California Resources
Social Studies
Unit 1 Lesson 1 & 2
| Lesson Title: Land and Water in your Area |
| Grade Level: 3rd |
| Subject Area: Social Studies |
| State Academic Standards: 3.1 Students describe the physical and human geography and use maps, tables, graphs, photographs, and charts to organize information about people, places, and environments in a spatial context.
English Language Arts Standards 3RC2.5- 3.2.5 Distinguish the main idea and supporting details in expository text. 3.1.7 Use a dictionary to learn the meaning and other features of unknown words. Visual and Performing Arts: Visual Arts Content Standards 2.0 Creative Expression Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art. 2.4 Create a work of art based on the observation of objects and scenes in daily life, emphasizing value changes. |
| Prior to reading: Main Idea and Details – Use the transparency or Activinspire flip chart before teaching the lesson to identify details that support the main idea. Read the paragraph together. The main idea is the most important idea in the paragraph. It may be stated in the topic sentence. Details include things like dates, names, locations and quality, that support or describe the main idea. Prompt students to determine that the last sentences support the main idea. Highlight the main idea and details using different color markers. Dictionary Skills – Guide students to use alphabetizing knowledge to determine desert comes before – valley. Ask students to look up valleys in the dictionary and atlas and then write in their journals, one sentence using the word to describe how they would describe the valley region. Vocabulary Development – Discuss the words and definitions together. Remind students that synonyms are words that mean the same and antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. Preview the Lesson Read p 3 Connect to You with the class. Tell Students that they will learn about the land and water in our area. |
| Direct Instruction |
| During reading: Read together (pp.3, 4) As students read, discuss the write-in review questions. Remind students that the main idea is often found at the beginning of the paragraph. Continue to read the chapter and answer question in the workbook. Worksheets completed after reading: Complete California Land Forms worksheets. Art Activity After Reading 1. With a partner, cut pictures of landforms from magazines and create a collage. Tell the class about your collage and why you selected the pictures. 2. Create a physical map of California using different color tissue to identify each of the four regions. Discuss the region of your choice and tell how the land is used in that region. |
| Assess and Extend |
| Review Worksheet Rubric
Have students work with partners to create main idea and detail maps using paragraphs in the text. |
| Chapter assessment and grading rubric is found in the TE. Students can receive up to four points which convert to four tally marks in the class Token Economy. |
| Closure: |
| Reflection: |
Tuesday – Read Lesson 1 – define new terms – create word bank – ask students to bring magazines to school for landforms collage – cut and paste pictures to words
Supplies – glue sticks, scissors, 3 hole punch paper for words -vocabulary binder.
landform word bank.pdf
Prior to lesson print pictures in color! Use Promethean
Place completed worksheets in binder.
Friday – Re-read – students read and fill in answers in their books. Review terms – Make California Landforms collage
Tuesday: Read Lesson 2 and answer the questions – define new terms, complete word matching and beginning sounds worksheet. Discuss Fridays Tissue Art project and show students example.
Friday – California Landforms Art – Using tissue paper create a physical map of California.
