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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

What is geography?

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/g35/geofeatures.html

A lesson plan for grades 3–5 Social Studies

Provider: National Geographic


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This lesson introduces students to the five themes of geography. Students work in groups to analyze a website to locate information about a particular country or region, and then create presentations showing how the geographic concepts described in the themes can be used to help solve environmental problems. This lesson is located on National Geographic’s Xpeditions website.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 3

  • Goal 4: The learner will explain geographic concepts and the relationship between people and geography in real life situations.
    • Objective 4.01: Distinguish between various types of maps and globes.
    • Objective 4.02: Use appropriate source maps to locate communities.
    • Objective 4.03: Use geographic terminology to describe and explain variations in the physical environment as communities.
    • Objective 4.04: Compare how people in different communities adapt to or modify the physical environment to meet their needs.

Grade 4

  • Goal 1: The learner will apply the five themes of geography to North Carolina and its people.
    • Objective 1.01: Locate, in absolute and relative terms, major landforms, bodies of water and natural resources in North Carolina.
    • Objective 1.02: Describe and compare physical and cultural characteristics of the regions.
    • Objective 1.04: Evaluate ways the people of North Carolina used, modified, and adapted to the physical environment, past and present.
    • Objective 1.05: Assess human movement as it relates to the physical environment.

Grade 5

  • Goal 1: The learner will apply key geographic concepts to the United States and other countries of North America.
    • Objective 1.01: Describe the absolute and relative location of major landforms, bodies of water,and natural resources in the United States and other countries of North America.
    • Objective 1.02: Analyze how absolute and relative location influence ways of living in the United States and other countries of North America.
    • Objective 1.03: Compare and contrast the physical and cultural characteristics of regions within the United States, and other countries of North America.
    • Objective 1.06: Explain how people of the United States and other countries of North America adapt to, modify, and use their physical environment.
    • Objective 1.07: Analyze the past movement of people, goods, and ideas within and among the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America and compare it to movement today.