Scope Site Lesson Plan

Fourth Grade Southwest Region

Lesson 1

Title: Geography of the Southwest

Grade Level: Fourth

Unit of Study: Southwest Region

GLCE: G2.0.2 Compare human and physical characteristics of a region to which Michigan belongs (e.g., Great Lakes, Midwest) with those of another region in the United States (i.e. West region). G2.0.1 Describe ways in which the United States can be divided into different regions. Abstract: Students will identify physical and human characteristics of the Southwest region so that they may make comparisons to their home state. Key Concepts: Use maps of human and physical characteristics to ask geographic questions about regions. For example, we can observe that Michigan belongs to a region with common physical characteristics, such as bordering the Great Lakes. We can also ask a geographic question like, “What do people do there?” By making similar observations and finding answers to the same question about another region in the United States, we can then compare two regions. Sequence of Activities: 1. Begin by having a classroom discussion of what kind of landforms students think are in the Southwest Region. 2. Distribute student maps of Southwest region and have students identify physical characteristics, such as the Navajo desert, Grand Canyon, Colorado River, Hoover Dam, Colorado Plateau, and Rio Grande River. 3. Identify other physical regions that may reside in the Southwest region (South, Sunbelt, Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast). 4. Show and discuss unique features of the Southwest region using maps below. Specifically, students need to understand that the Southwest region is a hot and arid region that contains many areas that are categorized as desert. Also, much of the Southwest region was once Mexico and still has a high Hispanic population with ongoing immigration (see map). 5. Show video found on United Streaming: Southwest Region, the Environment (18 minutes). 6. While students are watching the video, they will take notes on the “Persuasion Map” (link below) to take notes, forming a plan to convince a friend to visit or move to the Southwest region. 7. Students will write a 5-paragraph persuasive essay using their notes and planning to convince a friend to visit or move to the Southwest region; they may also take an opposing stance (such as: Do NOT visit the Southwest region).

Connections: English Language Arts: The students will write a persuasive essay.

Calhoun ISD K-8 Collaborative Social Studies Curriculum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Fourth Grade Southwest Region

Resources

Kid-friendly resource for all regions: http://www.dembsky.net/regions/

Southwest Region map: http://maps.howstuffworks.com/maps-of-the-southwest.htm Annual Rainfall map of U.S.: http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-annual-rainfall-map.htm Landforms map of U.S.: http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-landforms-map.htm Annual Sunshine map of U.S.: http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-annual-sunshine-map.htm Map of United States Summer Temperatures: http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-summer-temperatures-map.htm Map of United States Winter Temperatures: http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-winter-temperatures-map.htm Climate map of (U.S.): http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-climate-map.htm Energy and Minerals map of the U.S.: http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-energy-minerals-map.htm Map of United States Hispanic Population: http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-hispanic-population-map.htm Persuasion map: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/persuasion.pdf

For viewing physical features use Google Earth United Streaming Video: www.unitedstreaming.com Search: Southwest Region, the Environment (17 minutes)

Calhoun ISD K-8 Collaborative Social Studies Curriculum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.