Title: Regions of Virginia (1)

Grade: 4th

Subject: Social StudiesVA

Geography

Designer: Sara Cummings

Stage 1 Desired Results

Established Goals: VS.2The student will demonstrate knowledge of the physical
geography and native people, past, and present of Virginia by
a) locating Virginia and its bordering states on maps of the United States;
b) locating and describing Virginias Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue
Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau;
Understandings:
Essential Understanding: Researching
the different regions of Virginia assists with
-Location of the 5 major regions of
understanding the different characteristics
Virginia as well as major
that make up each region.
characteristics such as, appearance, Essential Questions:
prominent geographical features,
natural resources and/or crops that
-What are the major characteristics of each
might be known in each regions,
region? What about prominent geographical
and/or major landmarks of each
features? Which crops and/or natural
region.
resources are known in each region? What
about any major landmarks that reside in
-Which region Crozet, VA is located
each region?
in.
-Which region do you believe Crozet, Virginia
-Which the location of Virginia on a
is located in? Can you find it on the map of
map as well as the states and
Virginia?
locations of the bordering states of
Virginia.
-Where is the location of Virginia on a map of
the United States? What about a world map?
-What are the bordering states of Virginia?
Can you locate them on a map of the United
States?
Students will be able to

Materials
-Computers with PowerPoint and
internet
-Give major characteristics of the 5 regions
-Document Camera
of Virginia.
-Poster board
-Locate the state of Virginia on a US and
-Colored
world map.
pencils/markers/crayons/etc.
-Locate and name the bordering states of
-Books with information for each
Virginia.
region of Virginia
-Locate where Crozet, VA is on a map and
-Region Characteristic sheet
give the name of the region it is located in.
-What I Know About the Regions of
Virginia sheet
Stage 2 Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:
Other Evidence:
-Students will work in groups and
research the major characteristics of -Teacher scaffolding
the 5 regions of Virginia. They will
-Teacher observation
present the information they found
-Information on the Characteristics sheet
to the teacher and the classmates
each group must fill out for the region they

while the peers not presenting will

take notes on what they learned
about each region. The students will
also be quizzed about the major
characteristics for each region as
well as what the bordering states of
Virginia are and which region Crozet,
VA is located in.
Stage 3
Learning Activities:

are researching.
-Information presented on PowerPoint
presentation
-Information filled out on the What I Know
About the Regions of Virginia sheet.
-Answers on the quiz
Learning Plan

1) The teacher calls all students to the carpet with empty hands.
2) The teacher will go over a very brief explanation of the 5 regions of VA. Some
easy examples might include, what each region looks like, what might be found in
each region, the location of each region on a map, and which region the students
are located in (Piedmont).
3) After briefly explaining each area, the teacher lists the 5 regions on a piece of
paper. She tells the students, once she is done explaining the project they are going
to do, she will call them up, one at a time, and they will sign up for each region that
interests them and that they would like to do the project on.
4) The teacher then explains the project by telling the students that they will be
working with the group of people who had a similar interest in the region they
picked. She explains they will be allowed to do a quick PowerPoint outlining the
major characteristics of their region such as what does the region look like, are
there any prominent geographic features, are there any crops or natural resources
that grow in the area, and/or are there any major landmarks in the region? Students
will need to lists these details on a sheet (see attached) as well as on their
PowerPoint. The teacher explains that students will also need, to work together to
draw and design the major characteristics in their region on a piece of poster paper
cut out in the shape of the region they are researching. The teacher tells the
students that this will be hung up in the hallway to they will need to work hard on
the entire project and take it seriously. She tells them they can find all of their
information in the provided books as well as on the internet.
5) After the students understand the project, the teacher then calls the students up
one by one and asks them which region interests them and they would like to
research. After all students have had the opportunity to list one region they would
like to work on, the teacher announces who the groups will be and which regions
they will be working together on.
6) The teacher tells the students they will have about 1-2 weeks to work, depending
on how quickly they finish.
7) Students work until 1-2 weeks are up and then present their projects. The
students who are listening will have to take notes on the information they were
presented with from their peers.
Reflection