Grade 4 Geography US States and Regions

Objectives The student will be able to properly identify the US states and regions. Students will be able to properly place the US states in their regions.

Instructional Technique The class participation activity Individual / work at your own pace activity

Materials Blank Us map with color coded regions 50 construction paper US states labeled and color coded to their region Tape / Velcro Bag

Theoretical Perspective General knowledge of US states location for – Other classes – Life skills

Procedure : Days Leading Up to… Day 1: Regions and compass work Day 2: States and compass work Day 3: State activities Day 4: State activities by location

Procedure: Day Of… Day 5: Class group map assignment and internet US state placement game.

Map Activity A large blank map will be at the front of the class and the regions will be outlined in different colors. – New England = white – Mid-Atlantic = green – Southern States = orange – Great Lake States =blue – Midwestern States = yellow – Southwestern States = purple – Mountain States = brown – Pacific States = red

Map activity Cont. There will also be a bag full of US states that the kids will randomly pick from – These states will be color coded to their proper region – Each student will chose two states to place – Teacher will place remaining Class discussion of placement of states with the help of a actual map.

Internet Activity The students will then go to this site and play an online map activity. this site

Internet Activity Cont. The students will then be asked to print out there scores and hand them in.

Closure: Days after… Day 6: Capitals of US states Day 7: Capital Activities Day 8: More overall activities Day 9: test- matching states to their region and capitals to their states.

Adaptations (built in) Many different methods of learning – Visual – Hands on – Groups – One on one

Homework Optional – extra credit for any students who attempt the harder internet map activity on their own. – Must print out scores and give them to teacher NOTE: Arrangements can be made for students with no home computer.

Evaluation Students will complete class map activity as well as online self activity. Students will be graded based on the class activity in conjunction with online activity. – NOTE: Due to the small error gap the game gives you, we will be grading the online assignment on a curve. (Ie. 95 = = 95 so on and so forth.)

Evaluation Cont. Concerns: – The simple mistakes that can greatly skew the online activity scores – The lack of a home computer for students