Social Studies

1. Social Studies 4thGrade Unit One: Geography

2. When you think of Social Studies, what topics come to mind?

3. Subjects That Fall Under Social Studies Geography History Economics Politics ( Political Science) Sociology

4. Key Questions to think about when Examining history: How does diversity develop both within and across cultures? What connections are there between the past, present, and future? What factors influence how individuals perceive other individuals, groups, and cultures? How do individual, groups, and institutions influence society, both local and globally? How are local production and consumption connected to the global economy? How do changes in science and technology impact individuals, groups, nations, and the world? How and why do nations with differing belief systems collaborate to address global problems? How do different political structures compare and contrast with that of the United States?

5. When looking at a specific event, ask: From whose perspective is this account given? Could there be other perspectives or interpretations? Why might this be so? Whose voices are heard? Whose are omitted? Why? How can we judge the quality of the evidence provided? How are specific groups and individuals portrayed in this account? Why might this be so? Why are there different versions of events, and what impact does this have on our ideas of “truth” and historical accuracy?

6. Unit One:Geography of New York State Essential Question: How can New York States’ diverse geography be examined and represented by a variety of different maps?

7. Unit One Vocabulary Geography Geographers Physical features landforms Cartography Cartographers Population Density Political Map Physical Map Climate

8. Lesson 1: Geography Matters • Learning Target: By comparing New York City to another NY location with different geographical features, I can understand why geography matters and how it affects people’s lives.

9. What comes to mind when you think of the word GEOGRAPHY?

10. GEOGRAPHY • In Greek, • “geo” means Earth • “graphy” means writing • Geography = writing about Earth • Geography is the study of Earth’s physical features and how these physical features affect people. • A person who studies geography is called a geographer.

11. Focus Question Why does geography matter?

12. What are Physical Features?

13. Physical Features • Physical Features are the landforms that create the Earth’s surface. • Mountains • Deserts • Rivers • Oceans • Lakes • Islands • Etc.

14. SS 9/24/19 Aim: How can we use a T-chart to learn about the physical and human characteristics that make up New York State?

15. SS 9/25/19 Aim: How can we conduct research on the physical and human characteristics of a New York State location?

16. In my mind, I am traveling somewhere. Your job is to figure out the place. I am going to give you clues that give you the personality of my place. When you think you figured out the place, write it down on a piece of paper.

17. “I am in a place where people speak Spanish and English. I am in a place where there are no subways, but there is a monorail, cars, and buses. Alligators live here. There is a building shaped like a golf ball. Farmers grow oranges here. The landscape is very flat, except for all the trees in the Everglades. It is a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Where do I live?”

18. Florida • Physical Characteristics • Building shaped like a golf ball • Farmers grow oranges here • People speak Spanish and English • There are no subways. There is a monorail, cars, and buses • The landscape is very flat • Alligators live here • Trees in the everglades • It is a peninsula with water surrounded on three sides • Oranges are grown here Human Characteristics

21. Geography is studied using 5 themes: Location ( Where is it?) Place (What is it like there?) Movement (How do people, products, information, and ideas move from one place to another?) Region ( What are an area’s similar characteristics?) Human-Environment Interaction( How do people affect the Earth by how they use it, adapt to, or change the environment?)

26. Let’s take a Road Trip to Explore New York State’s Geography

27. Today’s Task You are going to research a place, a vacation spot, in New York State. You are going to use the internet, books, and maps to locate information on the human and physical characteristics of your place. You will take notes based on your readings and observations and record them onto a t-chart.

28. When you are done researching your place in New York State, you will create your own “Where am I?” riddle.

29. New York Vacation Spots Catskill Mountains Adirondacks (Adirondack Mountains) Long Island Niagara Falls Finger Lakes New York City

33. Sharing Our Riddles 1.) Find another partnership in the room and exchange riddles. 2.) When each partnership is done reading, guess each other’s place in New York State. 3.) Explain to the partnership why you chose that place. What specific characteristics (physical or human) made you think that? 4.) Critique each other’s riddles: a.)

34. 10/2/19Aim: How can we share and critique our riddles of our place in New York State? Do Now: Take out your riddle books from Friday!

36. Now its Your Turn Using the Venn Diagram in your workbooks, Compare NYC to either the Catskills or Lake George.

37. Concluding Discussion Why does Geography matter?

38. Response How does the different physical features of an area affect the different activities that people can do?