in the area

• It could be based around a festival or celebration that takes place annually in the area

• Perhaps your characters could visit additional animal characters from another ecosystem in Louisiana.

Your work will be presented as a short story, and you are encouraged to draw pictures to support your work; photography is also encouraged. The ways you assemble your finished work are based on your creativity and what is supported and encouraged by your instructor’s expectations.

VOCABULARY