Using the Balkan region as an example, fourth graders review the five themes of geography as a class. They identify the physical and human characteristics of a region before labeling the countries and landforms on a map. They then role-play as a journalist, civilian, or soldier in the Bosnian War and the Kosovo Crisis to contrast objective and subjective points of view.

Concepts

current events, bosnia, absolute location, location, yugoslavia, kosovo, perspective, point of view

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Allow learners to expand their research beyond the area of Yugoslavia if they are interested in learning more about other global events

Classroom Considerations

• Requires copies of Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo by Zlata Filipovic and In Their Own Voice: Teenage Refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina Speak Out by Valerie Tekavec
• Lesson was published in 1999 and describes the crisis in Kosovo as a current event; consider putting the Bosnian war in historical context for reference, or updating the project to a more current event

Pros

• Provides a project rubric
• Reinforces the importance of global awareness and perspective

Cons

• Lesson plan contains a few typos (none that students can see)