1.

0 Lesson Plan Details: Natural Resources in the North East, Day 2, Taryn Bramel and Vicki Jackson,
4th Grade
Expected Duration
45 minutes
Concepts
Resources
Vocabulary
Natural Resources
Quarry
compass rose
key
scale
Skills
Research skills
Map skills - labeling
1.1 Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives
Students will be able to research an assigned natural resource from New England and present
their findings to the class.
Students will be able to create and label a map of the Northeast with partners.
1.2 Standards
Standards PA Geography:
7.1.4.B:Describe and locate places and regions as defined by physical and human
features.
Theme 3-People, Places, and Environment
NCSS.1.3.a ...enable learners to construct, use and refine mental maps of locales,

regions, and the world that demonstrates their understanding of relative

location, direction, size, and shape
NCSS.1.3.j ...challenge learners to consider, compare, and evaluate existing
alternative uses of resources and land in communities, regions, nations, and the
world
Theme 7--- Production, Distribution, and Consumption:
NCSS.1.7.a ...enable learners to explain how the scarcity of productive resources
(human, capital, technological, and natural) requires the development of
economic systems to make decisions about how goods and services are to be
produced and distributed
1.3 Anticipatory Set (2 minutes)
1. The teacher will begin a discussion on the states in the Northeast by asking students What
states from Northeast America do you remember from yesterday?

2. The teacher will then have students complete a smart board activity where they drag a label
to the correct states on the map.
3. In order to transition students to the next activity the teacher will have the map from the text
enlarged on the smartboard next. The teacher will tell students that their are specific natural
resources that are found in each state. As she does this she will have students try to define
natural resources.
a. A natural resource is something that is found in nature and can be used by people.
Earth's natural resources include light, air, water, plants, animals, soil, stone, minerals,
and fossil fuels.
1.4 Procedures (40 minutes)
1. The teacher will have students take out their textbooks, turn to page 113 and find the image
of the map that is on the smartboard.
2. Next the teacher will lead a discussion where the following questions are asked and discussed:
What does the fish symbol represent?
expected: Fish and Shellfish etc.
Where are the Fish and Shellfish resources found? In the middle of the states or on
the coastline?
expected: coastline or along the water etc.
What do the green colored areas on the map?
expected: forest etc
Which state has the most forest area as a resource?
expected: Maine
What do the blue and yellow areas on the map represent?
expected: Farming and Dairy Farming
Which symbols represent items that are mined?
expected: Coal, zinc, granite, marble
3. Students will then watch the following video:
a. http://schoolmediainteractive.com/view/object/clip/D338EAAC7252CA4039DDFB20C
F16D868/05
b. played from start till the 4:00 minute mark
4. Now the teacher will place the students into groups of 3 to 4 students.
a. Together the students will research and find information on a particular resource.
Topics:
Farming
Mining
Trees
Fishing
Sources on:
Map - Pg 113
Farming - Pg 113
Mining - Pg 113
Trees - Pg 114
Fishing - Pg 114

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11.

b. The teacher will give each group a research guide and where to find information on
their section in the book, including the map and a written section.
After they have completed their research, the teacher will have the groups present their
information to class.
Next the teacher will have the students return to their original spots and bring up a blank
state map of the Northeast on the smartboard. The teacher will review the parts of a map
with the students by adding pre-prepared images to the smart board as they share the parts.
a. What is this map missing?
i.
compass rose
ii.
key
iii.
scale
The teacher will then model adding a resource to the map, for example adding the fish symbol
along the coast of Maine.
After modeling the process, the teacher will explain that the students are now going to create
their own maps of the Northeast natural resources.
The teacher will pair the students then give each pair a blank outline of the northeastern
states.
The teacher will tell students they must include the following on their maps:
a. state names and borders
b. a key
c. a compass rose
d. a scale
e. symbols for each of the main natural resources
f. symbols for major cities
g. symbols for major physical features (such as rivers, lakes, or mountains)
The students will share their maps in groups of 4 students.

1.5 Differentiation
For a lower level student, the teacher would reduce the amount of information that would
need to be put on the map for assessment. The teacher could also pair the lower level student
with a higher level student for more support.
For a higher level student, the teacher could have the student(s) go beyond the textbook and
research more information about their assigned resource on the internet or in another book.
For the assessment, the student could add or label more information on the map.
1.6 Closure
After the students have finished labeling and adding to their map, the teacher will collect it for
assessment. Then, the teacher will ask the class several follow up questions. Today we learned about
natural resources that are found in the Northeast, can someone tell me what a natural resources is?
Pause for answers. What are some of the natural resources that we learned about today? Pause for
answers. We also added natural resources to the map that we labeled, what are some other things
that we added to our map? Pause for answers.

1.7 Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12)

Formative assessment: The teacher will make observations throughout the lesson and during
the group presentations to see if the students are comprehending the information.
Summative assessment: The teacher will collect the maps and research when the students are
finished to see if they correctly labeled the map and added the correct information. This
maps/products will be assessed as part of the Unit Portfolio. The students will also be
assessed as part of the Mi d-unit test.
1.8 Materials/Equipment
Student Resources:
Drawing Utensils: preferably colored pencils
Blank Northeast USA maps
Harcourt Social Studies Student Text (cited in content notes)
Research Sheets
Teacher Resources:
Harcourt Social Studies Teachers Edition
Smartboard and Laptop
Prepared Smartboard presentation
Content Notes
Website

M.I-Minor
Influence or
S.I-Significant
Influence

If S.I. include
why credible

How easy is it
for teachers to
access?

How easy is it
for students to
access?

This is a
textbook
prepared by

Teacher edition
is set up
explicitly for
teacher use so
easy.

Student edition
is set up
explicitly for
student use so
easy.

M.I.
http://kids.brita
nnica.com/com
ptons/article-20
4173/Maine
Harcourt Social
Studies
Teachers and
Student Edition

S.I.

Social Studies in
Elementary
Education Text
book

S.I.

Content Notes:

1. Natural Resources of the Northeast

a. Farming
i.
Location: throughout the southern areas.
ii.
Use: produce food and crops for people and animals to eat
iii.
Facts: includes corn, is found primarily in the southern area of the region
because of the weather
b. Mining
i.
Location: Mostly in the southern areas
ii.
Use: retrieve metals and minerals
iii.
Facts: Includes silver, Mining is not as common as the other three resources,
c. Trees
i.
Location: throughout the middle and northern areas.
ii.
Use: to build, make paper, make products.
iii.
Facts: Has an effect on the environment, Involves a lot of manpower, Helps
create paper products.
d. Fishing
i.
Location: along the coast
ii.
Use: food for animals and people
iii.
Facts: Includes the famous Maine lobsters, has led to fewer fish in the area,
Main part of local food.