Daily Activities – Georgia on My Mind
The daily activities created for each of the Today in Georgia History segments are designed to meet the Georgia Performance Standards for Reading Across the Curriculum, and Grade Eight: Georgia Studies. For each date, educators can choose from three optional activities differentiated for various levels of student ability. Each activity focuses on engaging the student in context specific vocabulary and improving the student’s ability to communicate about historical topics.
One suggestion is to use the Today in Georgia History video segments and daily activities as a “bell ringer” at the beginning of each class period. Using the same activity daily provides consistency and structure for the students and may help teachers utilize the first 15-20 minutes of class more effectively.
Optional Activities:
Level 1: Provide the students with the vocabulary list and have them use their textbook, a dictionary, or other teacher provided materials to define each term. After watching the video have the students write a complete sentence for each of the vocabulary terms. Student created sentences should reflect the meaning of the word based on the context of the video segment. Have students share a sampling of sentences as a way to check for understanding.
Level 2: Provide the students with the vocabulary list for that day’s segment before watching the video and have them guess the meaning of each word based on their previous knowledge. The teacher may choose to let the students work alone or in groups. After watching the video, have the students revise their definitions to better reflect the meaning of the words based on the context of the video. As a final step, have the students compare and contrast their definitions to their textbook, dictionary or other teacher provided materials definitions.
Level 3: Provide the students with the vocabulary list and have them use their textbook, a dictionary, or other teacher provided materials to define each term. After watching the video, have the students write a five sentence paragraph based on the provided writing prompts.
Vocabulary/Writing Prompts:
Vocabulary Terms
Lyrics
Ambiguous
Orchestra
Legendary
Anthem
Writing Prompts
1. Can Georgia be put in a song? In a five-sentence paragraph explain what song you would
choose as the official state song?
2. In a five-sentence paragraph define the word anthem and explain why the video
segment calls “Georgia on my Mind” Ray Charles’s unofficial anthem.
3. In a five-sentence paragraph use the example of “Georgia on My Mind” to explain how a
song can mean something different to each artist who performs it and each audience
member who hears it.
Related Georgia Performance Standards:
Reading Across the Curriculum (Grades 6-12)
SSRC1 Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by:
c. Building vocabulary knowledge
• Demonstrate an understanding of contextual vocabulary in various subjects.
• Use content vocabulary in writing and speaking.
• Explore understanding of new words found in subject area texts.
d. Establishing context
• Explore life experiences related to subject area content.
• Discuss in both writing and speaking how certain words are subject area
related.
• Determine strategies for finding content and contextual meaning for unknown
words.
Common Core, College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using
valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and
information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
Theme 1: Culture
Music Appreciation, 6-12
D. Cultural and Historical Context
MMSMA.8 – Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside
the arts
a. Describe ways in which other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with
those of music.
b. Identify and describe common terminology used in music and another fine art.
c. Discover and research persons who have achieved professional or commercial success
in more than one fine art discipline.
MMSMA.9 – Understanding music in relation to history and culture
a. Identify and explain a particular music example’s historical and cultural significance.
b. Compare and evaluate the roles of musicians throughout history.
c. Recognize music’s role in today’s culture.