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East Detroit Public Schools
Lesson Design

Author: Ann Lloyd
Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 3rd
Course: Map Skills
Title: Physical Features

Length of Unit: Approximately 2-3 class periods
Materials Needed:
Power Macintosh G3 computer
Large TV monitor
Book binding machine
Our Country’s Communities (Silver Burdett & Ginn; c. 1988)
Regions of Our Country (Steck-Vaughn; c. 1997)
ClarisWorks for Kids
Kid Pix Deluxe

Standards-Based Outcomes (MDE):

Social Studies:

II. Geographic Perspective

Content Standard II, 1: All students will describe, compare, and explain the locations and characteristics of places, cultures, and settlements. (People, Places, and Cultures)

2. Describe the natural characteristics of places and explain some basic causes of those characteristics. (EE)

2. Locate and describe diverse kinds of communities and explain the reasons for their characteristics and locations. (LE)

3. Locate and describe the major places, cultures, and communities of the nation and compare their characteristics. (LE)

Content Standard II, 2: All students will describe, compare, and explain the locations and characteristics of ecosystems, resources, human adaptation, environmental impact, and the interrelationships among them. (Human/Environment Interaction)

1. Describe how people use the environment to meet human needs and wants. (EE)

2. Describe the location, use, and importance of different kinds of resources and explain how they are created and the consequences of their use. (LE)

3. Describe the major physical patterns, resources, ecosystems, resources, and land uses of the state, region, and country and explain the processes that created them. (LE)

Prior Knowledge:

Cue Set:

Often children have a hard time remembering basic physical land features. Children must fully understand and differentiate between specific features before they will understand people's use of and adaptation to them. Adaptations to these physical features in specific regions and geographic areas of the United States include activities, life styles, and economies. Using a computer graphics write and draw program, children reinforce related concepts already addressed in class.

Best Shot Instruction:

Reteaching and Enrichment:

Review and Closure:


A. Formative Assessment (Teacher Observation)

B. Summative Assessment


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