Third Year First Month Activities

Transcription

1 National Council for Geographic Education Curriculum & Instruction Committee Geography Club Submitted by: Steve Pierce Third Year First Month Activities Geography for Life: National Geography Standards The World in Spatial Terms Standard 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information Standard 3: How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth s surface Places and Regions Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of places Standard 6: How culture and experience influence people s perceptions of places and regions Physical Systems Standard 7:The physical processes that shape the paterns of Earth s surface Human Systems Standard 10:The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth s cultural mosaics Standard 12: The process, patterns, and functions of human settlement Environment and Society Standard 14: How human actions modify the physical environment Standard 15: How physical systems affect human systems This Month s Activities I. Map Scraps Warm-up Challenge your map skills and knowledge by identifying the place shown on each map scrap. Use clues on the map scrap and an atlas to help identify the place and answer the questions. II. U. S. State License Plates and Quarters What can you learn about a state from its license plate and from its quarter in the U.S. Mint s state quarter program? There are usually several geographic and historic characteristics that are important to the state. See how many of these characteristics you can identify by examining the license plates and state quarters. You can also design a coin or license plate for your county, city, or community. III. Geo-Questions Test your knowledge of U. S. states by researching the geo-questions. National Council for Geographic Education Page 1 of 6

2 I. Warm-up Activity: Map Scraps Examine each Map Scrap and try to determine the location. Use an atlas and other reference materials to answer the questions. Map Scrap Map: National Geographic Society Questions 1. What two countries are shown on this map scrap? 2. What river marks the border between these two countries? 3. What state lies north of the river? 4. What is the highest point and elevation in this state? 5. On which body of water does this state have a coastline? Map Scrap Map: National Geographic Society Questions 1. Which two states are separated by the lake on the map scrap? 2. What are the capital cities of each of these states? 3. Name the lake on the map. What lake system is it part of? 4. What large city lies at the southern end of this lake? 5. What NFL team calls Green Bay home? National Council for Geographic Education Page 2 of 6

3 II. Activity: U.S. State License Plates and Quarters Note to teachers/sponsors: The activities that follow are suggestions. You are encouraged to adapt them as you need to, so they are useful to the ages and abilities of your group. Feel free to pick and choose from these activities. Also, use them as springboards to other activities that fit the interests of your students. Introduction Both state license plates and quarters from the 50 State Quarters Program contain geographic and historical information. The images, symbols and words usually identify several geographic and historic features of the state. In this lesson students will analyze license plates and state quarters and make note of the images, symbols and words incorporated in each. Using the charts provided students will classify the symbols and images and determine their significance. The U.S. Mint 50 State Quarter Program began in 1999 and will continue through State quarters are released according to the date of entry into the United States, with Delaware the first state and Hawaii the last. For this reason, not all state quarters are available. Materials Images of U.S. state license plates Images or samples of U.S. State quarters Internet Resources License Plates State Quarters Procedure Assign or have students select a state or states to research. Using the Internet sites above, have the students examine the license plate and state quarter for their assigned state. Students can record their observations on the Activity Sheet that accompanies this month s activities. Have them be specific, naming the flora and fauna, landmarks, and other characteristics shown. If students cannot determine a specific symbol or image, they may need to look up the symbols for that state. Students should also make note of any written information, such as state slogan, motto, or Internet URL. Encourage students to research the geographic and historic meanings of the images and words used. How do they identify the state? What important person do they honor? Once students have completed their research, have them make a presentation to the class. They should explain the geographic or historic significance of the symbols, National Council for Geographic Education Page 3 of 6

4 images, and words used. Students could prepare a multimedia slide show on state license plates and/or quarters. For the regional aspect, have students compare license plates and quarters for states by region. For example what elements do the quarters and license plates for the New England states share? What does that tell you about the region? Finally, have students make their own design of a license plate or quarter for their county, city, community, or school. Have them explain why they included the features and characteristics they did. III. Geo-Questions Test your knowledge of U.S. States with these Geo-Questions. 1. This state, known as the Land of Enchantment is home to Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the state capital with the highest elevation. Name the state and its capital. 2. This state calls itself America s Dairyland because it is a leader in dairy products. Name the state and the two Great Lakes it touches. 3. Name the state and capital that is famous for its potatoes and Rocky Mountain scenery. 4. Known as The First State this small mid-atlantic state is a leader in banking and industry. Name the state and its capital. 5. This Cowboy State has the lowest population of any state. It is home to Devil s Tower National Monument and Yellowstone National Park. Name the state and its capital. 6. This Sunshine State features a panhandle, keys extending into the Gulf of Mexico, and many popular theme parks. Name this state and its capital. 7. This Show Me State has an arch commemorating it as the Gateway to the West. The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers reach their confluence in this state. Name the state and its capital. 8. This Last Frontier state has the longest coastline of any state. Its flag features the Big Dipper and the North Star. Name the state and its capital. 9. The Lone Star State was a republic before it became a state. The Alamo is an important landmark, and Big Bend National Park is located on the Rio Grande. Name this state and its capital. National Council for Geographic Education Page 4 of 6

5 10. This First in Flight state was the site of the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers on It features the highest point east of the Mississippi River in the Appalachian Mountains. Name the state and this highest point. 11. This Silver State lies in the Great Basin in the western United States. Hoover Dam lies on the Colorado River and provides hydroelectricity for the lights of its largest city known for entertainment and casinos. Name the state and its largest city. 12. This state bills itself as Vacationland. Most people would identify it with its rocky coast and lobsters. Name this northeastern-most state and its capital. 13. This Golden State has a long Pacific Coast, a productive Central Valley, and the scenic Sierra Nevada Mountains. Name this state and its capital. 14. This Land of 10,000 Lakes features its Twin Cities on the Mississippi River and a lakeshore on Lake Superior. Name this state and the Twin Cities. 15. This Grand Canyon State features canyons carved by the Colorado River and the Sonoran Desert. The area around its capital has been one of the fastest growing regions on the United States. Name this state and its capital. National Council for Geographic Education Page 5 of 6

6 ANSWERS I. Map Scraps Map United States of America and Mexico 2. Rio Grande 3. Texas 4. Guadalupe Peak; 8,749 feet 5. Gulf of Mexico Map Wisconsin and Michigan 2. Madison, Wisconsin and Lansing, Michigan 3. Lake Michigan; the Great Lakes 4. Chicago 5. Green Bay Packers III. Geo-Questions 1. State: New Mexico; Capital: Santa Fe 2. State: Wisconsin; Lake Michigan and Lake Superior 3. State: Idaho; Capital: Boise 4. State: Delaware; Capital: Dover 5. State: Wyoming; Capital: Cheyenne 6. State: Florida; Capital: Tallahassee 7. State: Missouri; Capital: Jefferson City 8. State: Alaska; Capital: Juneau 9. State: Texas; Capital: Austin 10. State: North Carolina; Highest Point: Mt. Mitchell, 6,684 feet 11. State: Nevada; Largest City: Las Vegas 12. State: Maine; Capital: Augusta 13. State: California; Capital: Sacramento 14. State: Minnesota; Twin cities: Minneapolis and St. Paul, the capital 15. State: Arizona; Capital: Phoenix National Council for Geographic Education Page 6 of 6