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Overview
and Background: Unit: U.S.
Regions |
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Name: Lori Fast |
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Cheney
Elementary : Grade 4 |
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Title: |
U.S. Regions |
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Topics: |
U.S.
Geography |
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Time Frame: |
1 school year |
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Start Date: |
- Fall
of each year |
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Other Designers: Wendy
Wiens |
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Summary: This unit will look at the regions of the United
States, how they developed, and the relationship between the region and the
people who live there. |
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Print Materials Needed: Harcourt Brace textbook: States
and Regions Level 4, published 1986 Harcourt Brace textbook: Horizons, States and Regions,
level 4, published 2003 A Guide to American States by Weigl Publishers Adventures in Time and Place: REGIONS, published by McGraw
Hill *Sea to Shining Sea series and America the Beautiful
series; published by Children’s Press AAA Travel Guides: available to AAA members at local
offices Emily’s Guide to 50 States World Book Encyclopedias |
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Resources: |
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Resource Attachments: |
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Internet Resource Links: http://www.cheney268.com/geny/usregions/regions.htm http://www.netstate.com/states http://www.ipl.org/youth/stateknow/ |
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Notes: |
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Stage 1: Identify Desired Results |
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State: |
KS |
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Title: |
U.S.
Geography |
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Standard(s): |
Kansas |
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Understandings: The topography, location,
climate, natural resources, and history of a region/state influence the
culture, economy and lifestyle of its inhabitants. Geography affects interaction within and between
regions/states. Climate and geographic features influences why people live
in a region. |
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Essential Questions: Is it possible, in today’s
world, for a region to function in isolation? What characteristics make each region unique? To what degree does one’s natural environment affect one’s
lifestyle, culture and economic potential/ What region in the US has the most valuable resources? What motivates Americans to move from one region to
another? Why do people live in a certain climate? How do geographic and climatic features influence why and
where live in a region? |
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Knowledge and Skills: |
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K: Students
will know: -
People in each region make their living in different ways
(manufacturing, service, farming, mining) -
Each regions is comprised of unique landforms (mountains,
deserts, plains, coastal plains) -
Each region is impacted by the location of certain bodies
of water (rivers, lakes, oceans, gulfs) -
Each region has certain natural resources (fuel, coal,
forests, soil). -
Each region is home to national and/or local landmarks and
historical sites (Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Plymouth Rock,
U.S. Capitol) -
Each region has a climate, which is influenced by its
landforms. -
Each region has developed specific cultural traits. -
Regions are economically interdependent. -
Specific state comprise regions. S: Students
will be able to: -
Utilize a graphic organizer to organize expository
information. -
Apply all steps of the writing process -
Reading for information and note taking. -
Revising a work in progress. -
Editing for spelling and grammar. |
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Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence |
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Assessment Summary: |
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Student Directions: Mystery based on Carmen San Diego where students
need to use clues to find the missing Cardinal. Use information on regional
graphic organizers to help solve the mystery. |
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Rubric: |
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Other assessment evidence to be collected: Regional
tests, bi-regional projects (rubric graded), textbook activities, graphic
organizers |
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Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and
Instruction |
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Learning Activities: What
sequence of teaching and learning experiences will be used? 1.
Hook: Each child is given a small
"teenie beanie" cardinal (our school mascot) that is mailed around
the United States as we study the regions. It has a travel log about where
the cardinal has visited in the town/city and what they have seen during
their time together. We are particularly interested in the climate,
landforms, landmarks, culture and anything else that makes the town/city
unique. They also send a postcard depicting the town/city's uniqueness to the
cardinal owner in Cheney. Again, they ask what makes the town/city special or
unusual/little known facts about their state. (See Cardinal Connection UBD by
Laurie Thisius) 2.
Overview
and Expectation: Students
will understand and learn the human and physical characteristics for each
region and be able to compare the characteristics to Kansas. 3.
Teaching Activities, Assessments & Rethinking
opportunities in order: Continue reading through all of the books listed
above. As you read, follow the same
process as you did with Noisy Nora.
Create a chart with different story endings and different story
types. You could also begin listing
good final sentences to help students with that last “wrap-it up” statement
or question. Reading textbook selections (for
each region) * Preview and
Scavenger hunts based on text for each region * “Find Someone Who” cooperative
structure Large United States Map – fill in state names for each region. Various U.S. map worksheets to practice location of states. 4.
Fax information to and from select schools in each
region, via graphic organizers Graphic organizers parts:
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Physical characteristics:
Landforms and bodies of water, natural resources & vegetation,
climate -
Human characteristics: economics, culture, history of
region -
Historical landmark and sites. 5. Synthesize what is read and heard and create a
well-crafted product:
Examples (from Laurie Thisius’
Cardinal Connection UBD)
(each project needs to require
how this state compares to our home state of Kansas.)
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