THIRD GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM UNIT 3

Name: Fairfield Township School District / Date: MP 2
Lesson Title: Geography
Subject: Social Studies / Grade Level/Course: 3
Overview of Unit: In this unit students will focus on how landforms, climate and weather, and availability of resources have impacted where and how people live and work in different regions of New Jersey and the United States. Look at the new forms of technology and how they help us learn more about the changing environment and locations in the US.
Interdisciplinary Connections: x Language Arts Math ____Science PE Art Technology Music World Language ___
Learning Targets

BIG IDEA(S): Spatial thinking and geographic tools can be used to describe and analyze the spatial patterns and organization of people, places, and environments on Earth.

Standard(s): 6.1.4.B1, 6.1.4.B2, 6.1.4.B3, 6.1.4.B5, 6.1.4.B6, 6.1.4.B7, 6.1.4.B8, 6.1.4.B9, 6.1.4.C14, 6.1.4.C15, 6.1.4.C17

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS / ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
· How does human migration affect a region?
· How do natural resources affect the course of history?
· How do geographic tools and technologies pose and answer questions about spatial distributions and patterns on Earth? / · Both the physical characteristics and human inhabitants of regions change over time.
· Where we live influences how we live.
· Natural resources determine a nations wealth.
· Maps, globes and other technological tools such as GPS assist with solving problems related to understanding location, distance and direction.
UNIT LEARNING TARGETS:
Students will be able to…
·  Describe how human interaction impacts the environment in New Jersey and the United States.
·  Explain how to use geographic tools and technologies to answer questions.
·  Describe how migration affects regions and resources.
ASSESSMENT
PERFORMANCE TASKS:
· written assessment
· oral assessment
· project (s)
· presentations
OTHER EVIDENCE:
· small group discussion
· whole group discussion
LEARNING PLAN
· Uses maps to compare and contrast different landforms.
· Use maps to tell a story about migration.
· Make a map on glogster / Resources
· Read aloud books and poems
· Related videos
· Time for Kids
· Teacher created webquest
· Scott Foresman Communities
· Glogster