Los Angeles Unified School District
River Systems
Scholars must react to the ecosystems of a river. They use inquiry-based learning along with maps and visuals to better understand the impact of rivers on everyday life. To finish, they create final written projects and presentations.
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Title: Rivers as Borders
Students are introduced to the concept of borders. They read maps and identify rivers that separate different countries and states. They examine how or why a landform such as a river border might be the reason for different cultures.
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Maps Can Help Us
First graders explore the geography of Montana by analyzing geographic maps of the area. In this Native American reservation lesson, 1st graders discuss the similarities and differences between reservations in the state of Montana....
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Maps
Maps, globes, and computer software aid young explorers as they locate state capitols, major cities, geographic features, and attractions for states they are researching. They then use desktop publishing software to create a map to share...
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A Place of My Own: A Study of Maps
Students investigate maps. They demonstrate their knowledge about maps and place landforms in the proper place as they create salt dough maps. They create a geography folder as well.
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Traveling Through North America
Students identify places and landmarks in North America, specifically Canada and the United States, by using and constructing maps. Six lessons on one page; includes test.
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North Carolina Salt Dough Map Social Studies Project
In this lesson plan, North Carolina Salt Dough Map, 4th graders create a salt dough map of North Carolina, Students use dough to form the shape of the state of North Carolina. Students label the three regions of North Carolina and all...
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Geography of the United States
Students examine the population growth of the United States. In this Geography lesson, students construct a map of the fifty states. Students create a graph of the population of the USA.
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Boundaries and People
Students map watersheds to find their boundaries. In this watershed activity students map and then give their "watershed address." Students show the trail from stream, larger stream to oceans. Students describe the boundaries of the...
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Rockin' Round New York State
Students discuss their favorite rock groups and bands. They create rock groups that will be touring New York State. Students research cities in New York, determine dates of concerts, create touring itineraries, and develop Inspiration...
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Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome Unit Plan
Students make two T charts, one for Sparta and one for Athens, showing pros and cons for living in either city-state. They use the physical information from the map and the cultural captions given for Athens and Sparts to come to their...
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Be a Watershed - Create a Living River
Students investigate water ways by conducting an experiment with classmates. In this natural resources lesson, students define a watershed and identify where large ones are located within the United States. Students utilize cups,...
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Climb a Mountain, Raft a River on Your Own Land
Students are introduced to the characteristics of a map. As a class, they discuss the uses of public lands in their community and develop symbols for each feature. They use the symbols to create a map showing the recreational uses of...
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Edible Maps
First graders, in groups, identify major geographical features of Texas. They form a topographical map of Texas using edible dough, candy, etc. They present and then eat their maps.
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Describe That State
Students broaden knowledge about all the 50 states. They combine their knowledge about states with their knowledge about parts of speech to create grammatically correct sentences that describe the characteristics of the states.
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Mapping the Transcontinental Journey
Students develop their geography skills. In this Lewis and Clark activity, students collaborate to calculate the time and distance of different segments of the expedition. Students compare their estimate to Lewis and Clark's.
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Our Country's Geography
Third graders study geography. In this United States landforms lesson, 3rd graders create a map of the U.S. made out of dough. They use various edible treats to mark the country's capital, the plains, the mountains and the rivers &...
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Tracing Our Own Family Pilgrimages
The Pilgrims may have arrived in North America by way of the Mayflower, but chances are, your class members' ancestors came to the United States in another way. Guide them through an exploration of their own heritage, countries of...
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Indiana Travel Guide
Fourth graders share their information about their home state. In this research instructional activity, 4th graders use graphic organizers to make a travel guide about the state of Indiana. This instructional activity could be modified...
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River to the Sea
Students investigate the function of wathersheds and weather while they follow Lewis and Clark on their jouney west. They also create a map using acurate measurements and build a model watershed.
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State Poster Fair: US Geography, Social Science, Art
Students research a US state, design and construct a state 'poster' to display important facts about that particular state. They present their work to the class.
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States with Attitude, Latitude and Longitude Dude
Sixth graders identify states whose boundaries are formed by lines of latitude and longitude or natural borders such as rivers. They trace a map of the U.S., and fill in borders, rivers and lines of latitude and longitude.
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Coasts
Students explain the different types of marine coasts and where they are located in the United States and its territories. They explain and identify some of the life forms that inhabit different marine coastal regions.
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Indianapolis Government
Students read about a girl who takes a trip during the time of the State Capital moving to Indianapolis and then write their own essay about a trip that they took. In this Indianapolis Government lesson plan, students use maps and...