Lesson Plan : Geographical Regions
Teacher Name: | Jade Kirchoff-Foster |
Grade: | Grade 3 |
Subject: | Social Studies |
Topic: | Physical Systems |
Content: | climate, region, vegetation, animal life, seasons, animal hibernation and migration |
Goals: | |
Objectives: | Students will be able to complete this 3rd grade Geography standard. SS.3.3.7 2007 Physical Systems: Describe how climate and the physical characteristics of a region affect the vegetation and animal life living there. Example: Growing seasons, types of crops grown, and animal hibernation and migration |
Materials: | Projector or Smart Board Dry Erase Board Desert station (brown fabric) Tropic station (blue fabric) Tundra station (white fabric) Plains station (green fabric) Each station has regional appropriate animals that corispond with it. Each station has a list of physical characteristics of that region. |
Introduction: | T: "What is your favorite animal, Johnny?" Johnny: "I like the Tiger." T: "Do you know where the tiger lives, Johnny?" Johnny: "He lives in the jungle." T: "Close, a tiger lives in the plains. Who can tell me what the Plains look like?" S: "Grass, flat." T: "That's right! Now, can someone tell me what makes the plains the perfect place for a tiger to live?" S: "They can run." T: "Yes! Tigers have a lot of room to run and catch their dinner in the plains." (Pull up picture of the Plains) T: "What other animals would like to live in these plains?" S: "Lion." T: "Great!" |
Development: | Continue with pictures on the board. Describe each region and the physical characteristics of each. Have students shout out characteristics when asked. Then start asking about the animals that live there and what characteristics the animals would have to have to live in that region. Draw animals on the board. Write students' answers on the board. |
Practice: | Split class into four groups, count by 1, 2, 3, 4. Each group is assigned a region station. At each station is a big poster board and markers. The group must write or draw the characteristics of the assigned region in their group. After about 10 or 15 minutes, I will get the students' attention back by a clapping pattern. Everyone knows they must stop what they are doing, sit on their hands, and listen. I will ask each group to talk about what makes their region special. (All students are listening and not talking.) If they miss an important characteristic or something else, I will ask guiding questions such as, "What type of weather do they get in the Tropics? What does that do for the plants? How do the animals react to all that rain?" I will bring out small stuffed animals of various animals. T: "Now that you have created your environment of the region stations you are at right now, how about adding some animals?!" S: "Yeah!" I will hold up each animal and ask students which region it lives in. For every correct answer I will, as why, then throw the stuffed animal to that regional station. We will continue until I have no more stuffed animals. Then students collect their stuffed animals, turn in their posters and go back to their desks. I will hang up their posters around the room for reminders. |
Accommodations: | |
Checking For Understanding: | Ask around the room, "So what did you learn today?" If no one speaks up or raises their hand, I will pick someone. T: "Which station were you at, Sarah?" Sarah: "I was at the Tundra station." T: "That is great. What was your favorite part of being in the Tundra group?" Sarah: "I liked catching the Polar Bear." T: "What else did you learn about the Polar Bear? What characteristics does the Polar Bear have to have in order to live in the Tundra? What is special about him?" Sarah: "He has thick fur." T: "That is right. Who else liked catching the stuffed animals?" (Students all raise their hands. I call on one and ask about the animal they caught and why that animal lives in the region they were stationed at.) |
Closure: | T: "What is special about the Tundra?" S: "It's really cold and snowy!" T: "And who lives there?" S: "Polar Bears!" (Continue those questions for each region and hand out homework/down-time-in-class-work.) |
Evaluation: | Quiz at the beginning of class the next day as "Morning Work." |
Teacher Reflections: | HOT TIPS FOR THE NEXT LESSON!! |
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