District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:
 

Lesson 1: Geographic Tools and Concepts 

Duration: 7 class periods

Indicator: Geography 1 :  Interpret maps, globes, charts and geographic databases.
Enduring Understanding:  Maps, globes and other geographic tools are used to acquire process and report information about the past and present.
Essential Question: How can we use geographic tools, to gather and interpret information about the Western Hemisphere?

Assessment: Prompt--What are the major similarities and differences among globes, maps, and atlases? 
Activities:

• Compare a globe, map and atlas and discuss similarities and differences  
• Use an atlas to identify types and uses of maps.
• Complete and interpret a map of the world—continents, oceans, etc. 
• Use “Dogs Tails”

Resources:
Globe, Atlas, Appropriate Maps; Textbook- Western Hemispheres, pp 16-22; Atlas; Video: Continents of the world --Earth’s Physical Features; DOGS TAILS

Differentiation
Support: Graphic organizer partially filled in with a word bank; provide an enlarged map of the world and labels that students transfer to the map.
Extension: Determine ways of illustrating similarities and differences among globes, maps, and other geographic tools, other than writing

Lesson 2 : Characteristics of Place                    

Indicator Geography 2 : Define and identify regions by describing physical and human characteristics of places.
Duration: 5 class periods

Enduring Understanding: Physical and human characteristics of places define regions.
Essential Question: How do physical and human characteristics define and identify region and place?

Assessment: Assign picture from text or other resource.  Have students’ list physical and human characteristics. Explain whether they are harmful or helpful to the environment.
Activities:

• Identify, describe and apply physical characteristics of place—physical features, soil, vegetation, climate and weather, minerals, animals
• Identify, describe and apply human characteristics of place—human features, political structure, language, economic activity, population distribution
• Use maps and related pictures to identify physical and human characteristics
• Places CO

Resources: Atlas, Pictures, Computer to access pictures of various physical features. Textbooks: Western Hemisphere, Chapters 2 and 3. 

Differentiation
Support: Use pictures in text book and/or atlas to match with a limited list of physical and human characteristics. 
Extension: Find a picture that illustrate at least 3 human and 3 physical characteristics.

Lesson 3: Physical Processes. 
Duration: 2 class periods

Indicator: Geography 3 Describe physical processes that shape the earth's surface.
Enduring Understanding: Physical processes shape the earth's surface.
Essential Question: Which physical process has had the greatest impact on shaping and continuing to shape the earth's surface?

Assessment: Using information from various resources, develop a summary statement and data to support the main topic .
Activities:

• Investigate the Ring of Fire.
• Explain the Movement of the continents, (Pangaea) and Tectonics, and their impact on the earth’s surface
• Hands on - (orange peel to show flat map: Western Hemisphere Prentice Hall, pages 2-19. 
•  

Resources: Video- Continents Adrift (28719).  Textbook – Western Hemisphere, pp 33-38;  library books that show information on the continents and shifting of earth; computer-internet to research topic of Pangea.

Differentiation
Support: Work with a partner to illustrate Pangea and compare to what the world looks like now.  Extension: Using the computer, find info about Pangea, describing how the continents were located and the effect on the earth.

Lesson 4: Immigration and migration  
Duration: 3 class periods

Indicator Geography 4 : Explain how migration and immigration affect the location and distribution of human activity.
Enduring Understanding: Migration and immigration affect the location and distribution of human activity.
Essential Question: How do migration and immigration affect the location and distribution of human activity?

Assessment: Using the vocabulary words (migration, immigration, population density, population distribution) develop a constructed response explaining reasons for people moving to or away from a region or place.
Activities:

• Define and provide examples of immigration, migration, population density, spatial organization and "Push-Pull" factors. 
• Discuss:  Why do people move?  List responses, then categorize as "push" or "pull".  Explain the terms "push" and "pull" as they relate to migration, i.e. the movement of people from place to place. "Push" factors include the reasons for leaving a place, such as war, famine, disease, a perceived lack of justice, terrorism, etc. "Pull" factors included reasons for settling in a place, including the promise of better jobs, food, housing, education, and encouragement from family or friends. Have students provide current and historical examples of each term.
• Use specialty maps in texts and atlas

Resources: Textbook – Western Hemisphere, pp 67-73;    Graphic Organizer, Atlas  

Differentiation
Support: paragraph with vocabulary words are provided in a word bank. 
Extension: Using the vocabulary, provide a fictional scenario of a family moving and their reasons for doing so.

Lesson 5: Humans and the environment  
Duration: 3 class periods

Indicator Geography 5 : Explain how humans modify the environment and how the environment influences human activity.
Enduring Understanding: Resources impact interactions between humans and their environment
Essential Question: How have humans modified the environment? How does the environment affect human activity?

Assessment: Illustrate and or summarize three human modifications and explain how each was beneficial or harmful to the environment.
Activities:

• Look at pictures in a text book and develop a summary of human modifications of the environment shown.  Discuss how the these have been beneficial or harmful
• Draw a map of neighborhood including all environmental and human modifications.  Discuss how these have been beneficial or harmful.

Resources: pictures from a calendar or identified in the text that show the environment e.g.  forest, beach, etc.; also, pictures of buildings, factories, roads

Differentiation
Support: draw a picture showing 3 ways humans have changed your community. 
Extension: Select a familiar site; describe how it may have looked like prior to human modifications, how it has been modified, and what beneficial modifications might be made to improve it