Teacher: Kelsey Blake

Grade Level: 4th

School: David Scott Elementary
Date: 2/29
Overall lesson topic/title Duration of time
The Midwest 35 minutes
Objectives for todays lesson:

Students will be able to describe the landforms in each region.

Students will be able to explain how maps tell us information.
Students will be able to discuss how natural resources are used in the regions.
Students will be able to observe human created differences between regions.

MI GLCEs
4 G2.0.1 Describe ways in which the United States can be divided into different regions
(e.g., political regions, economic regions, landform regions, vegetation regions).
4 G2.0.2 Compare human and physical characteristics of a region to which Michigan
belongs (e.g., Great Lakes, Midwest) with those of another region in the United States.
4 G5.0.1 Assess the positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical
environment of the United States.
Materials & supplies needed:

Rau, D (2012). The Midwest (True Books: U.S. Regions). Scholastic Library
Publishing. (Copies) and modified passages

USA Packet Midwest Graphic Organizer

Procedures and approximate time allocated for each

event
LAUNCH (BEFORE)
(5 minutes)
Today you are going to become teachers! You are going
to work in groups to collect information about the Midwest!
Guess who lives in the Midwest? (We do!)
As a group, you are going to create a short skit to show

Academic, Social and

Linguistic Support
during each event for my
focus students:

the class based on what you read!

You will first read the material, and collect your
information on the Midwest section of your USA packet.
Next you will create a short skit as a group. It should be
no longer than two minutes, and you will have time to
practice. I will come around to help!
I will then give students their assigned groups, and pass
out the materials they will need.
EXPLORE (DURING)
(15 minutes)
Students will be sorted into 5 groups: landforms,
resources, climate, farming and other industries, and
large cities and tourism.
I will monitor the time and let students know when they
should transition from reading, to creating a skit, to
practicing.
I will circulate the classroom and help students
understand the material. I will ask them what do you
think the most important information is from this
passage? I will also ask, what do you think your
classmates should know?
When students are creating skits, I will offer my help, but I
will encourage them to be creative.
SUMMARIZE (AFTER)
(15 minutes)
Each group will present their skit to the class. I will then
ask the class what they learned from each skit. Students
will then be able to ask the presenters questions. If the
students are missing information I believe they should
know, I will fill in the gaps.
I will ask the students how the Midwest differs from the
other regions we have learned about. I will allow students
to talk with partners.

Students will be working in

groups, which will allow
others to help those who
need academic support
while reading.
Varied levels of text will be
available for the students to
read as well as key
vocabulary words.

Assessment
Students will write two ways in which the Midwest is
different from another region. This will let me know if
they are able to make comparisons.

Academic, Social, and

Linguistic Support during
assessment:
Students who need
academic support will be
supplied with a scribe if
they would like one.