Teacher: Kelsey Blake

Grade Level: 4th

School: David Scott Elementary
Date: 2/10/16
Overall lesson topic/title Duration of time
Climate of the West 30 minutes
Objectives for todays lesson:
Students will be able to identify reasons people move into or out of a region.
Students will be able to observe differences between regions pertaining to the
land.
MI GLCEs
4 G1.0.4 Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures to answer
geographic questions about the United States.
4 G1.0.5 Use maps to describe elevation, climate, and patterns of population density in
the United States.
Materials & supplies needed:
Firestorm by Jean Craighead George.
West region graphic organizer
United States map
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each
event
LAUNCH (BEFORE)
(5 minutes)
We will learn about the climate in parts of the West today!
Can you imagine worrying about fires in the area that
surrounds your house?
We are going to read Firestorm today, which is about a
boy named Axel on a trip in Idaho. With your partner, I
want you to write down information about the climate in
the West Region of your USA packet, under Climate of
the West.
Please find your 2 oclock partner to sit next to!
EXPLORE (DURING)
(20 minutes)

Academic, Social and

Linguistic Support
during each event for my
focus students:

All students will be working

with partners, so those who
need academic and social
support will have someone
to discuss with during the
lesson.

I will read this story aloud to the class. During the story, I
will stop to ask the students questions. Students will be
given time to discuss the questions with their partners
first, before sharing with the whole class. I will also give
students time to talk about the climate and record their
notes in their packet. I will ask questions such as:
What do you think is going to happen? Why?
How would you feel if you were Axel?
What does this tell us about the climate in Idaho?
What happens to the natural resources?
If you lived in Idaho, what would you do?
How do you think people can impact the climate?

This is a read-aloud, so
struggling readers will be
able to listen to the story.

(Movement Break)
SUMMARIZE (AFTER)
(5 minutes)
Next students will go back to their desk so they will be
able to speak with their groups of 4-6 students. I will ask
students to share with their groups the major differences
between the climate we read about, and the one we live
in. Students will then share to the whole group. I will
encourage others to write down new information that they
did not write down during the reading. I will also ask
students why they think people live in Idaho, and why they
think people may move out of Idaho. They will share with
small groups. I will pull sticks to have students share their
thoughts, or their group members.

Students will discuss with

their group members,
which allows every an idea
to share to the large group.

Assessment
Students will write down one reason why people may
move out of the West region.

Academic, Social, and

Linguistic Support during
assessment

I will use this informal assessment to see if students

understood the concepts of the lesson. If students did not
understand, I will change my strategies for the upcoming
lessons.

Students who need

academic support will be
supplied with a scribe if
they would like one.