U.S.

Landforms & Major Bodies of Water

Student Teacher: Kelly Barr
Grade Level: 4
Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of
different aspects of a topic.

ECO 4.3 Identify examples of the variety of resources (human capital, physical
capital, and natural resources) that are used to produce goods and services

GEO 4.4 Explain how the cultural and environmental characteristics of places change
over time.

Student Learning Objectives:
Students will:
Research one selected U.S. landform or body of water in great detail.
Understand how to use Padlet to display information.
Display information they found by creating a Padlet with facts, links, and
images about their landform/body of water.
Gain knowledge of importance and impact of chosen landform/body of water.

Rationale for Objective:
Lesson supports previous understanding of research methods as well as develops
further understanding of United States geography.
Assessment:

Padlet created centered on one image of landform/body of water.

Contains at least 10 pins

1. One pin must be name of landform/body of water w/ picture
2. One pin must describe current impact of this landform/body of water to
surrounding people/area. (Answer the question: What current impact does
this have?)
3. One pin must describe past impact of this landform/body of water to
surrounding people/area. (Answer the question: What impact did this have?)
4. One pin must contain 3 quick facts you think are interesting and that people
should know about your landform/ body of water.
5. Should have 3 pins (with pictures) that describe different aspects of your
landform/body of water.
6. One pin should link to informational video about your landform/body of
water.
7. One pin should explain why you think its important to learn about your

landform/body of water.
8. One pin should be titled Sources and contain at least 3 links to sources you
used to gain information.

Accommodation: Less pins (5 or 6 pins instead of 10)

Classroom Learning Environment Focus:

Students will view video at home and come to class to work on their Padlet project
individually.

Instructional Model/Strategy:

Direct Instruction: Students view instructional video containing 3 major
elements.
Element 1: Introduction to United States landforms and major bodies
of water.
Element 2: How to Use Padlet mini-tutorial
Element 3: Overview of Example Padlet: Farmington River & Rubric
Overview
Reason for model: Direct instruction allows teacher to provide steps to creating
Padlet in a way that students can follow by themselves.

Inquiry: Students will research chosen landform/ body of water.

Reason for model: The inquiry based model of instruction provides students with
opportunity to research their landform/ body of water and select information that
they believe to be relevant and worthwhile of learning.

Materials/Resources:
Computers & Internet Access

Daily Formative Assessment:
During the lesson I will walk around the classroom and be available for any
questions the students may have. I may choose to ask questions while walking
around the classroom and remind students of what pins they should have.
Differentiating Instruction:
Multiple materials created (i.e. Screencast tutorial video, Step-by-step tutorial pdf.
file) allow students to gain the same material and concepts in many different ways.
Students will be able to choose what information they believe to be important and
display it in own way.
Initiation:
I will motivate learners by using a familiar, local landmark (the Farmington River) as
an example of the assignment. This will connect to possible own experiences of the
Farmington River or other CT natural landmarks.

A. Students will gain a greater understanding of the importance and impact of a

U.S. landform or body of water.
B. Students will demonstrate their gained expertise on the landform/ body of
water by creating a visual display of knowledge using Padlet.
C. Important to everyday lives to realize everything has an impact and meaning
and sometimes it just takes time and effort to realize what that meaning is.

Lesson Development:
1. Play video that contains 3 elements.
a. Element 1: Introduction to United States landforms and major bodies
of water using thinglink map.
b. Element 2: How to Use Padlet mini-tutorial
c. Element 3: Overview of Example Padlet: Farmington River & Rubric
Overview & expectation explanation.
2. Students select landform/ body of water to study.
3. Students create Padlet following the requirements worksheet & rubric.
4. Students post Padlet URL to class website & self assess with rubric.

Closure:
Students will answer these questions of connection and purpose of lesson through
creation of their Padlet.