Download 8 Grade Social Studies Geography Unit Information

8th Grade Social Studies
Geography Unit Information
Milestones Domain/Weight: Geography 12%
Purpose/Goal(s): Georgia is a state that has a diverse geography. With mountains to the north
and the largest swamp in North America to the south, Georgia has a quite a unique physical
landscape. After studying this standard, students should be able to describe Georgia’s relative
and absolute location, describe its five regions, locate and evaluate the importance of some of
Georgia’s physical features, and discuss how Georgia’s climate has impacted the state’s
development.
Content Map: Geography Content Map
Geography Teacher Notes
Prerequisites: Georgia’s Geography Elementary Standards
Unit Length: Approximately 7 days
Unit 1 Geography Assessment Item Bank (by Standard)
Click on the links below for resources by Essential Question:
EQ 1: How does the location and climate of Georgia impact its development?
EQ 2: How have the five geographic regions and their key physical features impacted the
development of Georgia?
TCSS 8th SS Geography Unit
Essential Question and
Standard(s)
1. How does the location and climate
of Georgia impact its development?
Priority Standard(s):
SS8G1a. [Standard Breakdown]
Locate Georgia in relation to region,
nation, continent, and hemispheres.
SS8G1d. [Standard Breakdown]
Evaluate the impact of climate on
Georgia’s development.
Support Standard(s):
ELACC6-8RH2: Determine the
central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide
an accurate summary of the source
distinct from prior knowledge or
opinions.
ELACC6-8WHST4: Produce clear
and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
Vocabulary
Essential*
Climate
Region [southeastern]
Nation [United States]
Continent [North America]
Hemisphere
[Northern, Western]
Supplemental**
Agriculture
Precipitation
Humid Subtropical
*Essential Vocabulary listed
in the GPS Standards
**Supplemental Vocabulary
listed in the state
frameworks and/or other
state document
Resources [Back to Top]






Enduring Understanding (Theme) for this essential
question is: Location
Where in the World is Georgia? Prezi The prezi is the
main delivery of instruction for SS8G1a.
Georgia Climate Students will read the article and
write summary of the article, including why the climate
has an impact on industry and economy in Georgia.
Other instructional strategies you can use: Think,
Pair, Share, Relay Summary [see Instructional
Strategies for details]
Formative Assessment: Short DOK 1 quiz plus
answer these questions on the back: Why is it
important to know Georgia’s location and climate?
How would that impact its development politically and
economically?
Where is Georgia? Geography Formative
Assessment
Videos:
o Georgia Stories 101: Geographic Environment
of Georgia<br>(The Land and Fossils, The
Geology of Georgia, The Okefenokee
Swamp), The | Discovery Education
approximately 28 minutes long
o The Geography of Georgia: Video Intro with
Georgia Stories approximately 9 minutes long
Assessment


SS8G1a. Sample
Assessment Items
SS8G1d. Sample
Assessment Items
ELACC6-8WHST5: With some
guidance and support from peers and
adults, develop and strengthen
writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a
new approach, focusing on how well
purpose and audience have been
addressed.
TCSS
8/10/2016
2
TCSS 8th SS Geography Unit
Essential Question
and Standard(s)
2. How have the five geographic
regions and their key physical
features impacted the
development of Georgia?
Priority Standard(s):
SS8G1b. [Standard Breakdown]
Describe the five geographic
regions of Georgia; include the
Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley
and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau,
Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
SS8G1c. [Standard Breakdown]
Locate and evaluate the
importance of key physical
features on the development of
Georgia; include the Fall Line,
Okefenokee Swamp,
Appalachian Mountains,
Chattahoochee and Savannah
Rivers, and barrier islands.
Support Standard(s):
ELACC6-8WHST4: Produce
clear and coherent writing in
which the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
ELACC6-8WHST5: With some
guidance and support from peers
and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by
TCSS
Vocabulary
Essential*
Valley and Ridge
Geographic Region
Okefenokee Swamp
Chattahoochee River
Appalachian Plateau
Appalachian Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
Resources [Back to Top]

Barrier Islands
Savannah River
Fall Line
Piedmont
Coastal Plain
Supplemental**
Mills
Dalton
Granite
Erosion
Dahlonega
Topography
Brasstown Bald
“TAG” region
Mainland
Elberton
Navigate
Savannah
Lookout Mountain
Manufacturing
Stone Mountain
Recreation
Appalachian Trail
Urban Centers
Inner Coastal Plain
Textile Industry
Outer Coastal Plain
Atlantic Ocean
Choctaw Indians
Water Power
Freshwater Swamp
Naval Stores
Fishing Industry
Paper Industry
Wildlife Refuge
Carpet Industry
Gulf of Mexico
Hydroelectric Power
Sea Islands (Golden Isles)
Cloudland State Park
*Essential Vocabulary listed in the GPS
Standards
**Supplemental Vocabulary listed in the state
frameworks and/or other state document
8/10/2016








Enduring Understanding (Theme) for this
essential question is: Location
Regions of Georgia PowerPoint | Regions
of Georgia Prezi - Teachers will have the
option to use the Power Point or a Prezi.
One or the other will be the main delivery
of instruction. Short student-student
interaction is incorporated within the ppt
and/or prezi, as well as a summarizer.
Georgia's Five Regions Notes
Key Physical Features of Georgia
Teachers can approach this Power Point
several ways. Traditionally, teacher
instruction of the material. Other
instructional strategies that can be used
are Jigsaw and Carousel. [See
Instructional Strategies for details]
Summarizer for this power point will be to
label the key features on a map of
Georgia.
Georgia's Key Features Handout
Georgia’s Key Features Handout 2
Formative Assessment: Teacher will ask
multiple choice questions about the
regions of Georgia. Students will answer
using the Answer rings (A, B, C, D choice
rings). Teacher will note students who
are struggling, who mostly have the
concepts, who didn’t get an answer wrong
for differentiated activity described below.
Geography of Georgia Review
Differentiated Activity for the Regions:
o Remediation: Guided Instruction:
[teacher-student] Georgia Map
Activity Level 1. Guided instruction
by the teacher in group of no more
than four. Teacher will reteach
the regions of Georgia through
Assessment


SS8G1b. Sample
Assessment Items
SS8G1c. Sample
Assessment Items
3
TCSS 8th SS Geography Unit
Essential Question
and Standard(s)
Vocabulary
Resources [Back to Top]
planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new
approach, focusing on how well
purpose and audience have been
addressed.
ELACC6-8WHST7: Conduct
short research projects to answer
a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on
several sources and generating
additional related, focused
questions that allow for multiple
avenues of exploration.

ELACC6-8WHST8: Gather
relevant information from multiple
print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess
the credibility and accuracy of
each source; and quote or
paraphrase the data and
conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and following
a standard format for citation.
Assessment
this activity.
o Reinforcement: [student-student]
Georgia Map Activity Level 2:
Students (independently or with a
partner) will complete the blank
map following the directions on
the side.
o Enrichment: Enrichment
Geography Project [independent]
Students will create their own
state, using some of the same
characteristics of Georgia.
Students will write a paragraph
comparing and contrasting their
state to the state of Georgia.
Summarizer: Complete the Venn
Diagram, comparing the state of Georgia
to another state of the student’s choice.
Student will research the location, the
geographic regions, climate, and key
features. After the students have
completed the Venn Diagram, they will
write a paragraph, using the Venn
Diagram as their organizer.
ELACC6-8WHST9: Draw
evidence from informational texts
to support analysis reflection,
and research.
TCSS
8/10/2016
4
TCSS 8th SS Geography Unit Breakdown of Standards
G1a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.
G1d. Evaluate the impact of climate on Georgia’s development. [Back to Resources]
Know:
Understand:
Do [DOK 2]:
 The geographical
 The regions of Georgia impact the economy of
 Describe the results
location of Georgia
Georgia and what resources are available
 Apply learned information to abstract and real life
 The climate of Georgia
situations
 Impact of both on
 Recognize unstated assumptions, make
development of Georgia
inferences
 Essential vocabulary
 Identify/describe cause and effect
 Interpret facts
 Give examples of how each region contributes to
the development of the state
 Locate the regions and key features and explain
their importance to Georgia
G1b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia; include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau,
Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
G1c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee
Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands. [Back to Resources]
Know:
Understand:
Do [DOK 2]:
 The different
 The regions of Georgia impact the economy of
 Describe the results
geographic regions of
Georgia and what resources are available
 Apply learned information to abstract and real life
Georgia
situations
 Key features of those
 Recognize unstated assumptions, make
regions
inferences
 The impact of both on
 Identify/describe cause and effect
Georgia’s
 Interpret facts
development
 Give examples of how each region contributes to
 Essential vocabulary
the development of the state
 Locate the regions and key features and explain
their importance to Georgia
TCSS
8/10/2016
5