Spatial Perspective in the United States

Lesson 1
Big Idea (BI):

The importance of location.

(absolute vs. relative)

Lesson 2
BI:
Multiple ways the US can be
divided into regions

Lesson 3
BI:

Physical characteristics of
the US and how it impacts
the people of that area.

Objective/Assessment:

Objective/Assessment:

Objective/Assessment:

I can evaluate how absolute

and relative location differ,
and can determine whether
absolute or relative location
is the best fit for specific
scenarios.

Based on physical or human

characteristics,
describe
how to split up the US into
different regions based on
those characteristics.

I can classify the different

regions of the United States
and
explain
how
the
physical characteristics of
the region impacts the
people in that area.

After the lesson, students

will receive an exit ticket
containing
several
scenarios
and
must
determine
whether
an
absolute or relative location
would be the best fit.

Begin with the big idea and

showcase to the students.
By the end of the lesson
they will be turning in maps
in which case they will show
their understanding of how
they would split up regions
based on climate, physical
characteristics,
human
characteristics etc.

Before the lesson the big

idea will be posed to
students in the form of a
question and discuss their
initial ideas. After the lesson
we will re-address the big
idea and have a whole
group
discussion
about
how their initial thoughts
changed.

Lesson Overview:

Lesson Overview

Lesson Overview

Students
will
find
a
geocache with a map. One
map will have an absolute
location the other will have
a relative location.

The lesson will begin by

showing students different
special purpose maps (both
physical
and
human
characteristics) and how to
interpret
them.
Then

As a whole group, we will go

over some images of how
people have adapted to the
physical
characteristics
around them (EX: villages in
mountainous
regions,

Differentiated
(DI):

Instruction

group investigation

options for varied modes of

expression

Use of collaboration,
independence, and
cooperation

students will be put into

groups and given different
special purpose maps and
they are going to try and
split up the country into
regions based on the maps
given.

marsh village built its

houses on stilts to avoid
flooding etc.) Afterwards
students will be given a
regional map showing the
physical characteristics of
that region. They are then
going to pick out where
they
would
start
two
villages. Explain why they
would put a village there,
what will they have to adapt
to, what sorts of things will
get in the way, help them in
the village etc. Come back
as a whole group and share
their ideas.

DI:

DI:

options for varied modes of

expression

options for varied modes of

expression

jigsaw
(when
students
come back as a group and
share)

jigsaw (when students come

back as a group and share)

problem
based
learning
(faced with the problem of
where to build a village with
the physical characteristics)

problem
based
learning
(faced with the problem of
where to build a village with
the physical characteristics)

Open-ended activities
open-ended activities.
open-ended activities.
Simulation
Simulation
Problem-Based Learning

Lesson 4

BI:

Lesson 5

Lesson 6

BI:

BI:

Identify the major regions of

the United States, and state
characteristics
of
each
region

Comparing regions of the

US and the World.

Objective/Assessment:

Objective/Assessment:

Objective/Assessment:

I can define human and

characteristics and state
one
example
of
how
humans have changed the
physical characteristics of a
region.

I can identify the regions of

the United States on a map,
and label two different
characteristics
(physical
and human characteristics,
climate, economic, political)
that can be found in each
region.

I can use my knowledge on

the regions of the United
States and compare them
to regions around the world.

Human characteristics of
the US and how humans
have changed the region

After the lesson, students

will receive an exit ticket
tasking them to define
human characteristics and
physical
characteristics.
Then, students will state an
example of each that can
be found in Michigan.

At the end of the lesson,

students will be given a
map to label the regions of
the
United
States.
Afterwards, they will write
out two characteristics of
each of the regions.

Writing prompt: Students

will pick on region of the US
and one region from around
the
world
and
compare/contrast
the
physical
and
human
characteristics
of
that
region.

Lesson Overview:

Lesson Overview:

Lesson Overview:

The lesson will begin with

the definitions of physical
and human characteristics.
Following this, the whole
group will see a tourist map
of the Grand Canyon to
determine
examples
of
each of these terms.

Jigsaw

The lesson will begin with

the exploration of regions
around the world. Then
students will be comparing
the regions of the US to the
regions around the world
and how they are similar or
different. Around the room
there will be books on
different regions of the
world.
STudents
will
compare a region of the
world to the region they
researched the previous
lesson. Venn Diagram to
compare/contrast
the
similarities and differences
between the region of the
world to the region of the
US. . End with a writing
prompt about all that they
were able to research and
discuss as a whole group
(discuss the social injustice
that may impact the people
of that region from around
the world and how it
compares to those regions
of the US).

Afterwards, students will

review the villages they
founded the previous day to
identify
the
different
physical
and
human
characteristics that appear
on the maps they created.

Students will work in groups

with a map and information
on a particular region (each
group
has
a
different
region). During the first
portion of this lesson,
students will write out all
the different characteristics
of their region.

During the second part of

the jigsaw, students will
break into groups with one
member from each region
of the United States in order
to share out what their
region
is
like.
Other
students will write down
this information on their
own maps as they listen.
Students will each have a
set amount of time to share
out their region.

DI:

DI:

DI:

Use of collaboration,
independence, and
cooperation

Jigsaw

choices of books

Use of reading buddies

work alone/together

Use
of
collaboration,
independence
and
cooperation

use
of
collaboration,
independence
and
cooperation

Open-ended activities

explorations by interest

Independent studies
Lesson 7

Lesson 8

Lesson 9

BI:

BI:

BI:

Look at a specific region of

the United States with a
spatial
perspective
and
determining cause for the
economic,
political
and
social aspects of the region
and how it relates to the
people that live there.

Look at a specific region

around the world with a
spatial
perspective
and
determine a cause for the
economic,
political,
and
social aspects of the region
and how it relates to the
people that live there.

Review the unit objectives

and make connections

Objective/Assessment:

Objective/Assessment:

Objective/Assessment:

Using a spatial perspective

to examine the social
injustice in the different
regions
of
the
United
States.

Using a spatial perspective

to examine the social
injustice around the world.

Allow students to reflect

upon the unit objectives
and make connections.

At the end of the lesson

students will write on a
sticky note what they
learned from the day's
activity
and
how
it
impacted
them
and
connected to the previous
days lesson.

Review game

Lesson Overview:

Lesson Overview:

Lesson Overview:

Students will be split into

groups
based
on
the
regions of the US they have
been
researching
and
travel there. Each group
will be given a current
event
of
the
issues

Students will be split into

groups
based
on
the
regions of the world they
have been studying in
previous
lessons
and
travel there.. Each group
will receive a current event

jeopardy game????

At the end of the lesson

students will write on a
sticky note what they
learned from the days
lesson
and
how
it
connected to them as a
person of the United States.

occurring in that region of

the US. Together, each
group will read the current
event,
how
this
issue
impacts their region, and
how this issue impacts
other regions of the US.
Students then share out
their findings to the rest of
the class.

of the issues that are

occurring the said region.
Together each group will
read the current event,
discuss how it impacts the
region, the US and the
world
around
them.
Students then share out
their findings to the rest of
the class.

DI:

DI:

DI:

jigsaw

jigsaw

work alone/together

group investigation

group investigation

mini
workshops
reteach/enrich skills

options for varied modes of

expression

options for varied modes of

expression

mini workshops to enrich

skills

mini workshops to enrich

skills

use
of
collaboration,
independence
and
cooperation

alternative assessments
explorations by interest

Lesson 10
BI:

Unit
Test:
Summative
assessment of how students
internalized
the
unit
objectives.
Objective/Assessment:

To find out the connections

students made and the
ideas behind the different

explorations by interest

to

unit objectives.

Summative
assessment
with short answers, essay,
maps, multiple choice and
fill in the blank.

Lesson Overview:

To
begin
the
lesson
students will review the
content as a whole group
before individually working
on the unit test.
DI:

options of varied modes of

expression

Independent studies

Multiple levels of questions