Lesson Cycle

Lesson Title/Topic: 5th Grade Geography

Concept: Learning why the physical characteristics of the Mississippi River are important
to the United States geographically and economically.

Standards/Rationale: 113.6 7(D) locate on a map important physical features such as the
Rocky Mountains, Mississippi River, and Great Plains.

Learning Target: Assessment:

The student will identify, with 80%
accuracy, where the Mississippi River is Completed Venn diagram.
located on a map and five exports that are
shipped on the river.

Materials:
National Geographic clip of the Mississippi River VIMEO:​ ​https://vimeo.com/37808298

PowerPoint- Location, physical characteristics, and importance of the Mississippi River.

Handouts- Blank US template, US template with the Mississippi River on it.

U.S. Laminated Map.
Crayons.
White oversize paper pad.
Venn Diagram that has the Mississippi River labeled in the middle of it

Lesson Cycle:​​ ​(Direct instruction)

The teacher will: The student will:

Focus/Mental Set:
● Show the st​udents the video ● Describe the Mississippi River. What does
● https://vimeo.com/37808298 it look like? Where does it flow
throughout the United States?
 ● Define ‘landforms’.
● Show the Mississippi River, the
Great Plains, and the Rocky
Mountains on the map, for
examples, but we will only discuss
the Mississippi River in this unit.
● Come up front and be a part of a
● Demonstrate on volunteers what demonstration of human physical
physical characteristics are. Ask the characteristics and why those are
purpose of physical characteristics important to our bodies.
on our heads.
● Describe the importance of our noses,
ears, and eyebrows

Teacher Input:

● Show the Mississippi River PP slide
1-3. Point out where it is on the
map from North to South and how
it divides the country. Ask the
students what the United States
would be like if the Mississippi
River was not there.
● Observe the Mississippi River slide on the
PowerPoint. For three minutes discuss, in
groups of four, what the United States
would be like without the Mississippi
River.
● Groups will share results with the class.

● Ask students to color in the

Mississippi River on the interactive ● Color the Mississippi River on the​ map.
map. Put a map on the board that
can be observed by the students.

● Pass out the blank Venn Diagram.

● Use the power point to explain and
show that cotton, cars, wheat, coal,
timber, and chemicals are
transported down the Mississippi
River. The river is a major water
’highway’ moving mass amounts of
freight at one time. These goods
are exported around the world.
● Show 4 sensory touch objects that
feel like the word (cotton ball feels
like cotton, a brick feels like the
capitol building, cows figure goes
with the word cow, a rock goes
● Give their description of why these goods
are shipped this way and what countries
these goods may be going to.
● Work alone to fill in five exports that are
shipped down the Mississippi River
● Students will touch the objects, repeat
the word of the object and match it to the
right picture. Cotton goes with cotton,
bricks go with capital, cow goes with
cattle, rock goes with the Alamo.
 with the Alamo.) . Pronounce the
word that matches the feel of the
object slowly and have the students
repeat the word.
● Highlight the key vocabulary words
and speak them in their native
language and in English using
Google translate.
Guided Practice:
● Instruct the students to label the
states touching the Mississippi
River on their map.
Independent Practice:
● Instruct the students to work in
groups to play Carousel Feedback
to visually show what cargo might
be on a barge.
● Pass out the blank Venn Diagram.
● Pass out poster board and pictures
of products that would be shipped
down the Mississippi River.
● Work in pairs repeating the key
vocabulary words in their native language
and in English for 10 minutes. They will
match their capitol building, countries
bird, cattle, and one land interest to ones
in the book “Texas’, and repeat it in
English.
● Examine the path of the Mississippi
River and how it winds through the states.
Coloring and label the states along the Mississippi
River.
Carousel Feedback:
● Three groups of four will draw the
Mississippi River on the provided
white paper. The group will draw a
barge with one of the discussed
exports on it and will tape their
presentation around the room.
The other groups will do the same.
The group will explain what their
export is to the other students as
they take turns walking by the
presentations.
● Work alone to fill in five exports
that are shipped down the
Mississippi River
● ​ ork in a group of four to develop an
W
oral report utilizing a storyboard to
describe three products that are
transported down the Mississippi River.
Interpret how it is similar to a landform
where they are from​.
● I​nterpret for the class how the
Mississippi River is similar to landforms
where they are from. and orally state

Closure:
● Review five exported items that are
transported down the Mississippi
River and ask students to name
them. Ask students why the
physical characteristics and location
of the river is important to our
economy.
Enrichment:
● Various items will be placed on a
table. The students can gather
items that resemble the goods we
discussed being exported on barges
down the Mississippi River. Ex:
cotton balls, tin cans, cars, lumber,
etc.
Modifications:
The SpEd student with mild Autism-
There will be a quiet corner of the room
where the student can wear noise cancelling
headphones and not be distracted by
movement and noise.
● Show Power Point pictures on his/her
Chromebook of three items that are
shipped down the river and where
the river is located. Set this to music.
● Show pictures, from a book, of these
three items to the student. Repeat
the names slowly. Repeat the process
again.
● Make a matching game to match
three items that are shipped down
the river.
● Play a matching game on the c​ omputer
by matching pictures of three items that
are shipped down the Mississippi River.
what products come from their
homeland.
● State five items that would be exported
on a barge and why the physical
characteristics and location makes the
Mississippi River important our economy.
Reteach:
Use flashcards that show different important
purposes of the Mississippi River with pictures of
the different goods that are transported down
the river to the Gulf of Mexico.
504 plan for the student with Spina Bifida-
Student will have a work space close to the front.
The desk will be lower and wheelchair accessible.
They will be allowed bathroom breaks and water at
their desk station.
● Utilize simple visual aides that are printed
from the Power Point to show where the
Mississippi River is located.
● Show pictures of three items that are
shipped down the river and then show
where it is located.
● Utilize flash cards for identification of items
that are shipped down the Mississippi River.
Classwork will be done with teacher assistance.
● Identify the Mississippi River on a map.
● Identify three items that are shipped down the
Mississippi River by the use of flashcards shown
by the teacher.
● Complete oral assessment by stating three items
that are shipped down the Mississippi River.
 504 plan for student that is Bi-Polar-
The student will have a seat up near the front of the
class.
● Give simple direction by assigning only one
task to be completed at a time.
● The assignment will be to watch the
slideshow/PowerPoint on the Mississippi
River and name three items that are shipped
on it.
● Watch the slide show/Powerpoint.
● Work with a peer buddy to discuss the three
products that are shipped down the river., during
guided practice. (5 minutes.)

Key vocabulary words for ELL’s objectives: Strategies for the ELL’s:
Mississippi River Vocabulary through song​-​ Use the song chant
Landform MISSISSIPPI (MI crooked letter, crooked letter, I,
Cotton crooked letter, crooked letter, PPI) as a way to
Cars learn to spell it. A simple song to the tune of
Wheat ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ could be sung to the
Coal key vocabulary words. They can record
North
themselves on a provided recorder and the
South
teacher will make a ‘mix’ of it at the end of the
Gulf of Mexico
Minnesota
unit.
Barges
Ports Visual vocabulary​-C​ ut out pictures of all the
vocabulary words and let the students practice
words by velcroing them onto a posterboard that
looks like a barge going down a river. It is a
picture dictionary. They each have one and get
reward points as they learn to spell and
pronounce the words by permanently affixing
them onto the barge.