Unit 2 -- The Atlantic Coast

Upper Elementary Social Studies

Unit 2:  Introduction to Topographic Features; Georgia

Time:  2 weeks

Materials:

1.  class notebook

2.  student atlases

3.  various maps of the Atlantic coast

4.  craft supplies for creating mural

5.  The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff, Mr. Emerson's Cook by Judity Schachner, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" by Longfellow

6.  various foods and ingredients for Boston cream pie

7.  individual wipe-off U.S. maps

Activities

1.  Students will use vocabulary lists, participate in an interactive demonstration, make flashcards and draw imaginary coastlines to review coastline formations (e.g., peninsula, gulf). 

2.  Students will locate various coastline formations on maps of the Atlantic coast.

3.  Students will review the history of exploration and colonization of the Atlantic coast with an interactive lesson.

4.  Students create a mural of a coral reef with a coral island.

5.  Students will use road maps and driving directions to locate a particular Atlantic Coast island, and will trace the path of U.S. Highway 1 from the Florida Keys to Canada.

6.  Students will listen to a story about Ellis Island and will locate Ellis Island on a map of New York City.

7.  Students will practice using the index in their atlases to locate cities in New England that share names with cities in England.

8.  Students will explore some of the history of New England, particularly Boston, and listen to Longfellow's "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere."

9.  Students will explore the particular culture of New England through reading a story about Ralph Waldo Emerson, taste-testing various New England foods, and baking Boston cream pie. 

10.  Students will continue work on their individual U.S. maps, showing Atlantic Coast states and points of particular personal interest..

Objectives:

1.  Students will define or give an example of each of the following coastline formations and geographical terms:  peninsula, cape, point, gulf, bay, sea, sound, harbor, strait, lake, isthmus, archipelago, Florida Keys, barrier island.  Learning evaluated through homework assignments, classroom discussions and on quiz.

2.  Students will show on a map the Florida Keys, an example of a barrier island, and New York Harbor.  Learning evaluated through individual demonstrations.

3.  Students will illustrate the characteristics of coral islands.  Learning evaluated through class mural project.

4.  Students will identify names of locations along the Atlantic coast that are taken from early explorers and colonizers.  Learning evaluated through classroom discussion and on quiz.

5.  Students will identify New England states on a map.  Learning evaluated on quiz.

6.  Students will demonstrate the ability to use atlas indexes to find cities on maps of New England and England.  Learning evaluated on homework.

7.  Students will name one person or historical event associated with New England.  Learning evaluated on quiz.