Geography+Teacher+Resources

This is a compilation of GREAT teacher resources for teaching the "Location, Location Location?" Unit of Learning (Geography based) in the elementary classroom. Many of the lessons could be adopted for different grades. Resources are embedded in the table.

Geographical location influences the way of life of a particular people.
 * __ CENTRAL IDEA __**


 * __ ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS __**
 * 1) Maps and globes help us locate places in the world.
 * 2) People live differently in different parts of the world.
 * 3) Location determines climate, physical features and natural resources which affect a people’s way of life.


 * __ KEY CONCEPTS __**
 * Know ** :
 * 1) Geographical location has an influence on the way of life of a group of people
 * 2) Acquire geographical terminology
 * 3) Know the relative location of, size of and distances between places
 * 4) Know different geographic regions of the world - hemispheres, continents, climatic regions
 * 5) Different types of maps provide different information
 * 6) Describe the ways environmental factors influence the way of life of a group of people
 * 7) Identify the geographic factors that affect groups, regions or countries
 * 8) Identify natural resources
 * 9) Explain how resources are used


 * Skills ** :
 * 1) Identify the geographic factors that affect groups, regions or countries
 * 2) Use geographical terminology in context
 * 3) Interpret and use geographical documents such as maps, tables, atlases and statistics (Create a variety of maps using keys and symbols, Read a variety of maps to gather information, Interpret and read maps to gather information, Locate places on a map using longitude and latitude, Locate and label the equator, hemispheres, prime meridian, lines of longitude and latitude on a map, Locate and label the continents and the oceans, Use a compass)
 * 4) 21st Century skills:
 * Communicate clearly; listen effectively, use communication to inform, instruct, motivate and persuade
 * Collaborate with others
 * Think creatively; work creatively with others
 * Access and evaluate information; use and manage information
 * Apply technology
 * Manage goals and time
 * Work independently
 * Be self-directing
 * Interact effectively with others
 * Work in teams
 * Manage your work
 * Produce results

1.5 || 2, || ** WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM MAPS? ** - pre-test. Hand in. - What is geography? ([|United Streaming: Basics of Geography II]) - brainstorm web of location affects on life on chart paper - give vocabulary sheet and mind-map for unit folder (from the Exploring Geography page) - Atlas intro and scavenger hunt (small groups) - think -pair-share: something that you found interesting about the Atlas || Pre-test || Class set pretest ||
 * ** Lesson ** || ** Key Concept ** || ** Content (Critical question in capital letters) ** || ** Assessment ** || ** Materials ** ||
 * Get to know Atlas activity
 * Intro: **
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **
 * What are the components of a map?

40 min || 3, 5 || ** HOW DO WE GET INFORMATION FROM MAPS? ** - Review scavenger hunt - what is on a map, what do you see? Record three observations in book. - go over scale, legend, types of maps and compass rose (notebook file) - create your own compass rose activity (on paper to display in class) Watch Compass Brain Pop: [] - question box || Compass rose completion || Notebook: All about maps || //- Scale// //- Position// ||  ||   ||
 * Intro: **
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **
 * //Math Connections// ||  || //- Mapping distance//
 * Continents, oceans,

40 min || 3, 4, 5 || ** WHAT ARE THE MAIN GEOGRAPHICAL COMPONENTS OF THE WORLD? ** Intro: - review types of maps Body ** : ** - on blank map have students follow along Closure: || Map completion || Notebook: Types of maps AND Continents and Oceans || 40 || 2, 3, 4, || ** HOW DO WE REFERENCE PLACES IN THE WORLD ON A MAP? ** Intro: - road trip questions (which countries would I travel through?) – beam up world map (answer in book) Body ** : ** -Lat and Long notebook file and BrainPop [] - continuing with map from last class go over equator, PM, lat and long. How to plot - Worksheet review (equator and hemispheres and “Reading Maps”) Closure: || Worksheet || Notebook File: Lat and Long ||
 * - ** Continents and oceans Notebook file
 * - ** finish up Compass Rose
 * Equator, Prime Meridian, Lat and Long
 * - ** coloring continents
 * Lat and Long Stations

1.5 || 2, 3, 4, 5 || ** CAN I USE A MAP TO LOCATE PLACES? ** Intro: - Sticky note review on side board (what do you remember from last week) Body: Cartographer Stations! 15 minutes each [|http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/sysm/landscapes/highlands_islands/mapskills/index.shtml#focus] [] [] - clean up and share an interesting fact with a friend || Participation collaboration || Fizzbooks
 * 1) Interactive Whiteboard: group work on lat and long and mapping as a group. Have sites pre-loaded. [|**http://www.abcya.com/latitude_and_longitude_practice.htm**]
 * 1) ** Notetaking ** and Questions (laminted note sheets) students must record notes and terms and answer questions.
 * 2) ** Atlas Search ** : finding lat and long
 * 3) ** Fizzbooks ** : Brain Pop (with headphones) lat and long and map skills
 * Closure: **

Preload sites || 40 || 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, || ** WHAT IS CLIMATE? HOW DOES IT AFFECT LIFE? ** - What is climate? Brainstorm as a class on the board. Volunteer scribe. Or use wordle to create a word picture of words the class associates with climate. - Bill Nye: Climate (check DVD out of library) - with guided note taking sheet - “What we have learned from Bill Nye” sticky note on cabinet || Note sheet || DVD
 * Climate
 * Intro: **
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **

Notetaking sheets || // Reading temperature, precipitation, population, etc for climate regions // ||  ||   || 40 || 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 || ** WHAT IS A CLIMATE REGION? HOW DOES CLIMATE AFFFECT WAY OF LIFE? ** Intro: Body: - Prezi for info: have students record in chart in book [] - Pick a picture and write a paragraph (emphasize hamburger model) on what the climate is like in this area (Oxfam laminated photos - or [|print your own]) Must include: - mention precipitation - mention temperature - mention activity (“this climate is a popular one to go skiing in”) Closure: - Share your paragraph with a friend || paragraph || prezi ||
 * // **MATH Connections** // ||  || // Graphing //
 * Climate Prezi
 * - ** to drive to… Where would I travel through?Use google maps on the interactive white board.
 * * Literacy Period? || All || **Connect with someone who lives in a different climate region via Skype. Have students craft good questions prior to the interview. Have one student read the question and the other record the answer to make a class record of the conversation later.**

In 2012 my class skyped with a person from Guatemala. This was interesting as it had been subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions this year. First we watched a news video, read a news article and talked about how to ask good questions so we did not just get a "yes" or "no" response.

Additional video about the volcanic eruption in September 2012. ||  ||   || 40 || 1, 2, 6, 7 || ** WHAT ARE COMMON PHYSICAL FEATURES? HOW DO THEY AFFECT A WAY OF LIFE? ** - “what would the climate be like here… review” photos on whiteboard (use personal images from vacations or travels, student like to see places their teachers have been) -landforms notebook (beach, desert, valley, lake, mountain, ocean, river) - study chart in Atlas -Corners: comparing landforms. Which one would you prefer to live on/at/by. As a group convince me why. Have groups share. Give option to change mind. (Teacher: select four different landforms and write on chart paper to designate the corners) -exit slips ||  || Photos
 * Physical Features
 * Intro: **
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **

Notebook file

Corners sheets ||
 * Natural resources

1.5 || 1, 2, 8, 9 || ** WHAT ARE NATURAL RESOURCES? HOW DO THEY AFFECT A WAY OF LIFE? ** -current events - 20 questions - notebook file - product map worksheet - Think-pair-share ||  || Notebook ||
 * Intro: **
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **
 * Climate, landforms and natural resource centers

40 || All || ** Intro ** - South America, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Central America (group students into four center rotations … ex placing 2 students from Asia and 2 students in Austrialia into a group of four for the rotation) - 10 minutes per center (continue in next class, complete two today)
 * - ** lat and long search (Atlas group race). Randomly select coordinates or cities and have them race to find it.
 * Body **
 * - ** give students a choice of continents to look closer at. No more than seven students in the group.

Printable Articles on environmental problems:

http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/south_africa/environmental_problems__in_south_africa/ http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/china/environmental_problems_china/ http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/australia/environmental_problems_in_australia/ http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/argentina/environmental_problems_argentina/ http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/finland/environmental_problems_finland/ http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/World_Outlook/north_america_-_major_forest_p.html

- post-it learning (two things your learned today)
 * closure: **

|| Center worksheets

Collaboration Participation || Atlases

Fizz books

Booklets ||
 * Climate, landforms and natural resource centers

40 || All || ** Intro: ** - review of expectations - Finish center rotations 20 min - students work INDIVIDUALLY to write paragraph (review: topic, three details and closing) on where the client should live. 15 min -paragraph reflection of centered learning and self assessment(15 min) ||  ||   || 1.5 || 1, 6, 7 || ** HOW DOES LOCATION AFFECT WAY OF LIFE? ** - Capital of… search (group competition: one fizzbook and one atlas each) - How does location affect way of life? - Human Planet “Rivers” episode and pie chart to compare two groups from the movie (get DVD from library) - End discussion: what is the natural resource? What is the climate? What is the physical feature? - Think-Pair-Share || -venn completion || Human Planet Episode || -music clips from around the world from [|KBear Geography] - Whole class guided notetaking - Open class with wealth distribution map. Ask students what information we can learn from this, without telling them what it is. [] - Then show malnutrition map asking similar questions: [] - Discuss ability to buy food, difference between farming, hunting, fishing and how location determines the type of food available (review of natural resources) - Guided note taking on board - start story comparison (if time) - Partner Quiz || Discussion participation || Load maps and videos || - 20 questions (see how unit develops and interests of the class before picking additional stories) - story time - read stories from free the children and Oxfam (possibly some videos) - [] - have students complete comparison chart - Post-it learning || Story comparison sheet ||  || 1.5 || All || ** Intro: ** - three points review - Go over project - give students the planning sheet and walk through how to do it - have students sign a learning contract
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **
 * Climate and Culture
 * Intro: **
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **
 * 40 || 1, 5, 6, 7, || ** HOW DOES LOCATION AFFECT NUTRITION? **
 * Intro: **
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **
 * 40 || 1, 6, 7 || ** HOW DOES LOCATION AFFECT A WAY OF LIFE? **
 * Intro **
 * Body ** :
 * Closure: **
 * ||  || Depending on period length and other school interruptions like concert practices and assemblies you may need a flex lesson to complete unfinished work. ||   ||   ||
 * Project Research
 * Body ** :

|| Planning guide completion || Research books and sites || 1.5 || All || ** Finish Research and start project creation ** ||  || Research books and sites || 1.5 || All || ** Project FINISHED ** || Summative: Project on a day in the life || Research books and sites || This is another activity you may choose to do. It is a home country interview to have students ask a person at home what it was like growing up in a different place and culture.
 * 40 || All || ** RESEARCH DAY ** ||  || Research books and sites ||
 * 40 || All || ** RESEARCH DAY ** ||  || Research books and sites ||
 * 40 || All || ** RESEARCH DAY ** ||  || Research books and sites ||
 * Project Creation
 * 40 || All || ** Project creation ** ||  || Research books and sites ||
 * 40 || All || ** Project creation ** ||  || Research books and sites ||
 * 40 || All || ** Project creation ** ||  || Research books and sites ||
 * LAST DAY TO WORK ON PROJECT
 * Other Resources:**

- These are some fun climate cards: - I used some of the photos from Oxfam to represent the 'day in the life' concept - Print a poster size of the mind map from the Exploring Geography page. As well as the mind map for climate and weather.
 * Display Board for the unit:**

- Teaching through song is always fun. Here are a couple of songs about the continents! media type="youtube" key="apIzM6rywf0" height="315" width="560" media type="youtube" key="la40PHXDP38" height="315" width="420" media type="youtube" key="CJpjE2UEYMM" height="315" width="560"