Download Regions of Indiana and Beyond!

Unit Title: The Regions of Indiana and Beyond!
Liesl Loudermilk
University Elementary
Theme: Geography
Lesson One: Do you see what I see? Focus In
Essential Question: How did the land forms found in Indiana come to be?
Standards: Places and Regions
4.3.3
Locate Indiana on a map as one of the 50 United States. Identify and describe the
location of the state capital, major cities and rivers in Indiana, and place these on a
blank map of the state.
4.3.4
Map and describe the physical regions of Indiana and identify major natural
resources and crop regions.
Example: Northern Lakes and Moraines, Central Till Plain and Southern
Lowlands
Physical Systems
4.3.5
Explain how glaciers shaped Indiana’s landscape and environment.
4.3.6
Describe Indiana’s landforms (lithosphere*), water features (hydrosphere*), and
plants and animals (biosphere*).
Objectives:
Students will consider and answer questions about the three regions of Indiana. They will
incorporate an understanding of geology and how our daily lives are affected by the landforms
and soil in each region. They will produce a map that will show both the physical and political
aspects of our state.
Background Knowledge and Resources:
This lesson may be part of a science unit that would include the study of rivers and glaciers,
along with Karst topography. Students can discuss what kinds of landforms and natural
resources are found in Indiana, where they are located, and how they came into being. The
class discussion may be extended to discuss the physical and political landmarks of Indiana.
Students may also discuss how the rivers and forestlands, Lake Michigan and farmland
influenced the patterns of settlement and encounters with Native Americans.
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Indiana textbook: Social Studies Text
Nystrom Maps Indiana: Geography Series
The Earth’s Changing Surface: Science Text
In My Own Backyard: Trade Book
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Materials Needed:
 blank Indiana map
 a chart with the 5 Focus In questions
 Salt, flour, food coloring, 9X12 pieces of cardboard
 permanent markers
 typed and printed labels for: Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Lake Michigan, Ohio R.,
Wabash R., Indianapolis, Bloomington, Great Lakes Region, Tipton Till Plain, Southern
Hills and Lowlands
Engage Student Interest:
Explain to students that the class will answer five questions about the geography of Indiana.
As they answer each question, write down their responses on the left side of the question. At
the end of the unit, the questions will be asked again and the class can see if students have
changed their understandings because of the unit activities.
 Regions are defined and created by humans.
 Landforms in all regions of Indiana were affected by glaciations.
 Political features are dependent on the physical features.
 Landforms, and therefore, regions change over time.
 Rivers had little or no impact on the political design of Indiana.
Activities:
1. Using a three-circle Venn, students use their textbooks and Indiana geography lessons
to compare and contrast the three regions of Indiana.
2. Using the blank Indiana map, students will use science text and social studies text to
sketch in the three major glaciations periods along with the locations of the rivers, great
lake, and hills found in Indiana. Students create cause-and-effect statements about how
the landforms were created and changed over time.
3. Using U.S. physical maps, discuss how the regions of Indiana also appear in the four
surrounding states.
4. Using salt and flour mixtures in four colors, students sketch and then cover their
cardboard pieces showing the physical feature of Indiana and the surrounding states. Be
sure to include:
a. Lake Michigan, Ohio and Wabash Rivers using the blue clay
b. Great Lakes Plain in Yellow (sand dunes)
c. Tipton Till Plain in Green (fertile soil)
d. Southern Hills and Lowlands in Red (beautiful fall foliage)
Emphasize that these are the physical features of the land and were here long before any
humans arrived. These features to not stop at state lines and are continually, but slowly,
changed by rivers carving the land. Students can use their pencils to create the washboard
effect of moraines in northern Indiana. They are to create the hills of southern Indiana without
giving the impression of mountains.
5. After allowing the clay to dry completely, students use markers and the typed labels to
identify the physical regions and waterways and then to use the political labels to identify
the political boundaries of states and cities.
Other discussion starters:
 How has Bloomington and Monroe County been affected by waterways over time? Is
there a river that goes through our town? Looking at a political map, how have we dealt
with the water issues in our area (through use of manmade reservoirs)?
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 Notice the location of major cities in Indiana. Where are they located? Why?
 How is our agriculture and use of natural resources affected by the natural regions of
Indiana? How do our agriculture practices and use of natural resources affect the
landforms of Indiana?
Continue using examples of rivers, kettle lakes, ravines, sand dunes, peat bogs, swamps, and
caves/Karst to support effects of glaciations, soil and limestone erosion and weathering.
Read In My Own Backyard by Judi Kurjian. Begin a discussion by asking students: What
physical features do you see in this book? How do they change over time?
Assessment:
1. revisit the 5 questions from the Focus In chart
2. evaluate the placement of labels and state lines on the clay map
3. participation and behavioral evaluations during lessons and discussions
4. assessment and/or evaluations of Venn diagram, blank Indiana map, and geography
mapping lessons
Bibliography
Earth’s Changing Surface. Science Companion, Chicago, IL 2008.
Hands-on Geography: Teacher’s Guide and Activity Sheets: Indiana. Nystrom, Bloomington,
IN 1985.
In My Own Backyard. Kurjian, Judi and David R. Wagner. Charlesbridge Pub, Inc. (July 2000),
Science Text.
Social Studies: Indiana. Scott Foresman, Glenview, IL. pp. 44–72
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