Introduction to the Regions of the United States Grade 4 Unit 1

Transcription

1 Introduction to the Regions of the United States Grade 4 Unit 1

2 Unit Overview In grade 4, students study the geography and people of the United States. In this introductory unit, students will first understand the definition of social studies and the different roles of social scientists. They will then study location and maps, including their different purposes. Finally, students will define region and explore an overview of the United States regions, identify their location, and begin to understand how each region is unique and different. Standards 4.8 On a map of the world, locate North America. On a map of North America, locate the United States, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi and Rio Grande Rivers, the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and the Rocky and Appalachian Mountain ranges. (G) 4.9 On a map of North America, locate the current boundaries of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). Locate the New England, Middle Atlantic, Atlantic Coast/Appalachian, Southeast/Gulf, South Central, Great Lakes, Plains, Southwest Desert, and Pacific states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Appendix H for a listing of states in each region. (G) 4.10 Identify the states, state capitals, and major cities in each region. (G) 4.11 Describe the climate, major physical features, and major natural resources in each region. (G) 4.12 Identify and describe unique features of the United States (e.g., the Everglades, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Redwood Forest, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park). (G) Essential Questions Why is where important? What story do maps and globes tell? How and why do maps and globes change? How do maps and globes reflect history, politics and economics? What do we mean by a region? What makes a place unique and different? How do geography, climate and natural resources affect the way people live and work? Learning Objectives Students will be able to define social science and the study of economics, history, geography and politics (Lesson 1). Students will be able to name different artifacts and identify which artifacts would be studied by and economist, a historian, a geographer and a political scientist (Lesson 1). 2

3 Students will be able to define with examples the following terms: cardinal directions, intermediate directions (Lesson 3). Students will be able to name the relative and exact location of several states on the map (Lesson 3). Students will be able identify different locations on a map using longitude and latitude (Lesson 4). Students will be able to identify on a map the South Pole, North Pole, and the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (Lesson 4). Students will be able to create a classroom map or map of the school using symbols, colors and a legend (Lesson 5). Students will be able to complete a Venn Diagram comparing the similarities and differences between a political and physical map (Lesson 6). Students will be able to explain elevation by using terms such as sea level and contour lines after creating an elevated mountain using a potato (Lesson 7). Students will be able to name which states and regions get the most and least rainfall using an annual rainfall map of the United States (Lesson 8). Students will be able to explain where most people live in the United States and world using terms such as coast, inland and population density (Lesson 9). Students will be able to write about the pros and the cons of coastal living (Lesson 9). Students will be able to argue how the United States regions are areas with common features different from other areas with evidence (Lesson 10). Students will be able to illustrate their overall understanding of the unit s overarching essential questions by choosing three locations around the United States and listing the following about each location: the exact latitude and longitude, the average annual rainfall, the population density, the approximate elevation (Lesson 11). 3

4 Interactive Student Notebook The lessons in this unit are designed for the Interactive Student Notebook (ISN). Students do all of their social studies work throughout the year in the ISN, which serves as an artifact of student learning. The ISN follows a very specific format: left side Preview Question right side Activity Processing Activity This is a representation of the ISN. Each lesson begins with a Preview activity, which builds background knowledge, taps into prior knowledge, reviews the previous lesson, or introduces vocabulary. This is always at the top of the left-hand page. Next, the minilesson is taught. The content from the lesson is recorded on the Notes page, which is always the right-hand page. Finally, the lesson ends with a Processing activity, which asks students to apply the content and skills from the lesson and show mastery of the day s objective. This is always at the bottom of the left-hand page. Thus, the flow of the ISN is top left- right - bottom left. Lessons The lessons for the unit were designed around an essential question and topic to build towards a cumulative understanding of the overall concept. The structure of the lessons is as follows: preview, mini-lesson, processing activity, extension. The preview is a warm-up to activate or build background knowledge; the mini-lesson is the explicit teaching time through modeling; the processing activity is the time for students to process the information taught and illustrate their understanding via the notebook or another form of communication; the extension is an activity that extends the students learning with an additional activity to be done for home-work or as a follow-up activity in class (can also be an opportunity for the students to extend their learning in a culminating task such as a research report, explanation, etc.). Lessons were designed with a minute timeframe in mind but in some cases span the course of the more than a day (as indicated). Extension activities for the most part were intended to take place outside of this timeframe. 4

5 Unit Overview Lesson 1 Timeline: 2 days Topic: Discovering the Social Sciences Lesson 2 Timeline: 1 day Topic: Regions Lesson 3 Timeline: 1 day Topic: Location and Place Lesson 4 Timeline: 3 days Topic: Latitude and Longitude Vocabulary: social science, historian, economist, political scientist, geographer Preview: Students will discuss the following questions: Why is this subject important to us? Math? Science? Social Studies? English Language Arts? Activity: Read Lesson 1, Sections 1-5 from Social Studies Alive! about the different types of social scientists Processing Activity: Students will analyze artifacts and complete student handout B from Collecting Social Science Artifacts. Resources: -Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 1, Sections 1-5 -Collecting Social Science Artifacts, Student handout B - Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 1, Reading Further, Clues from Cahokia Vocabulary: regions, location, place, human interactions Preview: Students will create a map of their home dividing it into 5 sections and answer the question, what sets each region apart from the rest of the house? Activity: Read Lesson 2, Section 1, from Social Studies Alive! about the regions and the themes of geography. Processing Activity: Students will answer questions that address the 5 themes of geography. Resources: -Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Section 1 and handouts attached to lesson. Vocabulary: relative location, exact location, cardinal directions, intermediate directions Preview: Students will describe the location of their home. Teacher will note some locations were described as exact and some as approximate or relative locations. Activity: Read Lesson 2, Section 2, from Social Studies Alive! about location and directions. Processing Activity: Students will name the relative and exact location of several states on the map. Resources: -Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Section 2 -United States maps Vocabulary: latitude, longitude, degrees, prime meridian, South Pole, North Pole, Northern and Southern Hemisphere Preview: Students look at an outline map of the world and an outline map of the United States and discuss what they already know or notice about the maps. Activity: Read Lesson 2, Sections 4-5 from Social Studies Alive! about latitude and longitude. Identify locations using latitude and longitude (see lesson). Processing Activity: Students will discuss why and when latitude and longitude are helpful map tools. Resources: - Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Sections 4-6 -United States and World maps with lines of latitude and longitude -Geography Challenge, Student handout A 5

6 Lesson 5 Timeline: 2 days Topic: Map Symbols, Legends and Use of Color Vocabulary: symbol, legend, key, elevation, density Lesson 6 Timeline: 1 day Topic: Physical Maps and Political Maps Vocabulary: physical map, political map, land forms, bodies of water, borders Lesson 7 Timeline: 3 days Topic: Elevation Maps Vocabulary: elevation, sea level, contour lines, coastal plains Lesson 8 Timeline: 1 day Topic: Annual Rainfall Maps Vocabulary: annual, rainfall, climate Preview: Students will look at maps of the United States in color (regional, elevation, rainfall, population density) and discuss what they already know or notice. Activity: Watch video about maps and use of color and read, Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Section 3 Processing Activity: Create a classroom map or map of the school using symbols, colors and a legend so that others can read and get information from the map Resources: -Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Section 3 -United States maps in color (interactive desk maps from Social Studies Alive! Regions or other maps) that include regional, elevation, rainfall, population density Preview: Students will brainstorm all the different types of information that can be gained from a map. Students should think back to what they learned from yesterday s lesson about maps. Activity: Students will compare and contrast a physical map of the United States with a political map of the United States and read, Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Section 7 about the kinds of maps. Processing Activity: Students will complete a Venn Diagram of the similarities and differences of each map. Resources: -Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Section 7 -A political map and a physical map of the United -A Venn Diagram Preview: Students will discuss what would happen if they hiked a very large mountain. Activity: Students will read the definition of elevation and then represent levels of elevation by making potato mountain Processing Activity: Using an elevation map of the United States, students will answer Geography Challenge, Student handout B questions Resources: -National Geographic website -Potatoes and handouts for Potato Mountain lesson -An elevation map of the United States (interactive desk maps from Social Studies Alive! Regions or other maps) that include a legend -Geography Challenge, Student handout B questions Preview: Students will discuss the following questions: What states and regions get the most rain? How do you think this impacts the state or region? Activity: Students will read an annual rainfall map of the United States, making observations and gathering information. Processing Activity: Using an annual rainfall map of the United States, students will answer Geography Challenge, Student handout B questions Resources: -Geography Challenge, Student handout B questions 6

7 Lesson 9 Timeline: 3 days Topic: Coastal Living and Population Lesson 10 Timeline: 2 days Topic: The Regions Lesson 11 Timeline: 2 days Topic: Culminating Assessment Close Reading Lesson Timeline: 2-3 days (any time within the unit) Topic: American Feuillage Vocabulary: coast, inland, coastal flooding, climate change, population density Preview: Students will discuss the following question: Where do you think most of the world s people live, along the coast or further inland? Vocabulary: Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, West, basin, inland, plateau, coastal plain Preview: Students will discuss the following question: How do regions differ? Resources: Culminating Assessment (see resource in lesson) Close Reading Resources: Primary Source, close reading lesson, An Invitation to Explore the United States: Walt Whitman s American Feuillage Activity: Students will analyze a population density map of the United States and note where most people live Processing Activity: Students will brainstorm the pros and cons of coastal living and create a threeminute new report about coastal living Resources: -National Geographic website Activity: Students will read Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Sections 8 10 Processing Activity: Students will argue the following point: A region is an area with common features that set it apart from other areas, list 3 ways that the regions are different from one another. -A population density map (interactive desk maps from Social Studies Alive! Regions or other maps from sites listed in the lesson resources) Resources: -Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Lesson 2, Sections Pros and Cons of Coastal Living chart 7

8 Lesson 1 - Discovering the Social Sciences Essential Question: How do geography, climate and natural resources affect the way people live and work? Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to define social science and the study of economics, history, geography and politics. Students will be able to name different artifacts and identify which artifacts would be studied by and economist, a historian, a geographer and a political scientist. Vocabulary: social science, historian, economist, political scientist, geographer 1. Preview: Pose the following question to students: Why is this subject important to us? Math? Science? Social Studies? English Language Arts? Students can turn and talk to discuss each subject or independently write down their answers on a sheet of paper. 2. Mini-lesson: Explain to students that following information: A social scientist is someone who studies the ways people live. Their field is called social science. Some socials scientists study small groups, such as families. Others study large groups, such as nations. They learn about the economy, geography, politics, and history of the groups they study. Social scientists want to understand why people behave as they do. To find out they watch people. They ask questions. They study written records, such as letters and news stories. They also study other artifacts. Artifacts are things people have made. Your clothes are a type of artifact. So are all the things you carry in your backpack. Some social scientists are economists. They are very interested in the choices people make about money every day. Economists study the economy of a city, state, or country. And economy is the way people in a community use resources to meet their needs and the needs and wants. Economics is the study of how people make, buy and sell things. Economists want to know how people decide what to make. They also want to know how people decide what to buy. Say to students, Think of yourself as an economist. You are studying how families decide what to buy. What artifacts might help you? Some of the students response may include the following: price tags, receipts, coupons, advertisements, items recently purchased. Some social scientists are geographers. Geographers like to know where place are on the map. They study Earth s surface to find out what physical features lie around them. They also study climate and plant and animal life. Geographers use maps and globes to show the features of our planet s surface. Land, water, plants and animals are part of nature and are called natural features. People build town, roads, bridges, and dams. These things are called human features. The United States has a great range of natural and human features. Say to students, Think of yourself as a geographer. You are 8

9 studying the natural and human features of your community. These are some artifacts that might help: maps, weather record, newspaper articles, wildflowers, birds nests. Some social scientists are political scientists. Political scientists are interested in who is in charge. They want to know how people get the power to run a city, state, or nation. They also look at how people in charge use their power. Political science is the study of governments. A government is a system for deciding what is best for the group. It s main job is to make and carry out rules and laws. Say to students, Suppose a political scientist is visiting your home. What artifacts might interest him or her? Here are a few ideas: election advertisements, stories about government, information about how and where to vote, newspaper articles about laws. Some social scientists are historians. History is the study of the past. Historians first ask the question, What happened in the past? To find out, they study all kinds of artifacts, including records made by people in the past. Say to students, Suppose you have been asked to write a history of your family. What artifacts would help you? Here are some suggestions: birth certificates, baby books, family photos, letters, diaries, family treasures. The above information comes from Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country, Discovering the Social Sciences, chapter 1. Students may read sections 1-5 or be presented the information if teacher does not have the text. 3. Activity: Students will work with a partner or in a small group to examine 4 different artifacts provided by the teacher. Students can use Student Handout B from the resource titled, Collecting Social Science Artifacts (see resources within the lesson). 4. Extension: Students can find artifacts at home and identify which social scientist would be interested in the artifact and why. Students can use Student Handout A from the resource titled, Collecting Social Science Artifacts (see resources within the lesson). Students can also read the case study, Clues from Cahokia (see resources within the lesson) to better understand how social scientists analyze artifacts. 9

10 Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country Chapter 1: Discovering the Social Sciences Textbook Pages 3-7 Discovering the Social Sciences Why are some people rich and others poor? How can studying the past help us live better today? These are the kinds of questions that social scientists ask. Social scientists study the ways people live in groups. Their field is called social science. Some social scientists study small groups, such as families. Others study large groups, such as nations. They learn about the economy, geography, politics, and history of the groups they study. Social scientists want to understand why people behave as they do. To find out, they watch people. They ask questions. They study written records, such as letters and news stories. They also study other artifacts. Artifacts are things people have made. Your clothes are a kind of artifact. So are all the things you carry in your backpack. What would a social scientist learn about you by studying these artifacts? You might be surprised by the answer! Economists You find a dollar in your pocket. Should you spend it on a snack? Save it for a new comic book? You might think that no one cares about how you choose to spend your money. Not true! Some social scientists are economists. They are very interested in the choices people make about money every day. 10

11 Economists study the economy of a city, state, or country. An economy is the way people in a community use resources to meet their needs and wants. We all need food, clothing, and shelter. And we all want things that we don t really need. You may want a new game. Your parents may want a new car. In the economy of the United States, a variety of resources meets people s needs and wants. Economics is the study of how people make, buy, and sell things. Economists want to know how people decide what to make. They also want to know how people decide what to buy. Think of yourself as an economist. You are studying how families decide what to buy. What artifacts might help you? Here are a few ideas: price tags receipts coupons advertisements items your family bought recently 11

12 Geographer You are on a trip somewhere new. Nothing looks familiar. You begin to feel a little lost. Finally, you ask yourself, Where am I? 12

13 You could use some help from another social scientist a geographer. Geographers like to know where places are on a map. They study Earth s surface to find out what physical features lie around them. They also study climate and plant and animal life. Geographers use maps and globes to show the features of our planet s surface. Land, water, plants, and animals are part of nature. They are called natural features. People build towns, roads, bridges, and dams. These things are called human features. The United States has a great range of natural and human features. It has mountains, deserts, rivers, and lakes. It has large cities filled with people and buildings. It has tiny towns. It also has vast empty spaces. Think of yourself as a geographer. You are studying the natural and human features of your community. These artifacts and natural objects might help you: maps weather record newspaper articles wildflowers birds nests 13

14 Political Scientist You are riding your bike down the street when bam! your front wheel hits a pothole. You fall to the ground. As you pick yourself up, you grumble, This is dangerous! Who s in charge of fixing the streets, anyway? This is just the type of question a political scientist might ask. Political scientists are interested in who is in charge. They want to know how people get the power to run a city, state, or nation. They also look at how the people in charge use their power. Political science is the study of governments. All groups even families have some sort of government. A government is a system for deciding what is best for the group. Its main job is to make and carry out rules and laws. These rules help people live together in peace. Governments also supply things that people need. Your local government provides things that you need, such as schools and safe streets. Suppose a political scientist is visiting your home. What artifacts might interest him or her? Here are a few ideas: election advertisements stories about government information about how and where to vote newspaper articles about laws 14

15 Historian Your class takes a field trip to the cemetery. Your assignment is to make a rubbing of a tombstone and report on it to the class. When you read the tombstone, you think, I wonder how many people buried here were related to this person. Now you are thinking like a historian. History is the study of the past. Human beings have been around a very long time. As a result, we have a lot of past to study. Historians, however, are most interested in the last few thousand years. This is when people began leaving written records. 15

16 The first question historians ask is What happened in the past? To find out, they study all kinds of artifacts, including records made by people in the past. Once historians know what happened, they ask other questions to help them interpret or understand the past, such as Who took part in these events? How did these things happen? and Why did they happen this way? Suppose you have been asked to write a history of your family. What artifacts would help you? Here are some suggestions: birth certificates baby books family photos letters diaries family treasures 16

17 Teacher Resource: Artifact List The items listed below could be used as artifacts for the student activity. Please also see attached images. Economics Price tags Receipts Coupons Advertisement Geography Maps Weather records Newspaper articles Wildflowers Birds Nests Political Science Election Advertisements Stories about government Information about how and where to vote Newspaper articles about laws History Birth certificates Baby books Family photos Letters Diaries 17

18 Artifact Images Economics 18

19 Geography 19

20 Political Science 20

21 History 21

22 Analyzing Artifacts Your teacher will give you a bag. As you examine the four artifacts in the bag, complete the notes below. We believe that is the economics artifact because We believe that is the geography artifact because We believe that is the political science artifact because We believe that is the history artifact because Teachers Curriculum Institute Discovering the Social Sciences Extension Activity Resources 22

23 Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country Chapter 1: Clues from Cahokia Textbook Pages In southern Illinois, a large mound rises from the ground. But it is not a natural hill. People built it long ago. Who? Why? How? These are questions social scientists ask. How do social scientists help us learn about life long ago? What a strange looking hill! you might think as you walk toward the mound. It s squared off instead of round. Look, the top is flat. And it has different levels. Is it really a hill? These questions and observations show that you re thinking like an archaeologist. Archaeologists are a special kind of social scientist. Like historians, they study the past. But they don t study people s written records. To find clues about the past, they hunt for and examine objects that people have left behind. This huge mound, called Monks Mound, is one giant artifact! It is about as tall as a ten-story building. It is the largest of several mounds in the area. Archaeologists have learned that the mounds were part of a year-old American Indian city called Cahokia. How did archaeologists begin their explorations at Cahokia? What did they find? Help from Geography The people who built Monks Mound left the area more than 600 years ago. Why did they build these mounds? The people left no written language. So how can we know? Luckily, there are archaeologists eager to search for clues. Modern-day archaeologists use high-tech tools to look in the ground and underneath 23

24 the soil that has collected on top of these very old structures over time. They also dig into the soil for clues slowly and very carefully. Before they start investigating, archaeologists need to figure out where to focus their attention. So they turn to geography for help. They look at the land. They think about where people might have lived. Are there places where it is easy to get water? Are there fertile places to grow food? They also study areas that appear to have been changed by the people who lived there. This helps archaeologists choose the likeliest places to search for more clues. Archaeologists have made many discoveries at Cahokia since the 1920s. One of the most exciting was at the top of Monks Mound. They discovered the remains of a large wooden building. It stood on top of the hill about 850 years ago. It was probably the biggest building in the city. Here was a wonderful clue about life long ago. Help from Political Science Archaeologists now knew that a building once stood at the top of the great mound. But what was it for? Nothing they found on the mound explained it. So they turned to political science for help. Political scientists study how people organize into governments. To make such a large mound, thousands of people would have had to work together. These people must have had leaders. Could this explain the building atop the mound? Picture the scene a thousand years ago. Everywhere you look, people are at work. Some are in the vast fields beyond the city, raising corn for food. Others dig soil from pits and place it in baskets. People carry the heavy baskets to the foot of the mound. Up and up they climb. At last, exhausted, they drop their loads. Slowly, very slowly, the mound grows taller. Who is in charge of all this work? 24

25 Convincing thousands of people to move 22 million cubic feet of soil takes powerful leadership! Political scientists say that a group of high-ranking nobles must have ruled Cahokia. They may have lived on top of this mound, while the people lived in the city below. Help from Economics Archaeologists now knew that nobles ruled the large, rich city. But how had the city grown so large and become so wealthy? Archaeologists turned to economics for help. Economists ask questions about resources. What resources did Cahokia have? Rich soil for farming was one. The rich soil along the Mississippi River allowed people to grow as much food as they needed. That meant more people could live in one place. It also meant that not everyone had to work in the fields or hunt for food. Some people could work on building a great city. Rivers were another resource. They served as water highways for trade. Traders brought salt to Cahokia in canoes. They also carried shells from the Gulf of Mexico and copper from the Great Lakes. People used these things to make objects of great beauty. Archaeologists have found carved-shell jewelry, copper ornaments, and stone figures. So why did people leave? Nobody knows exactly. Part of the answer may be that people used up the resources. They cut down trees and farmed the same fields until the land could no longer support so many people. Today, the mounds at Cahokia are an important monument. Thanks to the work of social scientists, we now know that, long ago, a large, lively city existed in this place. 25

26 Lesson 2 Regions Preview Create a map of your home as if you were looking down on it from above. Label each room. Then, divide your home into five regions and make each region a different color. Last, answer the question, What sets each region apart from the rest of the house? Teachers Curriculum Institute Exploring Regions of the United States 1 26

27 Lesson 2, Section 1 Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country Chapter 2: Exploring Regions of the US Textbook Pgs Because Earth is so large, geographers divide it into regions to study. A region is an area with common features that set it apart from other areas. In this book, we have divided the United States into five regions to study. In this chapter, you will learn how geographers study regions. One way is by using maps. Geographers use maps to help them think about five topics, or themes, of geography. These are the five themes of geography: Location: Where is this place located? What is it near? Place: What is this place like? Human-environmental interaction: How does this place affect the people living here? How do the people who live here affect this place? Movement: How do people, goods, and ideas move to and away from this place? Regions: What features about this place set it apart from other places? Try answering the questions above about a place you know well your school. Now you are thinking like a geographer. Keep thinking that way as you read more about the regions of the United States. 27

28 Lesson 3 Location and Place Lesson 2, Section 2 Every place has its own location. A location is the site where something can be found. People describe locations in many ways. You might describe the location of your home by talking about what it is near. This is the relative location of your home. Or you might use your street address. This is the exact location of your home. Geographers use globes and maps to show the locations of places on Earth. Globes are round like Earth. They are useful when you want to know where places are on the planet. When you need to see where many places are all at once, maps can be more useful. Maps show all or part of Earth on a flat surface. To use a map, you need to know the four cardinal directions. North is the direction toward the North Pole. When you face north, your back is facing south.east is to your right. West is to your left. On a map, the letters N, S, E, and W stand for the cardinal directions. 28

29 The intermediate directions are halfway between the cardinal directions. Northeast, for example, lies halfway between north and east. The other intermediate directions are southeast, southwest, and northwest. On a map, the letters NE, SE, SW, and NW stand for the intermediate directions. Most maps use a compass rose to show directions. It sits on each map with N pointing toward the North Pole. This tells you which way is north. 29

30 Lesson 4 Latitude and Longitude The following lesson was obtained from National Geographic s website: The lesson and it s contents should only be used for educational purposes. 1. Discuss with students what they already know about maps. Divide students into pairs. Give each pair an outline map of the world and an outline map of the United States. Have students circle familiar characteristics and underline or list unfamiliar characteristics. Have a whole-class discussion about what they already know or notice about the maps. Students may recognize the shapes of countries, they may point out their state or region, or they may identify familiar bodies of water. 2. Introduce the concepts of latitude and longitude. Have students look at the U.S. map and find the lines running across and up and down the page. Tell students that the lines running across the page are lines of latitude, and the lines running up and down the page are lines of longitude. Latitude runs 0 90 north and south. Longitude runs east and west. Have students write those labels on the maps. Ask students why they think these lines might have been drawn on the map. Make sure they understand that they are not real lines on the ground; they were added to the map to help people locate places on the map more easily. Point out the degrees of latitude and longitude and the patterns of numbers as you move away from Have students practice figuring out latitude and longitude. Have students find the approximate location of their town and mark it with a dot. Ask students to think about what to do if the location is not on a line but in between lines. Model for students how to figure out the town s latitude and longitude. Next, draw two more dots in other areas of the country and have students work independently or in pairs to figure out the approximate latitude and longitude of those places. Finally, have students figure out what city is at approximately 30 N, 90 W (New Orleans, Louisiana) and what city is at approximately 40 N, 105 W (Denver, Colorado). 4. Have students find landmarks with the same latitude and longitude as their location. Assign each student or pair one of the three locations home, New Orleans, or Denver. Instruct each pair to find two landmarks, such as cities or physical features, with the same latitude as their location. Then have pairs find two landmarks with the same longitude as their location. 5. Discuss with students why and when latitude and longitude are helpful map tools. Have students share why latitude and longitude are helpful map tools. Prompt them to explain how latitude and longitude can help them to identify specific locations. Ask: How easy or difficult would it be to pinpoint a location on a globe without using a coordinate system? Explain. Informal Assessment Have students use the outline maps of the United States and the world to identify: 30

31 states in the U.S. that are on the same line of latitude states in the U.S. that are on the same line of longitude world landmarks that are on the same line of latitude world landmarks that are on the same line of longitude 31

32 Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country Chapter 2: Exploring Regions of the US Textbook Pgs Suppose you want to describe the exact location of a place on Earth. To help you do this, mapmakers invented a system of imaginary lines around the globe. Some of these lines run east and west around the globe. They are called lines of latitude. Lines of latitude are also known as parallels because they are always the same distance apart. Lines of latitude tell us how far north or south of the equator a place on Earth is. The equator is a line of latitude. It divides Earth into two halves. They are called the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. Because the United States lies north of the equator, it is in the Northern Hemisphere. The equator is the starting point for measuring latitude. It is labeled 0, or zero degrees. Parallels north of the equator are labeled N. The North Pole is 90 N. Parallels south of the equator are labeled S. The South Pole is 90 S. Lines of latitude measure between 0 and 90 N or 90 S. The closer a parallel is to the equator, the smaller its number of degrees. The closer it is to one of the poles, the greater its number of degrees. 32

33 Lines of longitude tell us how far to the east or west we need to go to locate a place. Look at the map on this page. It shows lines circling Earth. They are called lines of longitude. Lines of longitude are also called meridians. Unlike lines of latitude, meridians are not parallel to each other. All meridians meet at the North Pole and the South Pole. The distance between meridians is greatest at the equator. That distance shrinks as you move from the equator to the poles. Can you find the line that is labeled prime meridian on the map? This imaginary line divides the world into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Because the United States lies west of the prime meridian, it is in the Western Hemisphere. 33

34 The longitude of the prime meridian is 0. Lines of longitude west of the prime meridian are labeled W. Meridians east of the prime meridian are labeled E. Lines of longitude measure between 0 and 180.The closer a meridian is to the prime meridian, the smaller its number of degrees. Mapmakers combine lines of latitude and longitude to form a grid. A grid is a set of crisscrossing lines. The grid you see on the map below is called a global grid because it covers all of Earth. Using the lines of latitude and longitude on the global grid, you can locate places anywhere in the world. For example, suppose you want to locate New Orleans on the map below. It is 30 degrees north of the equator, or 30 N. It is also 90 degrees west of the prime meridian, or 90 W. When locating places on a map, latitude is stated first, then longitude. So the location of New Orleans is 30 N, 90 W. 34

35 The city of Uíge, Angola, is located at 8 S, 15 E. To find this location, put your finger on the map where the equator and the prime meridian meet. Move your finger east to the 15 E meridian. So far, so good. Now you have a problem. The 8 S parallel is not marked on this map. You know, though, that 8 S must lie between the equator and 15 S. If you move your finger along the 15 E meridian to the spot halfway between these two parallels, you will find the city you are looking for. Additional Information from To pinpoint your position on a map of the world you need to work out your co-ordinates, known as latitude and longitude. Latitude is your position north or south of the Equator. Lines, or parallels, are drawn around the Earth at intervals. The North Pole is assigned the latitude 90 north and the South Pole latitude 90 south. Lines of longitude, or meridians, are drawn a little differently. The line of longitude corresponding to 0, which passes through Greenwich in London, is called the Prime (or Greenwich) Meridian. Longitude lines run along the Earth's surface in a north-south direction, and unlike latitude lines, they divide the globe into segments like those of an orange, rather than regular strips. A geographical globe (a) viewed from above the Equator; (b) viewed 35

36 Extension Activity Resources STUDENT HANDOUT A Geography Challenge A Cards Question 1 Label the name of the state that lies the farthest east in the United States. Question 2 Label the name of the state that lies the farthest south in the United States (not including Hawaii). Question 3 Label the name of the only state that lies along the 60oN parallel. Question 4 Label the names of the states that touch 155oW longitude. Question 5 Draw an X at 40oN latitude, 90oW longitude. Label the name of the state you are in. Question 6 Draw an X at 45oN latitude, 120oW longitude. Label the name of the state you are in. Question 7 Draw an X at 35oN latitude, 110oW longitude. Label the name of the state you are in. Question 8 Draw a heavy line along the entire 115th meridian of longitude. Label the names of the four U.S. states this meridian passes through. Question 9 Draw an X at 30oN latitude, 95oW longitude. Label the name of the state you are in. Question 10 Draw an X at 35oN latitude, 80oW longitude. Label the name of the state you are in. Teachers Curriculum Institute 36

37 Exploring Regions of the United States 1 Lesson 5 Symbols, Legends and Use of Color Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country Chapter 2: Exploring Regions of the US Textbook Pg. 17 Maps never show sizes and distances as they really are. They are always much smaller than the part of Earth they represent. A short distance on a map stands for a much greater distance on Earth. The scale of a map shows the relationship between map distances and real distances. A map s scale can be shown in many ways. The most common is a line scale. The maps on this page have two line scales. One is for miles, and the other is for kilometers. Maps use symbols to show other kinds of information. A symbol is anything that stands for something else. Sometimes symbols look like what they stand for. For example, mapmakers often use tiny airplane symbols to stand for airports. Color is another important map symbol. The color blue usually stands for water. Mapmakers often use different colors to show separate states or countries. Mapmakers use a map key to explain their symbols. (A key is also called a legend.) The map key tells what each symbol stands for. Look at the maps on this page. What does the star stand for? Use of Color Video 37

38 Lesson 6 Physical and Political Maps Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country Chapter 2: Exploring Regions of the US Textbook Pg. 21 Maps obtained from the following websites: pdf Geographers make different kinds of maps for different purposes. Maps that show natural features are called physical maps. Physical maps show landforms, such as mountains, valleys, and plains. Physical maps also show bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. Other maps show human features. For example, a political map shows cities, capitals, states, and countries. Special-purpose maps show just one kind of information. Rainfall maps, for example, show how much rain falls in different parts of the world. Population maps show how many people live in different areas. Language maps show what languages people speak in different places. The special-purpose map above is an elevation map of the United States. Elevation is the height of the land above the ocean. The surface of the ocean, called sea level, is at zero elevation. The highest point in North America is Mt. McKinley in Alaska. Its elevation is 20,320 feet. What does the map show about your state s elevation? 38

39 Lesson 7 Elevation Maps The information below was obtained from the following website: Elevation is distance above sea level. Elevations are usually measured in meters or feet. They can be shown on maps by contour lines, which connect points with the same elevation; by bands of color; or by numbers giving the exact elevations of particular points on the Earths surface. Maps that show elevations are called topographic maps. Elevation influences climate, as well as where and how people live. Most of the worlds people live on coastal plains at elevations of 150 meters (500 feet) or less. Some cultures have adapted to higher elevations. In Tibet, a region in central Asia, people live at elevations as great as 5,334 meters (17,500 feet). Above this elevation, the climate becomes too cold for growing crops, and there is also not enough oxygen in the air to sustain human life. Potato Mountain Lesson 39

40 Geography Challenge B Cards Question 1 Which region has the highest elevation? Question 2 Which state has the highest elevation: Iowa, Idaho, or Kentucky? Question 3 Which state has the most area at the highest elevation? Question 4 Which region has the most area at an elevation of less than 1,000 feet? Question 1 Which region has the highest elevation? Question 2 Which state has the highest elevation: Iowa, Idaho, or Kentucky? Question 3 Which state has the most area at the highest elevation? Question 4 Which region has the most area at an elevation of less than 1,000 feet? Teachers Curriculum Institute Exploring Regions of the United States 1 40

41 Lesson 8 Annual Rainfall Maps Geography Challenge B Cards Question 5 Which region receives the most annual rainfall? Question 6 Which region receives the least annual rainfall? Question 7 Which state receives the least annual rainfall? Question 5 Which region receives the most annual rainfall? Question 6 Which region receives the least annual rainfall? Question 7 Which state receives the least annual rainfall? Question 5 Which region receives the most annual rainfall? Question 6 Which region receives the least annual rainfall? Question 7 Which state receives the least annual rainfall? Teachers Curriculum Institute Exploring Regions of the United States 1 41

42 Lesson 9 - Coastal Living and Population The following lesson was obtained from National Geographic s website: The lesson and its contents should only be used for educational purposes. 1. Make connections between population density and coasts. Ask: Where do most of the world s people live along coasts or farther inland? After students answer, display the MapMaker Interactive: World Population Density map. Explain to students that darker areas indicate greater population density, which measures how many people live in a square mile. A square mile is a space that is one mile long and one mile wide. The map shows that the most densely populated areas are along coastlines. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one-third of the population in the United States lives in a coastline city or county. Tell students that this doesn t happen just in the United States. Scientists at Columbia University s Earth Institute estimate that, worldwide, the number of people living within 60 miles of a coast will rise 35 percent by the year 2025 compared to 1995 levels. 2. Brainstorm and discuss the pros of coastal living. Distribute a copy of the worksheet Pros and Cons of Coastal Living to each student and have students work independently to list the benefits of living near the ocean in the Pros column. Then discuss their ideas as a class. Ask: Why do so many people settle near coasts? Students' responses will vary, but may include that people like living near the water. Tell students that many of the world s largest cities are located on the coast. Throughout history, cities were built around ports because ports provided opportunities for trade, jobs, and transportation. People chose to move to coastal cities for these reasons. Two of the biggest cities in the United States, New York City and Boston, developed around ports. Today the area from Boston to Washington, D.C. is called a megalopolis one huge city. Emphasize the relationship between coasts and large cities by referring back to the MapMaker Interactive. Point out large cities such as Shanghai, Mumbai, and Los Angeles to show how most of the world s largest cities are on a coast. 3. Brainstorm and discuss the cons of coastal living. Ask students to independently brainstorm reasons it might be challenging to live near the coast in the Cons column of the worksheet. Then discuss as a class. Ask: What are possible drawbacks to living near a coast? Explain to students that coastal communities are often negatively affected by severe storms, hurricanes, and tsunamis, and they are prone to coastal flooding. Pollution and waste disposal from so many people is also a problem. In the future, global climate change will be a big concern, as a projected rise in sea level may mean more flooding, and warmer oceans may generate more storms. Review vocabulary terms such as tsunami and climate change if needed. Ask: Can you think of examples of coastal areas that have experienced disasters? Refer to how flooding from the Japanese Tsunami in 2011 affected Japan, and how Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 oil spill affected areas along the Gulf Coast, including the city of New Orleans. 42

43 4. Compare the coastline of today with projected changes due to climate change and discuss how climate change will impact coastal cities. Display the following web pages: NOAA: Sea Levels Online, which shows trends in sea level change in the United States; and NOAA: Regional Mean Sea Level Trends, which explains why levels are rising along the majority of the coast and falling in other areas. Review the reasons for sea level change with students and discuss any concepts they need help understanding. Then show the University of Kansas: Sea Level Rise animation. Students can view sea level changes for the entire planet, but you can view the results more clearly if you zoom in on a particular region. Playing the movie in loop mode shows changes from one- to six-meter rises in sea level. Ask: What might happen to people living along coastlines if sea levels rise as shown in the animation? Students should see that many coastal communities could end up underwater. Explain that such rises in sea level would happen over many years. Estimates are for rises of about one meter over the next 100 years in the most affected areas. 5. Ask students to create a three-minute news report about coastal concerns. The report can be in written, audio, or video format depending on the time and equipment you have available. Divide students into small groups to conduct research, write the report, and present it to the class. Each group should prepare a report about a different coastal area. Choose a variety of coastal communities that are geographically unique. Some possibilities include Cape Cod, the Outer Banks, the south Florida coast, New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, San Diego, and coastal Alaska. If you live on or near a coast, be sure to have a group prepare a report on your own community. Informal Assessment Check students' comprehension by asking them the following questions: Why do people live near coastlines? What are the main threats to coastal communities? What are ways people can help protect coasts? Where would people have to move as a result of sea level rise caused by climate change? Where would you want to move if you lived on the coast and were forced to leave because of the rising ocean? Why? Extending the Learning Use figures and statistics surrounding coastal populations to do some math extensions. For example, look at a United States map and count the states bordering the ocean (23). Make a fraction using the number of the coastline states and all states (23/50). Calculate the percentage of coastline states by dividing by 50. Use population data to calculate the percentage of people living on U.S. coasts; for example, the total U.S. population in 2008 was 304 million and 87 million lived on the coasts (29 percent). 43

44 Lesson 10 The Regions Social Studies Alive! Regions of Our Country Chapter 2: Exploring Regions of the US Textbook Pages The Northeast and Southeast The maps on this page show the Northeast and Southeast regions of the United States. These regions share a number of features. Both lie beside the Atlantic Ocean. A low, flat plain runs along the coast in both regions. It is known as a coastal plain. The Appalachian mountain range also runs through both of these regions. Large rivers flow out of these mountains. The rivers that flow east cut across the coastal plain to the Atlantic Ocean. The rivers that flow west drain into the Gulf of Mexico. 44

45 While they are alike in some ways, the Northeast and Southeast regions have different climates. The climate of a place is the kind of weather it has over time. It includes temperature, rainfall, and wind conditions. In the Northeast region, winters are long and cold. Snowstorms are common. Summers are warm and sometimes can be hot. The Southeast region has a mild winter climate. Winters are usually warmer than in the Northeast. Summers are hot and humid. Humid means damp or moist. 45

46 The Midwest and Southwest The map on this page shows the Midwest and Southwest regions of the United States. These two regions lie in the center of our country. The Midwest is an inland region. It does not border any ocean. However, the Great Lakes form part of the Midwest s northern border. These lakes are so large that they hold one-fifth of all the fresh water on Earth. Most of the Midwest is flat plains. The Central Plains and Great Plains are covered with some of the best soil on Earth. That soil makes the Midwest an important farming region. 46

47 The Mississippi River runs through the Central Plains. It is the largest river in the United States. It is also a busy water highway used by boats and barges. Plains also cover the eastern part of the Southwest. Farther west, the land rises to form the Colorado Plateau. A plateau is a high, flat landform that rises steeply from the land around it. Most of the Colorado Plateau is fairly level. But it is crisscrossed by many deep canyons. The largest and most famous is the Grand Canyon. 47

48 The West Mountain ranges stretch across much of the West. The Rocky Mountains begin far to the north, in Alaska. From there they stretch south through Canada, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. The Great Basin lies to the west of the Rockies. A basin is a bowl-shaped landform that is lower than the land around it. Small ranges of mountains circle around the Great Basin. There are several mountain ranges along the Pacific coast. The Coast Ranges are low hills that seem to rise right out of the Pacific Ocean. The Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevada are further inland. (Sierra Nevada means snowy range in Spanish.) Between the Coast Range mountains and the inland mountains are two rich farming valleys. One is California s Central Valley. The other is Oregon s Willamette Valley. Hawaii is also mountainous. Volcanoes formed its islands long ago. A volcano is an opening in Earth s surface through which hot, melted rock and ash may pour out. As the liquid rock cools, it forms a cone-shaped mountain. 48