3rd Grade Michigan Studies SS030104 Unit 1: The Geography of Michigan Lesson 4

Graphic Organizer

Forests

Orcha rds

Vegetation (Plants)

How special Natural Our purpose maps Characteristics of help us locate State them Michigan Symbols

Climate

Four Seasons

Temperature

Precipitation

Lake Effect

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Big Ideas Card

Big Ideas of Lesson 4, Unit 1

 To study a place geographers ask the question: What is the place like?

 To answer that question geographers study the natural characteristics of the place.

 Natural characteristics include landforms, bodies of water, vegetation and climate.

 Special purpose maps can be used to learn about these natural characteristics.

 Forests and orchards are important types of vegetation in Michigan.

 Michigan’s climate has four seasons and is influenced by the Great Lakes.

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Word Cards

Word Cards from previous lessons needed for this lesson:

 Natural Characteristics – Word Card #3 from Lesson 1  Map – Word Card #13 from Lesson 2  Special Purpose Map – Word Card #17 from Lesson 3

24 25 vegetation climate the plants of an area weather over a long period of time

Example: The vegetation of Michigan Example: Michigan’s climate has four includes apple trees, white pines and many different wildflowers. different seasons.

(SS030103) (SS030103)

26 27 temperature precipitation how hot or cold the air is water that falls to the ground as rain, sleet, hail or snow

Example: Temperatures in the Upper Example: Areas near the Great Lakes often Peninsula are often colder than in the Lower get more precipitation than other areas. Peninsula. (SS030103) (SS030103)

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MICHIGAN FORESTS

Source: Michigan Forests Maps. 30 June 2009 .

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MICHIGAN ORCHARDS

Source: Michigan Orchards Map. 30 June 2009 .

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STATE SYMBOLS CHART Year Symbol Information chosen  8.5 million apple trees in Michigan State flower 1897  Michigan is the second leading apple- Apple Blossom producing state  Sponsors of the robin as state bird said the State bird robin was “the best-known and best-loved of 1931 Robin all the birds in Michigan.”  Michigan has over 9 million robins  Can only be found in Michigan State soil  Covers nearly a million acres of land in Kalkaska 1990 Michigan  Fossilized coral that existed in the northern State stone 1965 part of the Lower Peninsula about 350 million Petoskey Stone years ago  Found throughout the state  Has a long body with a large mouth that State Fish 1988 extends past the eye. Brook Trout  Olive green, blue-gray, or black above with a silvery white underside  Chosen after a group of fifth graders State Reptile discovered that Michigan did not have a state Painted Turtle 1995 reptile State Fossil  Fossils of this prehistoric mammal have been 2002 Mastodon found in more than 250 locations in the state State Tree  Chosen as a symbol of lumbering, one of White Pine 1955 Michigan’s greatest industries State Gem  Found mainly in the Upper Peninsula Chlorastrolite 1972  Ranges in color from yellow-green to almost (Isle Royale black Greenstone)  An endangered flower State Wildflower 1998  Grows along the northern shorelines of Lake Dwarf Lake Iris Michigan and Lake Huron  A group of fourth graders led the campaign to State Game Mammal make this the state game mammal White-Tailed Deer 1997  Found in every Michigan county

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READING A CHART

1. What symbol has been a state symbol the longest?

2. Which is the newest symbol to be chosen?

3. Which two things involved students working to make them symbols?

4. Which two symbols are both related to fossils?

5. Which three symbols are examples of the natural characteristic of vegetation, or plants?

6. Besides being a beautiful flower, what is another reason you think the apple blossom was chosen as the state flower?

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READING A CHART – ANSWER SHEET

1. What symbol has been a state symbol the longest?

Apple blossom

2. Which is the newest symbol to be chosen?

Mastodon

3. Which two things involved students working to make them symbols?

painted turtle and white-tailed deer

4. Which two symbols are both related to fossils?

the Petoskey Stone and the Mastodon

5. Which three symbols are examples of the natural characteristic of vegetation, or plants?

apple blossom, dwarf lake iris and white pine

6. Besides being a beautiful flower, what is another reason you think the apple blossom was chosen as the state flower?

Answers will vary but should center on the idea that apples are an important Michigan crop

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Michigan Average Temperature Map

Michigan Average Precipitation in Inches Map

Source: Michigan Statewide Data Index. 30 June 2009 .

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Assessment

Describe two things you learned about the vegetation of Michigan

1

2

Describe two important things you learned about climate.

1

2

Describe one other important thing you learned in this lesson.

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Assessment – Sample Answers

 Michigan has a lot of forests.  Michigan has both National and State forests.  In some forests trees are grown to sell to make things like paper. Vegetation  There are a lot of forests in the Upper Peninsula.  There are a lot of orchards in Michigan.  Orchards are often found along the shores of the Great Lakes.

 Michigan has four seasons  The Great Lakes affect Michigan’s climate  Higher areas have colder temperatures. Climate  The Upper Peninsula tends to be colder than the Lower Peninsula.  Different parts of Michigan have different temperatures and different amounts of precipitation.

 Michigan has many state symbols. Other  The state symbols stand for the natural characteristics. important The robin and the apple blossom are state symbols. things   There are a lot of different kinds of maps.

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