Disciplinary Unit: Lesson Plan 1

I. General Information:
Grade Level:3
Discipline: Social Studies
Unit Topic: Geography Environment and our Climate
Time Frame: Day 1 45 minutes
Text: Anchor Text - The United States of America: A State by State Guide
By:Millie Miller & Cyndi Nelson

Other Materials:
Power Point on Landforms
Play Dough
Computers (1 per pair of students)
Descriptive Writing paper
Hamburger writing template
(http://betterlesson.com/community/document/121866/ham
burger-paragraph-organizer)
Landform model rubric

II. Essential Understanding/Questions:

What is a plain and a plateau?
What do they have to do with our geographic landform?
Where are these landforms found within the US?
How do I use descriptive writing to describe my
landforms in a
Properly structured paragraph?
III. Standards/Indicators:
CC.3.R.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring
explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CC.3.R.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
CC.3.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CC.3.W.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the
development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
CC.3.W.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic

3.0 Geography
B. Geographic characteristics of places and regions
1. Compare places and regions using geographic features
2. Identify natural/physical and human-made features of places and
regions.

IV. Lesson Objectives:

Students will be able to model a plain and plateau with play
dough, on paper, as well as through descriptive text.
Students will be able to define and describe, plains and
plateaus in thoughtfully and well constructed paragraph
form.
Students will be able to use technology to find and identify
different landforms by looking at a picture and referencing
the text.
V. Evaluation/Assessment:
Students will be graded on their landform models,
based on the attached rubric.
Students will be assessed as they show and explain
their chosen models to the class.
Students will be assessed on their descriptive
paragraph based on the accuracy of how well they followed
the writing prompt to write a descriptive paragraph.
VI. Procedures:
Introduction
Models of a plain and plateau are shown to
students, while asking students, what do yout hink these
might be?, pointing out the differences in the two models.
After some discussion, present the power point to students,
showing and indentifying the landforms and all their

features, as defined in our text, The United States of

America: A State by State Guide. Review the hamburger
paragraph writing method weve used previously, asking
students to lead the discussion about whats included in a
well written paragraph, as well as what components are
necessary.
Teaching/Activities:
Students will work in pairs to complete the following
tasks
- Work collaboratively to read through the
assigned text and identify a state that contains
one of each landform.
(For example: Hawaii has a plateau, Nebraska
has a plain)
- Using the classroom computers work in pairs to
research information about the landforms in the
states youve selected.
- While referencing our text as well as the
information youve found online, you will use
the given play dough to recreate the landform
youve researched. BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE
RUBRIC given at the beginning of the lesson.
- Using the label maker, type and label the
landform youve found, being specific to label
the geographic parts of the landform.
- Once the landform is created and labeled, use
the handout to write a description of your
landform, using the hamburger paragraph
outline.
Closure: Students will present the landforms theyve
modeled with the play dough, and hand in the written
paragraph to be graded based on the content, organization,
completion, and accuracy.

CATEGORY

Knowledge Gained

The map is
correctly labeled
with the correct
land form and
description, as
defined in our text

The map is labeled

with the correct
land form and a
partially correct
description, as
defined in our text

The map is labeled

with the correct
land form but
incorrect
description, as
defined in our text.

The map is labeled

with an incorrect
land form name
and description,
but valid effort is
present.

Spelling/Capitalization

The names of all 6

of the 6 features
and titles of land
masses are
labeled, and
spelled correctly.

The names of at
least 5 of the 6
features and titles
of land masses are
labeled and
spelled correctly.

The names of at
least 4 of the 6
features and titles
of land masses are
labeled and
spelled correctly.

The names of less

than 3 of the 6
features and titles
of land masses are
labeled and
spelled correctly.
Valid effort is
present.

Labels & Features Neatness

Each of the
features has a
legible label with a
typed description
and brief synopsis
of it's importance
to that land form.

Most of the
features have a
legible label with a
typed description
and brief synopsis
of it's importance
to that land form.
Writing or type
may be a more
difficult font, and
synopsis less
detailed.

Each of the
features have a
somewhat legible
label with a
description and
brief synopsis of
it's importance to
that land form.
Labels are missing
or not legible,
synopsis is not
thorough or
missing.

Few of the features

have a legible label
with a typed
description and
brief synopsis of
it's importance to
that land form.
Labels were
missing, synopsis
was incorrect or
missing, or work
was illegible. Effort
is present.

Map Legend/Key

Legend is easy-tofind and contains a

complete set of
symbols, including
a compass rose.

Legend of Key
was easily
accessible but was
missing a few
features, or a
compass rose.

Legend or Key
was mostly
correct, however a
few features were
missing or
incorrect. Possibly
a compass rose.

Legend or Key was

completely missing
or incorrect, no
evidence of a
compass rose.
Effort is present.

Writing & Completion

All synopsis, titles,

descriptions and
information is
correct, neatly
labeled and turned
in by the end of
the assigned class
period.

Most of synopsis',
titles, descriptions
and information is
correct, labeled
and turned in by
the end of the
assigned class
period. Some part
of the listed
features is not
complete.

Some synopsis,
titles, descriptions
and information is
mostly correct,
labeled and turned
in by the end of
the assigned class
period.

The given
synopsis, titles,
descriptions and
information is
incorrect, not
neatly labeled, or
turned in after the
assigned class
period. Effort is
present.