Title of Unit: Nevada Geography Title of Lesson: Physical and Human Features Submitted By: Gina Bogden

A. Summary of the Lesson Plan: This social studies lesson is designed for fourth grade students to learn about physical and human features displayed on maps of Nevada. B. Target Population: Grade Level: 4th grade Skill Level: students at all learning levels Grouping: whole group introduction and discussion; partners reading worksheet; small group question discussion; independent research and assessment

C. Materials: Pull-down map of Nevada White board Computers Nevadas Physical and Human Features worksheet Pencils D. Objectives: o NV State Social Studies Standards G5.4.3 Construct a map of Nevada displaying human and physical features. o Student-Friendly Standards I can construct a map of Nevada which shows natural objects like rivers and mountains and man-made things like bridges and roads. E. Procedure: 1. Introduce the topic: Show students a map of Nevada and ask them to name what kinds of things are shown on maps. Have them point out an example on the map if they can find it. List students ideas on the white board. Point to each item listed and have students tell whether it is a natural feature or one made by humans. Tell students that in this lesson they will learn about how maps can show both physical and human features. 2. Students will read the passage on the top of Nevadas Physical and Human Features worksheet with their shoulder partner. Teacher will review examples of physical and human features.

3. Students will discuss the following questions with their table group (consisting of 4 students): How are physical features and human features different? How might someone use a map that just shows human features?
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2013 Karen Powell- Instructor page 1

Title of Unit: Nevada Geography Title of Lesson: Physical and Human Features Submitted By: Gina Bogden

Name one human and one physical feature in your community? (Question 1 on worksheet). Each person in the group should have a different answer written for question 1.

4. Teacher will call on one person from each group to answer the questions and discuss whole group. 5. Teacher will explain that map keys can be useful to those who make or read maps. Symbols in the map key can tell what pictures or objects stand for on a map. Map key symbols often look like the things they represent. Have students suggest symbols to use on the maps they will construct on the worksheet. List each symbol and what it represents, and have students tell whether the symbols represent a physical or human feature. 6. Activity - Students will be given time on the computers to do research to complete question #2 on the worksheet.

7. CLOSURE: Have students discuss with their shoulder partner what they learned about human and physical features in Nevada today. F. Assessment: What will you use to measure student understanding? Students will complete question #2 on the worksheet which asks them to add three physical features and three human features to a blank map of Nevada. Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson. Students must construct a map of Nevada displaying human and physical features. By adding physical and human features to a blank map of Nevada, students will demonstrate that they understand the concepts taught in this lesson. G. Reflection: 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach? I think introducing the topic and reading and discussing the passage will be the easiest to teach. 2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? I think the computer research activity will be the most difficult since there are so many physical and human features that could be added to a map of Nevada, I could foresee the students becoming overwhelmed and wondering which features are the correct ones to include.
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2013 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2

Title of Unit: Nevada Geography Title of Lesson: Physical and Human Features Submitted By: Gina Bogden

3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson? As an extension to this lesson, I would have the students present their maps to the class so students could see the variety of human and physical features in Nevada. 4. What will you do for students who dont grasp the concepts? For students who dont understand the concepts in this lesson, I would do a graphic organizer with them and review the physical and human features that were listed during the introduction. 5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change? I dont think any part of this lesson needs to be changed. 6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part? The most difficult part was finding materials to use for this lesson. This topic is only briefly touched upon in the online textbook, so I felt like I needed to find other material rather than use the textbook.

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2013

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 3

Title of Unit: Nevada Geography Title of Lesson: Physical and Human Features Submitted By: Gina Bogden

Name________________
Pearson Education, Inc.

Nevadas Physical and Human Features

Read the passage. Then follow the directions. Geography includes physical features as well as human features. Physical features are natural features, such as landforms, waterways, climate, and plants. A physical feature could be a mountain, a forest, a lake, or a river. Human features are part of geography too. These are objects or buildings that people have made. Human features can include bridges, houses, and dams. Some features are both human features and physical features. For example, LakeMead is human-made, and therefore it is both a physical and a human feature. 1. Name one physical feature and one human feature in your community. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 2. Add three physical features and three human features to the map of Nevada below. Use information that you already know about Nevadas geography as well as reference books or other resources. Also draw a map key that explains the symbols you used.

adapted from scottforesman.com/state/nv/wahsoe/pdfs/g4_less10.pdf

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2013 Karen Powell- Instructor page 4