Download US Road Trip - Michigan State University

U.S. Road Trip
Amanda Moore / April 27, 2006
Grade level: 4th grade
Overview: The purpose of my lesson is to have students understand the many regions
and landforms that make up the United States. Students will need to be familiar with
map skills to navigate through the lesson. They will build upon prior knowledge of the
states and major cities within the United States that are featured in this activity.
Goals and Objectives/Expected Outcomes:
1. Students will be able to use geographic representations such as maps to answer
geographic questions.
2. Students will be able to identify features such as roads/highways on a road map.
3. Students will be able to use maps to describe the effects of physical and human
processes in shaping the landscape.
4. Students will be able to define regions within the United States
5. Students will be able to calculate the total mileage
6. Students will be able to utilize reference material correctly.
Michigan Standards:
II.I.LE.3 Locate and describe the major places, cultures, and communities of the nation
and compare their characteristics.
II.III.L.E.3 Explain how transportation and communication link people and communities.
II.IV.L.E.2 Describe places, cultures and communities in the United States and compare
them within other regions and countries.
II.IV.LE.6 Describe the geography of major United States regions, compare the regions,
and explain the processes that created them.
National Standards:
• National Standard 1.1 (K-4): The characteristics and purposes of geographic
representations- such as maps.
• National Standard 1.1 (K-4): How to use appropriate geographic tools and
technologies
• National Standard 4.1 (K-4): The physical characteristics of places (e.g.
Landforms, bodies of water, and climate)
• National Standard 5.1(K-4): The concept of region as an area of Earth’s surface
with unifying geographic characteristics
• National Standard 5.2 (K-4): The similarities and differences among regions
• National Standard 7.2 (K-4): How patterns (location, distribution, and association)
of features on Earth’s surface are shaped by physical processes
Themes Addressed:
• People, Places and Culture
• Regions, Patterns and Processes
Materials Needed:
• Map of the United States
• Student Sheet – U.S. Road Trip
• Student Assessment Sheet – U.S. Road Trip
• Markers/Highlighters
Previous Knowledge/Experience:
• Map skills – understanding symbols and features of a map
• Knowledge of regions within the U.S. – South, Midwest, Southwest,
• Knowledge of landforms such as –Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains,
Coastal Plains, etc.
• Students should be familiar with the states and major cities
• Vocabulary such as:
! -Mileage: distance measured and expressed in miles
Time Needed to Complete Activity: 45 Minutes
Teacher Instructions:
The first thing you need to begin this lesson is obtain several road atlases. Some
resources for finding U.S. road atlases is through rummage sales, bargain stores, and
discount dealers. Then, make sure you place students in groups that can work together.
This is an important element to the lesson because you want unity within the group. The
groups should consist of 4 to 5 students. Also, make sure there are enough student
worksheets and assessments for the whole class. Having worksheets ready ahead of time
will make this lesson run much smoother
.
The next thing you need is a way to introduce the lesson. Having students take
ownership of this activity is the best way to make it more meaningful for them. For
instance, pose to the class that their group is going on a road trip. They will need to pack
many things such as sunscreen, camera, snacks for the car ride, etc. They are starting off
in Denver, CO and their goal is to travel to Raleigh, NC. How will you get there? They
can only go by car. Now it’s up to their group to find the best route. Announce that they
must follow the directions to navigate through their trip.
1. Students will begin by receiving a Road Trip worksheet.
2. They will be given a starting and destination point on the road atlas.
3. They must identify the starting point A, which is Denver, Colorado and ending
point B which is Raleigh, North Carolina.
4. Students must use the major highways to find the best route to get from Point A to
Point B. They will map out the best route using a marker or highlighter, taking
major highways to travel.
5. Students will investigate the major cities and states in which they will travel
through by looking at the road atlas or researching information on the Internet.
6. Then, they will record the major landforms they cross throughout the road trip.
This information can be obtained through the road atlas or other reference
material.
7. Students will research the major regions they will experience along the road trip.
8. Students will use the resources given to calculate the complete mileage for the
trip.
Discussion Topics or Activities
Some topics you may want to discuss with the students before beginning the lesson are
the major defining regions within the United States. For example, the Southwest,
Midwest, and South are some of the regions that the students will come across. I would
have a map of the United States with the regions outlined. Then, I would discuss the
major features within each region. Also within the discussion, I would include the states,
major cities, and landforms within each region. Other topics to include are introducing
this activity as a road trip for the students. Tell them they must be navigators of the
United States and travel the width of the country to investigate different features. This
will help students take more ownership of the assignment.
Evaluation Criteria and Procedures
I will critique the students through several outlets. The first form of assessment that will
take place is informal observation of the student’s ability to work collaboratively with a
group. I will be assessing the student’s communication skills and researching capability
with the use of Internet. I will also observe their ability to use the reference material
effectively. This will all be based on a pass or fail system.
There will be a formal assessment of the group’s handouts. I will make sure they have
the correct answers filled in their blanks. This will be done using my rubric 1, which will
be given out of 13 points. Each question is worth one or two points a piece. I will also
assess their drawn path on the road atlas. Their assessment for this assignment will be to
pick two other locations on the map. They will have to write down what they are. Then,
they must explain what landforms they will pass as they travel. They will also have to
calculate the total mileage. This will be done using my rubric 2, which is given out of 10
points.
Tips
For this lesson, it would be very beneficial to start looking for road atlases very early.
Some places you can find them would be garage sales, discount bookstores and on the
Internet. I would also prepare the students for this lesson by having a discussion one day
prior to explain some of the concepts such as landforms, regions and review the states.
Extensions
If certain groups finish early, there are some extensions that can be added onto the lesson
plan. For instance, the students can describe the different climates they will be crossing
and how that will affect their travel. Another way in which you can extend the lesson is
for students to write about one historical stop and cultural stop along the way. They must
write what place it is and why they chose it. These resources can be added to lengthen
the lesson or challenge the students. It may be also beneficial for students who finish
early.
Sources and Resources
1. http://www.randmcnally.com/rmc/directions/dirGetMileageInput.jsp?cmty=0
This website is a good resource for calculating mileage. The students must put in the
city and state. The program will compute the total miles they will drive.
2. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/statesbw/regions.shtml
This website is beneficial for students to learn more about the regions.
3. http://www.symsys.com/~ingram/mileage/index.php
This is also a great website for calculating mileage.
4. Road Atlas for each student
Student Worksheet
Name:_______________
Directions: Please answer the follow questions.
Name the Starting Point A (City, State): _____________________
Name the Ending Point B (City, State): _______________________
Draw, on the map, the best way to get from Point A to Point B.
States you will go through are: __________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Major cities you will travel through: ______________________________
_________________________________________________________
What major landforms will you pass? _____________________________
_________________________________________________________
What regions of the United States are you crossing to get to Point B?
________________________________________________________
Use this website to find the total mileage for the trip_______________
*http://www.randmcnally.com/rmc/directions/dirGetMileageInput.jsp?cmty=0
What is the total mileage for the Road trip? _______________________
Student Assessment
Name: _______________
Directions: Please select two new locations for travel on the U.S. map.
Name the Starting Point A (City, State): _____________________
Name the Ending Point B (City, State): _______________________
Explain the major landforms you will pass through? __________________
________________________________________________________
Find the total mileage for your trip___________________________