Module 2: Physical and Human Characteristics of Places- Social Studies 3 - Course Guide

Module Overview:

In this module, students will learn to identify the physical characteristics that define a place such as landforms, elevation, water features, climate, soil, natural vegetation, and animal life. They will learn to identify natural resources and hazards in their local area, as well as those in other regions, and differentiate between natural resources and natural hazards. Students will identify human characteristics that define a place such as population, culture, language, and economic and political activity, and describe a place using human and natural characteristics. Finally, students will design a place that has specific natural and human characteristics that students consider desirable.

Module Materials:

Lesson #	Lesson Title	Material(s)
1	Physical Characteristics	pen or pencil;
2	Natural Resources and Natural Hazards	None
3	Human Characteristics	None
4	Identifying Places by Natural and Human Characteristics	None
5	What Is It Like When We Get There?	colored pencils;

Module Objectives:

Lesson #	Lesson Title	Objective(s)
1	Physical Characteristics	Identify the physical characteristics that define a place such as landforms, elevation, water features, climate, soil, natural vegetation, and animal life.
2	Natural Resources and Natural Hazards	Identify natural resources and hazards in their local area, as well as those in other regions. Differentiate between natural resources and natural hazards.
3	Human Characteristics	Identify human characteristics that define a place such as population, culture, language, and economic and political activity.
4	Identifying Places by Natural and Human Characteristics	Describe a place using human and natural characteristics.
5	What Is It Like When We Get There?	Design a place that has specific natural and human characteristics that students consider desirable.

Module Key Words:

Key Words
physical characteristics elevation landform climate vegetation natural resources natural hazard natural disaster human characteristics population settlement political economic culture natural characteristics economics

Module Assignments:

Lesson #	Lesson Title	Page #	Assignment Title
2	Natural Resources and Natural Hazards	6	Natural Resources and Natural Hazards Assignment
4	Identifying Places by Natural and Human Characteristics	5	Describe the Rainforest Assignment
5	What Is It Like When We Get There?	5	Design an Island Assignment

Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson #	Lesson Title	Notes
1	Physical Characteristics	After completing this lesson, ask your student to explain what physical characteristics describe. Have them describe the physical characteristics of where they live.
2	Natural Resources and Natural Hazards	After completing this lesson, ask your student to explain what natural resources and natural hazards are and how natural hazards can affect natural resources. If possible ask them to think about natural resources that are around where they live and if any natural hazards have ever occurred that affected those resources.
3	Human Characteristics	After completing this lesson, ask your student to explain what makes up the human characteristics of a place. Have them describe the human characteristics where they live and help them look up a place they would like to visit and research the human characteristics of that place.
4	Identifying Places by Natural and Human Characteristics	After completing this lesson, ask your student to look up a place they would like to visit to learn more about, and have them describe the place using human and natural characteristics.
5	What Is It Like When We Get There?	After completing this lesson, discuss with your student their ideal place.

Guiding Questions

Module Guiding Questions:

When a student starts a lesson ask them questions to check for prior knowledge and understanding and to review concepts being taught. At the end of the lesson ask the questions again to see if their answer changes.

Lesson Title	Question
Physical Characteristics	What are physical characteristics?
Natural Resources and Natural Hazards	What is a natural resource?
Human Characteristics	What are the human characteristics of a place?
Identifying Places by Natural and Human Characteristics	How can human and natural characteristics be used together to identify and/or locate a place?
What Is It Like When We Get There?	What characteristics of a place would make it ideal for you?

Module Video Questions:

When a student watches a video take time to ask them questions about what they watched. Suggested questions for the videos in this module are listed here. Suggestion: Have the student watch the entire video first all the way through. Then have them watch the video a second time, as they watch it pause the video and ask the questions.

Lesson Title	Video	Question

Module Suggested Read Aloud Books:

Take time to read to your student or have them read aloud to you. Read a different book each day. While reading the book point out concepts being taught. You may purchase these books or find them at your local library. Suggested things to discuss while reading the book:

What is the main idea?
What are three things new you learned?
How does this book relate to what you are learning about?

#	Book	Author	Lexile Level

Module Outing:

Take some time to apply what your student is learning to the real world. Suggested outings are below.

#	Outing