November Book Talk (2-3 minute oral presentation)
Non-Fiction Graphic Organizer
Directions: Find a non-fiction book on anything that has to do with California (regions, Gold Rush,
landmarks, state parks, CA native animals, Sacramento, tourist destinations, etc.). Fill this sheet out while
you read to help plan out your book talk. Use the back of this paper if you need more space.
Catchy Beginning: (How will you
get the attention of the
audience?)
Ideas
*Start with a question
*Briefly read a good part!
*Act out a scene
*Come in costume
Book Title: Book Author: Photographer or Illustrator:
(If applicable)
Genre: (How do you know?) Topic: How is the book divided?
(Chapters, Subtopics, etc.)
Name three (3) features of (Non-fiction features are: 1.____________ pg.#____
nonfiction that this author titles, photographs, maps,
utilizes to present information. graphs, charts, subtitles, 2.____________pg. #____
Cite the pages where you found captions, diagrams, bold
them. print, highlighted texts, 3.____________pg. #____
table of contents and index.)
What attracted me to the Name 10 things you learned What didn’t I like or would I
book? about California from this change?
book. Use the back of this
paper for more space.
Information about Author and Would I recommend this Closing: (Make us remember
Other books by this author book? To whom? Why? the book!)
(research on the internet).
4th Grade California Relief Map Project:
Due to Mrs. Lim on Friday, Nov. 30, 2010 to go with Non-fiction Book Talk
California Standard:
4.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.
OPTION 1. CA Relief Map (Salt dough, adhesive putty, paper mache, clay, etc.)
As option 1, students may design a wall relief map for their 4 th grade social studies map project. This year we’ve read, studied, and talked about
the 4 regions of California in social studies. Now they will get to demonstrate their knowledge of what they’ve learned by constructing a relief
map/art project.
Materials Needed:
1) Cardboard or other sturdy backing not to exceed 3ft in length and 2 ft in width. I will provide this.
2) Picture of the outline of California (see attached) and a pencil to sketch the outline of California and the four regions. You may use the map
provided or your social studies book to help you with the regions.
3) Salt dough, paper mache, adhesive putty, or other type of material that will stick to the board and not fall off when making the relief
structures such as the mountains that surround the coast region and central valley. Relief means that I should be able to feel the projection of
figures or forms from a flat background; I should be able to touch and feel the mountains and valleys.
4) Paints to color regions: paint the Central Valley green, paint the mountains brown, paint the deserts yellow and paint the coast white. You
may decorate your relief map by gluing dirt for deserts, using small pine tree stems for the trees on the mountains, using pebbles or sand for
coast regions, putting small toy crops in the central valley, etc... You may also use colored adhesive putty or clay in lieu of painting.
Salt Dough Recipe:
1. 1 cup of flour
2. ½ cup of salt
Add just enough water to make fairly stiff dough.
Before the dough dries, make the landforms such as mountains to show elevation.
OPTION 2. CA Cookie Map
Using the CA cookie cutter, use this sugar recipe to make a CA cookie. Decorate the cookie to show the 4 California regions (coast, mountain,
desert and Central Valley). You may make more than one. We have discussed in class some materials you might use: chocolate chips for the
mountain region, coconut chips for coast, or different colored M&Ms, etc. Since the cookie will be small, you may also use colored sugar or
colored frosting to indicate the regions. Please return the cookie cutter when done so that I can reuse this for next year’s class.
Sugar Cookie Recipe:
Yield: Makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies Active Time: 1 1/2 hr (not including decorating) Total Time: 2 1/2 hr
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whisk together flour and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high until pale
and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 6 minutes with a handheld. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture,
mixing until just combined. Form dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 6-inch disk. Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1
hour.Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out 1 disk of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) into an 8 1/2-inch
round (1/4 inch thick) on a well-floured surface with a well-floured rolling pin. (If dough becomes too soft to roll out, rewrap in plastic and chill
until firm.) Cut out as many cookies as possible from dough with cutters and transfer to 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging cookies about
1 inch apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes, and then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Students must have the following information on the map or in addition to the map:
o A map legend showing the 4 regions and their colors (below are sample colors):
o Coast Region - white
o Central Valley - green
o Mountain Region - brown
o Desert Region - yellow