Catie Briggs

ECI 525
Lee

C3 Framework Instructional Plan

The Three Regions of North Carolina
PART I: OVERVIEW

Title: The Three Regions of North Carolina

Content Topic: Regions of North Carolina
o NC Essential Standards: 8.G.1.2 Understand the human and physical characteristics of
regions in North Carolina and the United States (e.g. physical features, culture, political
organization and ethnic make-up).
C3 Focus Indicators
o D1.1.6-8. Explain how a question represents key ideas in the field.
o D2.Geo.5.6-8. Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics
that make places both similar to and different from other places.
o D3.2.6-8. Evaluate the credibility of a source by determining its relevance and intended
use.
o D4.1.6-8. Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while
acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the arguments.
C3 Grade Band: 6-8
Materials:
o one laptop for every two students
o NC Regions Chart Worksheet
Time Required: Three 50-minute class periods

PART II. INTRODUCTION AND CONNECTIONS TO C3 FRAMEWORK

Day 1:
Explain to students that we are beginning a unit on the three regions of North Carolina. Their
culminating project will be to give a short group presentation on their assigned region of our state. Thier
presentations will be delivered as if they are a realtor, trying to sell their region to the rest of the class.
The initial activity will be for students to work with partners to come up with a short list of compelling
questions(5): What makes a place a desirable location for someone to live? They should take into
account physical geography, weather & climate, and economics. Students should not be focusing on any
particular region at this point.
This activity should take approximately 25 minutes (5 minute intro/assignment questions, 20 minutes to
work with partners).

Following this activity, students will begin working with their partners to complete their NC Regions
Chart Worksheet. For each region they need to outline the physical features of the region (including 2
specific physical features), the climate of the region, and the economics of the region. Students should
identify a reason why they think climate and physical features might affect the economy of the region.
This will take the rest of the class period; students will complete for homework.
Day 1 will incorporate the following focus indicators from the C3 Framework:
D1.1.6-8. Explain how a question represents key ideas in the field.
D2.Geo.5.6-8. Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics that make
places both similar to and different from other places.
D3.2.6-8. Evaluate the credibility of a source by determining its relevance and intended use.

Day 2:
Students will be randomly assigned to three groups, each assigned a region. Groups will work to create a
presentation. They will pretend that they are realtors who are trying to sell their region to the rest of the
class. They must cover physical features of the region, highlighting at least 4, weather and climate of
their region, and economics of the region, highlighting jobs in the region (since they are telling their
classmates to move there). Big question: Why should their classmates want to live here? Students will
use the internet to find supporting information. Their presentations must include one form of digital
media and should be around ten minutes long.
This activity should take entire class period, following 10 minute introduction and assignment
discussion. I will be available to discuss project details and questions throughout the class period as
students work on the assignment.
Day 2 will incorporate the following focus indicators from the C3 Framework:
D1.1.6-8. Explain how a question represents key ideas in the field.
D2.Geo.5.6-8. Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics that make
places both similar to and different from other places.
D3.2.6-8. Evaluate the credibility of a source by determining its relevance and intended use.
D4.1.6-8. Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while
acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the arguments.

Day 3:
Students will meet in groups for first ten minutes of class to put final touches on presentation. Each
group will present. This should take almost full class period. If time, students will vote as a class which
region they want to move to based on the presentations.
Overall Assignment Goals
Students should have increased their ability to develop compelling questions related to choices in
residence location.

Students should have an increased understanding and knowledge of the 3 main regions of North
Carolina.
Students should gain an understanding of the main geographical, climate, and economic factors that
affect residents of each particular region of North Carolina.

PART III. INQUIRY ARC

Dimension 1: Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
D1.1.6-8. Explain how a question represents key ideas in the field.
In the opening activity, students will focus on determining questions to help them decide how a place
may be deemed a desirable location for people to live. They will work in partners to determine a short
list of questions (5): What makes a place a desirable location for someone to live? They will essentially
be thinking about why these characteristics are important to other people. Students should not be
focusing on any particular region at this point. They should only be thinking about what makes a place
desirable for someone to live in, allowing them to come up with a short list of compelling questions.
These questions will then be used in guiding their research on their assigned region for their
presentations. They should take into account physical geography, weather & climate, and economics.
Although students are told to focus on these three main areas, they can (and will) come up with
questions outside of these areas. This will be perfectly acceptable, as their desirable traits in an area
may help them to develop a compelling argument for why their classmates should move to their
assigned region. They will continue this thought process once they are assigned a particular region of
NC; Students will take with them to their large groups, the key questions that they have developed.
These questions will be used to guide their research for their group presentations. They will have to
think about why others might want to come live in the region that they are selling. Furthermore, since
they will be required to focus on physical geography, weather & climate, and economics, they will have
to think about how each of these factors influences the inhabitants of their particular region.
Dimension 2: Connections to disciplinary tools and concepts
D2.Geo.5.6-8. Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics that make places
both similar to and different from other places.
Although students main focus will be on their assigned region of the state, each student will work,
initially, to complete their own NC Regions Worksheet. For each region they will outline the physical
features of the region (including 2 specific physical features), the climate of the region, and the
economics of the region. Students will also identify a reason why they think climate and physical
features may affect the economy of the region. In doing this activity they will gain an understanding of
each region of North Carolina and what factors differentiate these regions. This activity will help to
provide the background knowledge that they will need in order to make a compelling argument for the
superiority of their region as a a place of residence. Having a general understanding of each of the
regions will help the students to understand what characteristics may set their region apart from the
other two regions being discussed. Students will take their knowledge of each region into account when
developing an argument for why their region is the best place of residence in the state of North
Carolina.

Dimension 3: Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

D3.2.6-8. Evaluate the credibility of a source by determining its relevance and intended use.
In completing their NC Regions Chart Worksheet and developing their presentations, students will be
working with computers to find online sources. I will provide a couple of online sources for students to
use as examples and starting points. Students will have prior knowledge of how to determine if an
online source is reliable and credible. I will also be available to approve sources as they come across
them. Prior to presenting a source to me for approval, students should work together, in their groups, to
determine the viability and credibility of the source based on its relevance and intended use.
D3.3.6-8. Identify evidence that draws information from multiple sources to support claims, noting
evidentiary limitations.
Students will also be required to validate their arguments and claims based on information that is drawn
from multiple credible sources.
Provided Sources:
NC Pedia
http://ncpedia.org/geography/regions
NC Public Schools
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/elementary/studentsampler/20geography
Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action
D4.1.6-8. Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging
the strengths and limitations of the arguments.
Once students have completed their research, they will work as a group to complete a presentation on
their assigned region of North Carolina. Their presentations must include one form of digital media and
should be around ten minutes long. Due to time limitations on this project, students will be encouraged
to limit their digital media usage to either PowerPoint or Prezi. Students will have prior knowledge for
use of these applications. Presentations should have an overall goal of selling their assigned region of
North Carolina to the rest of the class as if the students were a group of realtors. Students
presentations will be guided by the questions they came up with in the initial activity as well as further
information that they researched as a group. Students are welcome to use any relevant arguments and
claims they wish, but are required to include physical features of the region, highlighting at least 4,
weather & climate of their region, and economics of their region, highlighting jobs in the region.
Because the students will be randomly assigned a region, they should be aware that they may not be in
agreement that theirs is the best part of the state to live in. Due to this, students will inherently be
aware of the limitations of their arguments/region. (ex. The piedmont group, will have a harder time
selling the vast number of water sports and leisure activities in their region.) Students should use this
awareness to create compelling arguments in support of their region which may outweigh the known
selling points of the other two regions.

PART IV. ASSESSMENT

The final assessment for this project will be a combination of both formative and summative
instructional design. Each student will receive two individual grades; one (summative) based on the
completion of the NC Regions Chart Worksheet and one based on their presentation (summative and
formative).
1. Grade 1: North Carolina Regions Chart Worksheet
Students grade will be based on timely completion and accuracy of the NC regions chart, due at
the beginning of class on day 3.
2. Grade 2: Presentation
Students overall presentation grade will be based on the following factors
o Participation in and completion of initial partner activity, determining 5 compelling
questions, due at the beginning of class on day 3.
o Participation with group in creation of argument and presentation. This will be observed
on day 2 during time assigned for presentation group work.
o Participation in group presentation to the class. This will be observed on day 3 during
presentations.
o Final 1 page write-up on unit, due at the beginning of class on the day following
presentations.
What did you learn about your region?
What do you think are the two most important questions to ask when
determining whether a location is an ideal place of residence?
After seeing all three presentations, in your opinion, which region of North
Carolina is the best one to live in? Why?