SUMMARY:
The goal of the geography strand is to provide an understanding of the human and physical characteristics of the Earth’s places and regions and how people of different cultural backgrounds interact with their environment. Geographic reasoning is a way of studying human and natural features within a spatial perspective. Through the study of geography, students will be able to understand local, national, regional, and global issues. Students will interpret the arrangement and interactions of human and physical systems on the surface of the Earth. As these patterns have changed over time and are important to governments and economies, geographic reasoning will enhance students’ understanding of history, civics, and economics.
Kindergarten:
In kindergarten, students will be aware of the difference between maps and globes as well as identify land and water, continents and oceans, on them. They will construct a map of a well known place and determine relative location of objects using terms like near, far, behind, in, left, right, etc. Identify through images how people live differently in other places and times and discuss the food, housing, and other factors practiced by cultures in their community. As well as recognize plants and animals in local environments and discuss weather characteristics and its impact on people. Kindergarteners will understand the origin of natural resources and that they are renewable, recyclable, and non-renewable. Lastly, they will apply geography to current events.
ACTIVITIES:
Students will discover the different types of maps, the characteristics within them (and globes), and their purposes. They will recognize characteristics of human and physical features and locate them using maps, illustrations, images, or globes. First graders will be able to locate Arizona on a map of the US, discuss elements of cultures in Arizona, and recognize that places have distinct characteristics. They will also identify objects in the sky and the ways humans adapt to their environment. And finally, use geographic skills to find solutions for problems.
ACTIVITIES:
2nd Grade:
Second grade students will be able to distinguish different types of maps. They will be able to interpret political and physical maps using different elements. In second grade students will be able to create a map of a familiar place and be able to recognize characteristics of human and physical features. Students will understand different types of land including urban and rural communities. Lastly, in second grade students will discuss elements of different cultures in a community.
ACTIVITIES:
Map Gallery Walk-Students will create a map of their choice (their house, classroom, favorite restaurant). The class will do a gallery walk and will guess what each map is based upon the clues.
Floor map- To understand different types of land formations students will make a cut out map on the floor. The teacher will provide students with big posters and have the students cut out and place the different map elements out on the floor.
3rd Grade:
Third grade students will be able to interpret political and physical maps using different elements. They will be able to create a map of a familiar place like a home, neighborhood, or school. Students will be able to construct charts and graphs to display geographic information. From content studied students will locate major physical and human features. In third grade students will explain the relationships between different plants and animals in different environments, identify the basic properties of earth materials, describe changes over time in transportation, communication, and elements of culture. Lastly, students will describe ways of protecting natural resources.
ACTIVITIES:
Rocks rock!-Watch the youtube video, "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17l2LrjZi9o" after watching, complete the interactive smartboard rock activity attached to the video.
Making Maps- Students will be broken up into different groups and within the small groups students will be given different types of maps to make. Working in their small groups, students will compare and contrast the similarities and differences they see between the maps they made. After this happens there will be a whole class discussion on different types of maps people made (political, physical, etc).
4th Grade:
In fourth grade, students will interpret historical data, describe the differences between primary and secondary sources as well as locate information using them. Students will discuss life in Europe as it existed at the time of the Aztec and Incan empires in the Americas and describe the reasons for Spanish and Portuguese explorations of the Americas. By the end of this strand students should be able to explain the impact of European explorers’ encounters with the Aztec and Inca.
ACTIVITIES:
Fifth graders will interpret information from a variety of maps, learn about longitude and latitude, and identify location of significant geographic features on a physical/political map. By the end of this strand they should identify each state on a U.S. map and describe geographic characteristics of a state with reference materials. They will construct maps, charts, and graphs to display geographic information and be able to explain how and why boundaries change. Additionally, learn about the impacts of natural hazards on habitats and learn in depth about the solar system. Talk about the effects of human migration on places and describe how geographic features influenced events in the past and use geographic skills through discussion of current events.
ACTIVITIES:
In sixth grade students will be able to make maps, charts and graphs to showcase information. They will be able to identify different purposes for maps and be able to locate different physical and human features. Sixth graders will identify factors that causes regions to change and describe interactions between people in different places. Students will be able to explain the physical process that influences the formation of oil, coal, diamonds, and copper, know the water cycle and how pollution affects the earth. Students will be introduced to a population pyramid and will be able to identify cultural norms that influence activities. In this grade students will explain how changes in an environment can have a toll on humans and be able to explain ways to prepare for natural hazards. Lastly in sixth grade students will be able to describe ways geographic features and weather conditions influenced settlement in different locations.
ACTIVITIES:
Pollution is not a solution-Students will review the video...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uVdi-3AqRE. Students will make the pollution catcher like they watched in the video. After two weeks the students will check back on their project and record their findings.
Presentations- In groups students will research different natural hazards and procedures when caught in a natural hazard. They will present to the class what natural hazard they learned about and a solution if someone was ever caught in that situation or precautions to take to prepare for one. They will present this information in the form of a skit to the class
The goal of the geography strand is to provide an understanding of the human and physical characteristics of the Earth’s places and regions and how people of different cultural backgrounds interact with their environment. Geographic reasoning is a way of studying human and natural features within a spatial perspective. Through the study of geography, students will be able to understand local, national, regional, and global issues. Students will interpret the arrangement and interactions of human and physical systems on the surface of the Earth. As these patterns have changed over time and are important to governments and economies, geographic reasoning will enhance students’ understanding of history, civics, and economics.
Kindergarten:
In kindergarten, students will be aware of the difference between maps and globes as well as identify land and water, continents and oceans, on them. They will construct a map of a well known place and determine relative location of objects using terms like near, far, behind, in, left, right, etc. Identify through images how people live differently in other places and times and discuss the food, housing, and other factors practiced by cultures in their community. As well as recognize plants and animals in local environments and discuss weather characteristics and its impact on people. Kindergarteners will understand the origin of natural resources and that they are renewable, recyclable, and non-renewable. Lastly, they will apply geography to current events.
ACTIVITIES:
- Cat in the Hat Map-Students will go to: http://pbskids.org/catinthehat/games/mapthisandthat.html and create a map of familiar place.
- Natural Resources-Students will be provided with pictures of natural resources. They will then have to classify between renewable and non-renewable resources.
Students will discover the different types of maps, the characteristics within them (and globes), and their purposes. They will recognize characteristics of human and physical features and locate them using maps, illustrations, images, or globes. First graders will be able to locate Arizona on a map of the US, discuss elements of cultures in Arizona, and recognize that places have distinct characteristics. They will also identify objects in the sky and the ways humans adapt to their environment. And finally, use geographic skills to find solutions for problems.
ACTIVITIES:
- Yummy learning-Students will create landforms using different kind of food and then they will label each physical feature. For example, blue frosting can be used for the ocean, Hershey kisses for mountains, etc.
- Habitats- After teacher reviews what habitats are and shows students the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5TP45E3IiY), they will go onto the website (http://www.abpischools.org.uk/activescience/module2/group1.html) and complete the quiz.
2nd Grade:
Second grade students will be able to distinguish different types of maps. They will be able to interpret political and physical maps using different elements. In second grade students will be able to create a map of a familiar place and be able to recognize characteristics of human and physical features. Students will understand different types of land including urban and rural communities. Lastly, in second grade students will discuss elements of different cultures in a community.
ACTIVITIES:
Map Gallery Walk-Students will create a map of their choice (their house, classroom, favorite restaurant). The class will do a gallery walk and will guess what each map is based upon the clues.
Floor map- To understand different types of land formations students will make a cut out map on the floor. The teacher will provide students with big posters and have the students cut out and place the different map elements out on the floor.
3rd Grade:
Third grade students will be able to interpret political and physical maps using different elements. They will be able to create a map of a familiar place like a home, neighborhood, or school. Students will be able to construct charts and graphs to display geographic information. From content studied students will locate major physical and human features. In third grade students will explain the relationships between different plants and animals in different environments, identify the basic properties of earth materials, describe changes over time in transportation, communication, and elements of culture. Lastly, students will describe ways of protecting natural resources.
ACTIVITIES:
Rocks rock!-Watch the youtube video, "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17l2LrjZi9o" after watching, complete the interactive smartboard rock activity attached to the video.
Making Maps- Students will be broken up into different groups and within the small groups students will be given different types of maps to make. Working in their small groups, students will compare and contrast the similarities and differences they see between the maps they made. After this happens there will be a whole class discussion on different types of maps people made (political, physical, etc).
4th Grade:
In fourth grade, students will interpret historical data, describe the differences between primary and secondary sources as well as locate information using them. Students will discuss life in Europe as it existed at the time of the Aztec and Incan empires in the Americas and describe the reasons for Spanish and Portuguese explorations of the Americas. By the end of this strand students should be able to explain the impact of European explorers’ encounters with the Aztec and Inca.
ACTIVITIES:
- Earth day cause and effect flip book-Students will be given a set of cards that contain human activity, and then the effects of these activities. Students will have to match the cause with the proper effect.
- Time for kids article- Students will read the article on page 1 from the magazine. Then they will create two essential questions from the article on a note card and trade their note card with another person in the classroom.
Fifth graders will interpret information from a variety of maps, learn about longitude and latitude, and identify location of significant geographic features on a physical/political map. By the end of this strand they should identify each state on a U.S. map and describe geographic characteristics of a state with reference materials. They will construct maps, charts, and graphs to display geographic information and be able to explain how and why boundaries change. Additionally, learn about the impacts of natural hazards on habitats and learn in depth about the solar system. Talk about the effects of human migration on places and describe how geographic features influenced events in the past and use geographic skills through discussion of current events.
ACTIVITIES:
- 3D US Maps-In groups, students will get a different puzzle piece of the United States. They will draw and color the water ways, mountains, deserts, vegetation etc. Then, it will be put together on the wall.
- Geowalk HD app- With a partner, students will pick an invention from the app and research it. They will have to present it to the class.
In sixth grade students will be able to make maps, charts and graphs to showcase information. They will be able to identify different purposes for maps and be able to locate different physical and human features. Sixth graders will identify factors that causes regions to change and describe interactions between people in different places. Students will be able to explain the physical process that influences the formation of oil, coal, diamonds, and copper, know the water cycle and how pollution affects the earth. Students will be introduced to a population pyramid and will be able to identify cultural norms that influence activities. In this grade students will explain how changes in an environment can have a toll on humans and be able to explain ways to prepare for natural hazards. Lastly in sixth grade students will be able to describe ways geographic features and weather conditions influenced settlement in different locations.
ACTIVITIES:
Pollution is not a solution-Students will review the video...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uVdi-3AqRE. Students will make the pollution catcher like they watched in the video. After two weeks the students will check back on their project and record their findings.
Presentations- In groups students will research different natural hazards and procedures when caught in a natural hazard. They will present to the class what natural hazard they learned about and a solution if someone was ever caught in that situation or precautions to take to prepare for one. They will present this information in the form of a skit to the class