Describing United States Regions Stan Masters, Lenawee ISD Maggie Patterson, Nystrom

POP Purpose –Teaching and learning the concept of region Objectives –Identify and describe the characteristics of regions of the United States, using data sets Grade 4 –Describe ways in which the United States can be divided into different regions Procedure –Model learning activities from the lesson –Reflect on classroom instruction and student work

Opening Activity

Reflections from Classroom Students had strong understanding of: –Human, physical, and functional regions Attention to the orientation of the US map and classroom grid Modeling the regions by drawing on screen/board –“comparison of map patterns is one of the most powerful analytical tools of geography” (Gersmehl, 2005)

Extending the Lesson Poverty Married Households

More Practice with Maps Working in cooperative groups, the students reviewed other maps to locate regions of the United States –data “crossed” State boundaries We established some naming conventions, using map directions and place characteristics Students used a criteria checklist to remove their decisions on creating regions

Culminating Activity

Your Task Today Decide how and why to divide this map into regions, drawing the regions onto the map. Write a few sentences describing –how you divided the US into regions and –why you felt this was a good way to create a regional map.

Reflections from Student Work We used a map with four characteristics –Students considered math prefixes as naming conventions: quad, tri, bi, uni Students struggled with “how many regions?” Students created regions that described –A lack of a characteristic from the map –Regions within other regions

Assessment Students were given a table of data and a blank outline map of the US Students were given a scenario prompt, asking them to create a new map for inclusion in a Nystrom atlas –Students created a regional map –Students wrote a persuasive letter describing the regions arguing why their map should be published

Scoring Rubric 4321 You have composed an accurate description of the characteristic of the regions to Nystrom, including an explanation of what audience would value a published version of your map. You have composed an accurate description of the characteristic of the regions of your map to Nystrom. You have composed a description of the characteristic of the regions of your map to Nystrom, but there are some inaccurate details. You have composed a description of your map to Nystrom, but without the details of the characteristics of the regions.

Scoring Rubric 1 Dear Nystrom I created a map. I hope you like it. And I want you to show other people my map if my teacher give you the map. I have different colors and regions on the map. I hope you injoy it. Love (student name) Student states what the map looks like. Next step: name the characteristics You have composed a description of your map to Nystrom, but without the details of the characteristics of the regions.

Scoring Rubric 2 Dear Nystrom, We used this little piece of paper that told us what states that we had to color them but, we got to choose the colors for them. We created this map because it would tell you the Population Under the Age of 18 of the United States. You could tell that most of them are the same color is a region. This should be published because other kids around the world might want to see where other kids are under the age 18. From, (student name) Student describes the characteristic of the map, but does not describe the characteristic of the regions. Next step: describe the regions, using the naming conventions. You have composed a description of the characteristic of the regions of your map to Nystrom, but there are some inaccurate details.

Scoring Rubric 3 Dear Nystrom I made this map because people might want to know the population under Age 18. I see TX, NM, LA, MS, as a region because it has the highest population under the age 18. I also see WY, SD, NE, KS, MN, as a region because they have high population. I think this map should be published because people might want to know the population under the age 18. I think it would be valuable because it has the population under age 18. from (Student Name) The student has described the regions, using the characteristics of “highest” and “high” and naming States that are in that created region. Next step: argue what audience would want to see this map You have composed an accurate description of the characteristic of the regions of your map to Nystrom.

Scoring Rubric 4 Dear Nystrom, My map was created to show the population under age 18. There is highest, high, Low, and Lowest populations. I created this map by coloring Highest = yellow High = purple Low = brown Lowest = Green. There is a big Green area in the northeast section purple is more north. Yellow goes from ID to MS going through UT, NM, TX, and LA. Brown is in the middle. It sould be published so people can see where most kids are. Other kids and people who are looking for the population. From: (Student Name) The student describes the regions (connected to colors) and their locations. The student identifies an audience (other kids) that would value this map. Next step: Why would kids value this map? You have composed an accurate description of the characteristic of the regions to Nystrom, including an explanation of what audience would value a published version of your map.

Resources for this Lesson –Click on link on “splash page” Resources available: –Teacher’s video, script for lesson, cards and maps for classroom, assessment task and rubric, other web links for data