What is there to see from sea to shining sea? - Mission Geography

Module 3 Educator’s Guide Investigation 2What is there tosee from sea toshining sea?Investigation OverviewThis investigation builds on the first investigationin this module. Students locate andidentify physical and human-made features in theUnited States using images from space and create their own U.S. mapsthat are illustrated with NASA images. The song “America the Beautiful” isused to help students recognize that our country has many differentregions and that the landscape of our country is very diverse.Time required: Two 45-minute sessionsMaterials/ResourcesAtlases or U.S. maps (one for each group of four)Log 1: How many physical and human-made features can you find? (onefor each group of four)Log 2: What features make our country a special place? (one for eachgroup of four)Log 3: What features make our country a special place? (answer page)(one for each group of four)Log 4: Sea to shining sea—Images (one for each student)Poster board (one for each group)Masking tapeWall mapContent PreviewPlaces on Earth are characterized by their physical and human properties.Their natural physical features include climate, landforms, soils, bodies ofwater, vegetation, and animal life. Their human characteristics includelanguage, religion, political systems, economic systems, population distribution,and the features people construct such as cities, airports, roads,bridges, and canals. Both natural environmental features and humanmadefeatures are visible from space.Geography StandardsStandard 1: The World inSpatial TermsHow to use maps and othergeographic representations,tools, and technologies to acquire,process, and report informationfrom a spatial perspective• Identify and describe the characteristicsand purposes ofgeographic representation, tools,and technologies.Standard 4: Places andRegionsThe physical and humancharacteristics of places• Use a variety of graphic materialsand data sources to describe thephysical and human characteristicsof a region.Geography SkillsSkill Set 2: Acquire GeographicInformation• Make and record observationsabout the physical and humancharacteristics of places.Skill Set 4: Analyze GeographicInformation• Use texts, photographs, anddocuments to observe and interpretgeographic trends and relationships.Classroom ProceduresBeginning the Investigation1. Divide students into groups of four and give each group an atlas and acopy of Log 1. Review the definition of physical and human-madefeatures. (Physical features describe the natural features of the landsuch as landforms and water bodies, and human-made features arethe characteristics of a place or region that are made by people.) Tellthem to look carefully at the satellite image and ask if anyone canidentify the city. It is San Francisco, California. Now tell students tolocate San Francisco on the wall map and describe its location. (On1

Module 3 Educator’s Guide Investigation 2the west coast, near the Pacific Ocean, on a bay,etc.) Have them list the kinds of physical andhuman-made features they can see in the satelliteimage. Discuss and compare their lists.2. Have the students find a physical map of theUnited States in the atlas and help them to identifythe physical features they see on the map byname. (Various mountain ranges, major lakes andrivers, deserts, etc.) If the wall map shows thesefeatures, there is no need to use the atlases.Developing the Investigation3. Divide the class into groups and give each groupan atlas and a copy of Logs 2 and 3. Tell thestudents to cut out the three boxes in Log 3 andmatch them to the three correct images in Log 2.Have the students look at the images and discussthe kinds of physical and human-made featuresthey can see. Ask them to determine whether thefeatures are mostly physical or mostly humanmadeand circle the answer. Then have them listexamples of these features. When students havecompleted the activity, discuss their answers.4. Tell the students that about 100 years agoKatharine Lee Bates wrote a poem which later wasmade into a song by Samuel A. Ward. This songdescribes the United States’ wide skies, richfarmlands, mountains, and more. Ask if anyone canname the song. Have the class sing “America theBeautiful.”America the BeautifulO beautiful for spacious skies,For amber waves of grain,For purple mountain majestiesAbove the fruited plain!America! America!God shed His grace on theeAnd crowned thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining sea!5. Use the wall map to discuss the song. Havestudents help identify the places in the UnitedStates that we associate with “amber waves ofgrain” (the Great Plains); “purple mountain majesties”(coastal ranges, Sierra Nevadas, Cascades,Rockies, Appalachians); “the fruited plain” (southeasterncoastal plain including Florida).Concluding the Investigation6. Have the students work in their groups to draw anoutline map of the United States on a largeposterboard using an overhead projector. Instructthem to cut out the images from Log 4. Have themwork in small groups to decide where each imagebelongs on their maps. They should check thelocations on the wall map or in an atlas. Haveeach group attach its images on the posterboardmap with tape. Discuss the map as a class andcorrect any misplaced images.This activity can be extended by having studentsaffix magazine pictures and postcards to the map.7. Ask each group to collaborate and write a poemthat will describe the images on the map. Suggestthat they identify and describe the geographicfeatures they learned about, and that they includeinformation on ways we can protect our country’senvironment from “sea to shining sea.” Display thepoems in the classroom.Evaluation*Log 1: How many physical and human-madefeatures can you find?Physical features: bay, ocean, strait, peninsula,islandHuman-made features: city, buildings, bridges,streets, parks, roads, airport*Log 3: What features make our country a specialplace?Grand Canyon—image #1Lanai, Hawaii—image #4Lake Michigan and Chicago, Illinois—image #6*Log 4: Sea to shining sea1. San Francisco2. Mount Rainier3. Sonoran Desert4. Great Salt Lake—Salt Lake City5. Rocky Mountains6. Albuquerque, New Mexico7. New Orleans8. Great Lakes9. Cape Canaveral, Florida10. Chesapeake Bay11. New York City2

Module 3, Investigation 2: Log 1How many physical and human-made features can you find?NameDatePhysical FeaturesHuman-Made Features13

Module 3, Investigation 2: Log 2What features make our country a special place?Directions: Cut out the boxes on Log 3. Match them to the three correct images.124 2

Module 3, Investigation 2: Log 2What features make our country a special place?345 3

Module 3, Investigation 2: Log 2What features make our country a special place?566 4

Module 3, Investigation 2: Log 3What features make our country a special place?NameDateDirections1. After you have matched the satellite images, look at each image to see if it has “mostly physical” or“mostly human-made” features. Circle your answer.2. Identify the kinds of physical and human-made features you can see.Grand Canyon, Arizona1) Mostly Physical Mostly Human-Made2) Identify the features you see:PhysicalHuman-MadeLanai Island, Hawaii1) Mostly Physical Mostly Human-Made2) Identify the features you see:PhysicalHuman-MadeLake Michigan and Chicago, Illinois1) Mostly Physical Mostly Human-Made2) Identify the features you see:PhysicalHuman-Made7 5

Module 3, Investigation 2: Log 4Sea to shining sea—ImagesRocky MountainsCape Canaveral, FloridaSan Francisco, California, and surrounding areasSalt Lake City, Utah, and Great Salt LakeThe Great Lakes68

Module 3, Investigation 2: Log 4Sea to shining sea—ImagesLong Island, New YorkAlbuquerque, New MexicoNew Orleans, Louisiana, and Lake PontchartrainChesapeake BayMount Rainier, Washington9 7Southwest corner of the Sonoran Desert