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Geography of the World
Europe: Land and Resources
Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: 6–8
Curriculum Focus: Social Studies
Lesson Duration: 5 class periods
Program Description
Europe: Land and Resources—This program encourages student awareness of the geographical
positioning and diversity of the European region. Students will visit Europe's islands and peninsulas;
explore coastlines, major harbors, and navigable waterways; and discover the many landforms that
define the landscape, affect the climate, and influence economic development. They will examine how
the diversity of Europe's landscape has shaped human history as well as how people have changed the
landscape to meet their needs.
Discussion Questions
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The program traces the journey of the Rhine River from its headwaters in the mountains to the
sea. Where are the headwaters of the Rhine River? Along what borders and through what
countries does it pass? Into what sea does it empty? This sea is part of what ocean?
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The Mediterranean Sea separates Europe from which continent? What three large peninsulas
extend continental Europe southward into the Mediterranean Sea? What sea separates Greece
from Turkey? What sea separates Scandinavia from the rest of Europe?
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What are Europe’s major natural resources? How does modern Europe meet the growing
demand for energy resources?
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Review the seven different kinds of climate that can be found in Europe. What part of Europe is
affected by each? (Climates included are subarctic; tundra; marine west coast; humid
continental; humid subtropical; Mediterranean; and highland.)
Lesson Plan
Student Objectives
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Identify the region and countries of Europe
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Understand that Europe is part of the greater landmass of Eurasia
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Recognize and identify the major subregions of Europe, including islands and peninsulas
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Explore the coastlines, harbors, and navigable rivers of Europe and evaluate their relationship
to the growth of human settlements and the development of commerce
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Analyze how Europe’s major landforms affect regional climate and economic development
Europe: Land and Resources
Teacher’s Guide
2
Materials
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Europe: Land and Resources video
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Print resources on various aspects of Europe; in particular, regions and countries of Europe,
major landforms, waterways, cities, and natural resources
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Large world map or globe
Procedures
1. Prior to viewing the program, guide students in a review of Earth’s physical components (for
example, landforms such as mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains and aquatic systems such as
oceans, lakes, and rivers) clarifying the concepts as needed. Ask students to brainstorm a list of
landforms, bodies of water, and waterways in their geographic area. Explain that human
history has been shaped by landscapes and waterscapes; then ask students which of the listed
geographical features is likely to attract human settlement and why. Instruct students to note, as
they watch the program, Europe’s geographical features and how those features influence
human settlement, climate, and economic development. Write the following prompts on the
board:
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What are some of Europe’s major geographical features?
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How have they influenced human settlement? Climate? Economic development?
If students are unable to adequately name components of Earth’s physical systems, use visual
prompts to guide the review. For example, show pictures of landscapes and waterscapes and
ask students to identify the physical feature in each image (clarifying the concept as needed). If
students are unable to discuss how physical features might attract human settlement, provide
examples; then explain how this relationship will be highlighted in the program that students
will be viewing. Write the above questions on the board as prompts.
2. After viewing the program, ask student volunteers to identify the region and countries of
Europe as well as the greater landmass of Eurasia on a large map or globe. Follow with a review
of the major subregions, islands, and peninsulas of Europe, with the map as a reference.
•
Subregions include the British Isles, Western Europe, Scandinavia, Central Europe,
Southern Europe, and Eastern Europe
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Islands include Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and Crete
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Peninsulas include the Balkan Peninsula, the Italian Peninsula, and the Iberian Peninsula
3. To reinforce learning, issue blank political maps of Europe and have students label them with
the above information. Have students create a legend for their maps, assigning a color to each
subregion and shading their maps accordingly.
4. Ask students to recall the major navigable rivers of Europe as presented in the program. List
responses on the board. A map or globe may be used as a reference. The rivers listed should
include
•
the Rhine River
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Europe: Land and Resources
Teacher’s Guide
•
the Danube River
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the Seine River
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the River Thames
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the Tiber River
3
Ask students to discuss the relationship between Europe’s coastlines, harbors, and navigable
rivers to the growth of human settlements and the development of commerce.
5. The program provides a broad overview of Europe’s major landforms and their impact on
regional climate and economic development. To further investigate this relationship, assign
each student one of the landforms presented in the program as a research topic. The student
will compile this research into a written report with accompanying illustrations that describes
the landform and explains its effect on the regional climate and the economic development of
the area. These reports may be presented orally to the rest of the class. Landforms covered in
the program include
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the North European Plain
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the East European Plain
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the Carpathian Mountains
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the Alps (highlighted: Mount Blanc)
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the Dinaric Alps
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the Pyrenees
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the Sierra Nevada (Spain)
6. For the culminating activity, assign students to work in small groups. Each group will conduct
research on a designated subregion of Europe. The focus will be the subregion’s major
landforms, waterways, cities, and natural resources. Once research is complete, students will
use the information to create a large map (in poster form) of the subregion illustrating its
landforms, waterways, cities, and natural resources. When they have completed their maps, the
groups will share and discuss them with the class. The teacher may take this opportunity to
assess and reinforce student understanding of the relationship between physical systems and
human settlement, as well as the concept of regions. Have students display their completed
maps if possible.
Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson.
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3 points: Students were attentive and highly engaged in map work and class discussions;
completed the required research and produced a well-organized, comprehensive written
report; created a neat, informative map in poster form based on good quality research and
demonstrating clear understanding of the topic.
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Europe: Land and Resources
Teacher’s Guide
4
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2 points: Students participated in map work and class discussions; completed most required
research and produced a satisfactory written report; created an acceptable map in poster
form that demonstrated sufficient research and understanding of the topic.
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1 point: Students participated minimally in map work and class discussions; conducted
inadequate research and did not produce a satisfactory written report; created an
unsatisfactory map in poster form.
Vocabulary
dike
Definition: An embankment to confine or control water; a levee
Context: Dikes are often built along the banks of a river to prevent overflow of water into
lowlands.
Eurasia
Definition: Name given to Asia and Europe as one continent
Context: Europe has been called a continent but is actually part of the greater landmass of
Eurasia.
Europe
Definition: The sixth-largest continent, extending west from the Dardanelles, Black Sea, and Ural
Mountains
Context: Europe is the western-most part of the great Eurasian landmass.
gorge
Definition: A deep ravine (a narrow steep-sided valley), usually with a river running through it
Context: The cliffs along the Rhine Gorge, or Upper Middle Rhine Valley, are lined with historic
castles.
harbor
Definition: A portion of a sea, a lake, or other large body of water, either landlocked or
artificially protected so as to be a place of safety for vessels in stormy weather; a port or haven
Context: Europe’s islands and peninsulas create thousands of miles of coastlines that provide
many excellent harbors.
horn (or glacial horn)
Definition: A mountaintop that has been modified by the action of ice during glaciation and frost
weathering
Context: Mount Blanc, at its pyramidal peak, or glacial horn, is 4,818 meters high.
navigable
Definition: Able to be sailed on or through safely
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Europe: Land and Resources
Teacher’s Guide
5
Context: European countries depend on water routes such as navigable rivers and canals for the
transportation of trade goods.
pass (mountain)
Definition: A place in a range of mountains that is lower than the surrounding peaks
Context: The Pyrenees form a natural border between France and Spain with few low passes,
creating an obstacle to travel between the two counties.
peninsula
Definition: A large mass of land that extends out into a body of water
Context: Though Europe has been called a continent, it is actually a peninsula that extends
westward from the great landmass of Asia.
sea level
Definition: The level of the ocean's surface, especially the level halfway between mean high and
low tide, used as a standard in reckoning land elevation or sea depths
Context: In the Netherlands, areas below sea level depend on dikes to protect towns and
farmlands from flood.
Academic Standards
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
NCSS has developed national guidelines for teaching social studies. To become a member of NCSS,
or to view the standards online, go to http://www.socialstudies.org.
This lesson plan addresses the following thematic standards:
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People, Places, and Environments
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Production, Distribution, and Consumption
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Science, Technology, and Society
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K–12 Education
addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp.
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
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Geography—The World in Spatial Terms: Understands the characteristics and uses of maps,
globes, and other geographic tools and technologies; Knows the location of places,
geographic features, and patterns of the environment.
•
Geography—Places and Regions: Understands the physical and human characteristics of
place; Understands the concept of regions.
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Europe: Land and Resources
Teacher’s Guide
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Geography—Physical Systems: Knows the physical processes that shape patterns on Earth's
surface.
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Geography—Human Systems: Understands the patterns and networks of economic
interdependence on Earth's surface; Understands the patterns of human settlement and their
causes.
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Geography—Environment and Society: Understands how human actions modify the
physical environment; Understands how physical systems affect human systems;
Understands the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of
resources.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2006. All rights reserved.