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North Carolina Mountain Region
Grade Level/Subject: 4th grade Social Studies Topic: NC Mountain Region
Rationale: Students should have an understanding of different geographic regions of North Carolina. To become informed citizens, students should understand the location, attractions, and characteristics of the mountain region.
Common Core/Essential Standards Reference:
NC SCS Competency Goal 1: The learner will apply the five themes of geography to North Carolina and its people.
1.03 Suggest some influences that location has on life in North Carolina such as major cities, recreation areas, industry, and farms.
1.01 Locate, in absolute and relative terms, major landforms, bodies of water and natural resources in North Carolina.
Behavioral Objective:
Working in small groups, the students will create a travel brochure that shows an activity and attraction of the mountain region, where it is located (or could be located) and what the climate is like in that region.
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills:
Vocabulary: region, mountain, climate
Directions N/S/E/W
North Carolina is divided into geographic regions.
What information is often included in a travel brochure.
Materials/Resources:
Large sheets of paper. 1 for each group
Glue
Colored pencils or markers
Magazines with photographs of mountain destinations. (suggested: Our State magazine)
3-4 travel brochures for North Carolina mountain activities or destinations
Access to a computer to look up the weather in a mountain city
Content and Strategies Focus/Review: The students will be seated at the rug for a group discussion. The teacher will ask them questions to find out what they already know about mountains. Suggested questions are:
Have any of you ever been to the mountains to visit?
What did it look like?
What time of year did you visit?
What was the weather like?
What did you do while you were there?
While the students are answering questions, the teacher will record their answers on the board. The questions should draw student attention to describe the mountain region in terms of attractions, recreation, climate, and location.
After the class has had a chance to answer, the teacher will share a few travel brochures for mountain destinations and activities while drawing their attention to important information found in the brochures.
Objective (as stated for students): As a class, we are going to learn about the mountain region. As groups, you are going to create a travel brochure that contains information you might need to visit the mountains of North Carolina.
Teacher Input:
(location)On a map, the teacher will show students where the mountain region is. Ask the students to describe where the mountain region is. Answers should be on the West edge of North Carolina, to the West of the Piedmont Region, etc. The teacher will share some of the important characteristics of the mountain region.
(description)The mountain region in North Carolina includes the Appalachian Mountains and the foothills that are around it. Popular tourist destinations are the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Biltmore house, Tweetsie Railroad (include other places that students have told the class that they have visited). As the teacher reads the names of these destinations she will point them out on the map and put a marker (push pin, sticky note, etc.) to mark their location.
The highest peak in the North Carolina mountains is Mount Mitchell, which is 6,684 feet. Ask the students if they know how high the tallest mountain in the United States is. (connection/relationship) Mount McKinley in Alaska is 20,320 feet high. There are 70 mountains in the United States that are over 14,000 feet high and none of them are in North Carolina. What does that mean about the mountains of North Carolina? Check for understanding: Students should be able to answer that the NC mountains are not a high mountain range.
North Carolina has at least 40 mountains that rise to 6,000 feet and 100 that rise more than 5,000 feet. Mount Mitchell in the Black Mountain range is 6,684 feet high.
(climate/recreation)The teacher will discuss the relationship between the climate and recreation activities. The teacher will either have a printed weather forecast or access to a computer to look up the weather at a chosen mountain location. Compare the weather in the mountain location to the weather at the school and discuss why it is important to know the average climate before visiting the mountains. Ideas may be so that you know how to dress, what to pack, or what activities you would choose for that season (IE skiing or hiking).
Ask students to brainstorm activities that they could do on a visit to the mountains. Some of the recreation activities are canoeing, kayaking, coldwater fishing, hiking, rock climbing, museums and historic sites, and skiing or tubing. Write some of the activities on the board. Check for understanding: Why would it be difficult to ski in the coastal region? Why can't we play in the sand and hunt for seashells in the mountains?
Guided Practice:
The teacher will have a selection of NC pictures of attractions and activities cut from magazines, and a poster paper attached to the board where students can see it. The pictures will be from both the coastal region and the mountain region. On the poster, the teacher will write a title near the top center, such as The Mountain Region. She will hold up a picture and model a think aloud of deciding whether the picture belongs in the mountain region. If the picture does not belong, she will place it to the side, if it does, she will attach it to the poster paper. After one example that does and one that does not, the teacher will ask the students to comment on whether they think the picture belongs or not.
Continue with a few more pictures of attractions and activities while allowing the students to decide if the picture can be used for a brochure about the mountain region. The pictures will be purposely placed on the far left of the poster paper. When enough pictures have been attached to allow for student input and to check for understanding, the teacher will write Recreation and Activities above the pictures. The next columns will have the headings for weather, description, and location. The teacher will describe the expectations of each column as they are introduced. The teacher will ask for student input on what to write in each column. The weather report that was used for teacher input could be used to record weather information. The description should give some details about what the mountain region is like, such as, "Cooler than the Piedmont in the summer, the Mountain Region has many activities that you will enjoy...." The teacher will refer back to the travel brochures for short descriptions that encouraged readers to visit the attractions. The location can be a written location such as, " along the Blue Ridge Parkway, or in the Northern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina or a map that is either drawn or is cut from the magazines that appropriately shows the mountain region.
Independent Practice:
The teacher will ask the students to return to their group seats and begin creating a travel brochure with 4 sections. The teacher will write the headings for the columns on the white board and leave the example from guided practice where students can refer to it.
They may use any pictures they find that relate specifically to the mountain region but need to include the headings, Description, Recreation and Attractions, Climate, and Location. The description should be at least 3 sentences.
If the student were to find an example of an activity that could occur in NC but the picture is not from NC they could use it and choose a location where it could occur.
During this time, the teacher will spend a few minutes with each group asking questions to check for understanding, (why did you choose this picture?, do you know where you would be able to do this activity?) and answer questions as needed. The teacher will check to see if all group members are participating and engaged.
Closure: The students will return to the rug and each group will share their travel brochure with the class. The teacher will check for understanding by asking questions of the group specifically about their brochure.
Evaluation: Students will be evaluated by observation of group participation by the teacher. The travel brochure will be reviewed to check for understanding during closure activities. To successfully meet the objective, the student groups will have created a travel brochure that shows an activity and attraction, where it is located (or could be located) and what the climate is like in that region.
Plans for Individual Differences: Early finishers may use the classroom computer to look up the weather for this school day as well as the cost of visiting a site or participating in an activity. Using either the back of their poster or another poster they can write about a place they want to visit in the mountains, where it is located, how much it costs, and any information they think is important for them to know before going.
Kinesthetic learners may use the rocking stools at their tables to help them remain focused and engaged.
Auditory learners may explain the location orally to another group member or to a teacher while a visual/spatial learner records the information in written or map form.
Rationale: Students should have an understanding of different geographic regions of North Carolina. To become informed citizens, students should understand the location, attractions, and characteristics of the mountain region.
Common Core/Essential Standards Reference:
NC SCS Competency Goal 1: The learner will apply the five themes of geography to North Carolina and its people.
1.03 Suggest some influences that location has on life in North Carolina such as major cities, recreation areas, industry, and farms.
1.01 Locate, in absolute and relative terms, major landforms, bodies of water and natural resources in North Carolina.
Behavioral Objective:
Working in small groups, the students will create a travel brochure that shows an activity and attraction of the mountain region, where it is located (or could be located) and what the climate is like in that region.
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills:
Vocabulary: region, mountain, climate
Directions N/S/E/W
North Carolina is divided into geographic regions.
What information is often included in a travel brochure.
Materials/Resources:
Large sheets of paper. 1 for each group
Glue
Colored pencils or markers
Magazines with photographs of mountain destinations. (suggested: Our State magazine)
3-4 travel brochures for North Carolina mountain activities or destinations
Access to a computer to look up the weather in a mountain city
Content and Strategies Focus/Review: The students will be seated at the rug for a group discussion. The teacher will ask them questions to find out what they already know about mountains. Suggested questions are:
Have any of you ever been to the mountains to visit?
What did it look like?
What time of year did you visit?
What was the weather like?
What did you do while you were there?
While the students are answering questions, the teacher will record their answers on the board. The questions should draw student attention to describe the mountain region in terms of attractions, recreation, climate, and location.
After the class has had a chance to answer, the teacher will share a few travel brochures for mountain destinations and activities while drawing their attention to important information found in the brochures.
Objective (as stated for students): As a class, we are going to learn about the mountain region. As groups, you are going to create a travel brochure that contains information you might need to visit the mountains of North Carolina.
Teacher Input:
(location)On a map, the teacher will show students where the mountain region is. Ask the students to describe where the mountain region is. Answers should be on the West edge of North Carolina, to the West of the Piedmont Region, etc. The teacher will share some of the important characteristics of the mountain region.
(description)The mountain region in North Carolina includes the Appalachian Mountains and the foothills that are around it. Popular tourist destinations are the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Biltmore house, Tweetsie Railroad (include other places that students have told the class that they have visited). As the teacher reads the names of these destinations she will point them out on the map and put a marker (push pin, sticky note, etc.) to mark their location.
The highest peak in the North Carolina mountains is Mount Mitchell, which is 6,684 feet. Ask the students if they know how high the tallest mountain in the United States is. (connection/relationship) Mount McKinley in Alaska is 20,320 feet high. There are 70 mountains in the United States that are over 14,000 feet high and none of them are in North Carolina. What does that mean about the mountains of North Carolina? Check for understanding: Students should be able to answer that the NC mountains are not a high mountain range.
North Carolina has at least 40 mountains that rise to 6,000 feet and 100 that rise more than 5,000 feet. Mount Mitchell in the Black Mountain range is 6,684 feet high.
(climate/recreation)The teacher will discuss the relationship between the climate and recreation activities. The teacher will either have a printed weather forecast or access to a computer to look up the weather at a chosen mountain location. Compare the weather in the mountain location to the weather at the school and discuss why it is important to know the average climate before visiting the mountains. Ideas may be so that you know how to dress, what to pack, or what activities you would choose for that season (IE skiing or hiking).
Ask students to brainstorm activities that they could do on a visit to the mountains. Some of the recreation activities are canoeing, kayaking, coldwater fishing, hiking, rock climbing, museums and historic sites, and skiing or tubing. Write some of the activities on the board. Check for understanding: Why would it be difficult to ski in the coastal region? Why can't we play in the sand and hunt for seashells in the mountains?
Guided Practice:
The teacher will have a selection of NC pictures of attractions and activities cut from magazines, and a poster paper attached to the board where students can see it. The pictures will be from both the coastal region and the mountain region. On the poster, the teacher will write a title near the top center, such as The Mountain Region. She will hold up a picture and model a think aloud of deciding whether the picture belongs in the mountain region. If the picture does not belong, she will place it to the side, if it does, she will attach it to the poster paper. After one example that does and one that does not, the teacher will ask the students to comment on whether they think the picture belongs or not.
Continue with a few more pictures of attractions and activities while allowing the students to decide if the picture can be used for a brochure about the mountain region. The pictures will be purposely placed on the far left of the poster paper. When enough pictures have been attached to allow for student input and to check for understanding, the teacher will write Recreation and Activities above the pictures. The next columns will have the headings for weather, description, and location. The teacher will describe the expectations of each column as they are introduced. The teacher will ask for student input on what to write in each column. The weather report that was used for teacher input could be used to record weather information. The description should give some details about what the mountain region is like, such as, "Cooler than the Piedmont in the summer, the Mountain Region has many activities that you will enjoy...." The teacher will refer back to the travel brochures for short descriptions that encouraged readers to visit the attractions. The location can be a written location such as, " along the Blue Ridge Parkway, or in the Northern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina or a map that is either drawn or is cut from the magazines that appropriately shows the mountain region.
Independent Practice:
The teacher will ask the students to return to their group seats and begin creating a travel brochure with 4 sections. The teacher will write the headings for the columns on the white board and leave the example from guided practice where students can refer to it.
They may use any pictures they find that relate specifically to the mountain region but need to include the headings, Description, Recreation and Attractions, Climate, and Location. The description should be at least 3 sentences.
If the student were to find an example of an activity that could occur in NC but the picture is not from NC they could use it and choose a location where it could occur.
During this time, the teacher will spend a few minutes with each group asking questions to check for understanding, (why did you choose this picture?, do you know where you would be able to do this activity?) and answer questions as needed. The teacher will check to see if all group members are participating and engaged.
Closure: The students will return to the rug and each group will share their travel brochure with the class. The teacher will check for understanding by asking questions of the group specifically about their brochure.
Evaluation: Students will be evaluated by observation of group participation by the teacher. The travel brochure will be reviewed to check for understanding during closure activities. To successfully meet the objective, the student groups will have created a travel brochure that shows an activity and attraction, where it is located (or could be located) and what the climate is like in that region.
Plans for Individual Differences: Early finishers may use the classroom computer to look up the weather for this school day as well as the cost of visiting a site or participating in an activity. Using either the back of their poster or another poster they can write about a place they want to visit in the mountains, where it is located, how much it costs, and any information they think is important for them to know before going.
Kinesthetic learners may use the rocking stools at their tables to help them remain focused and engaged.
Auditory learners may explain the location orally to another group member or to a teacher while a visual/spatial learner records the information in written or map form.