Atlas  of  California:    A  Changing  State  

California  Geographic  Alliance  CCSS  Conference  

March  3,  2012  

Funding  and  Support  for  this  work  provided  by:  

Atlas  ExploraEon  

•  Use  the  atlas  and  page  5  in  your  parEcipant  notebook  to  explore  the  atlas.  

•  Record  your  answers  to  share.  •  Work  with  your  elbow  partner  to  find  the  items  and  develop  responses.  

•  Stay  with  your  elbow  partner  and  share  ideas  for  atlas  exploraEon  with  your  students.  

Discovery  

•  Did  you  discover  something  unexpected  about  the  California  Atlas?  

•  How  can  the  atlas  help  your  students  to  meet  standards?  

•  What  maps  will  be  most  helpful  in  your  classroom?  

Map  Skills  

DemonstraEon  Lesson  #1  

Standards  

•  Demonstrate  an  understanding  of  the  physical  and  human  geographic  features  that  define  places  and  regions  in  California.  

•  Explain  and  use  the  coordinate  grid  system  of  laEtude  and  longitude  to  determine  the  absolute  locaEons  of  places  in  California  and  on  Earth.  

•  DisEnguish  between  the  North  and  South  Poles;  the  equator  and  the  prime  meridian;  the  tropics;  and  the  hemispheres,  using  coordinates  to  plot                          locaEons.  

ObjecEves  

•  Understand  specific  map  skills  outlined  in  the  California  Atlas  (use  of  symbols,  laEtude  and  longitude,  scale,  projecEon,  etc.)  

•   Apply  these  maps  skills  to  selected  maps  in  the  California  Atlas  

•  Describe  the  importance  of  the  map  skills  

Procedures  

•  Set  the  stage  by  examining  a  map  to  idenEfy  what  is  visible  

•  Compare  and  contrast  maps  to  idenEfy  similariEes  and  differences  

•  IdenEfy  and  read  about  different  map  skills  

•  Develop  quesEons  about  maps  and  the  elements  that  make  up  a  map  

•  Research  map  skills  

LocaEon:  Where  I  Live  

DemonstraEon  Lesson  #2  

Standards  

•  IdenEfy  the  state  capital  and  describe  the  various  regions  of  California  

•  IdenEfy  the  locaEons  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  rivers,  valleys,  and  mountain  passes  and  explain  their  effects  on  the  growth  of  towns  

•  Use  maps,  charts,  and  pictures  to  describe  how  communiEes  in  California  vary  

ObjecEves  

Students  will  be  able  to:  •  Locate  their  own  county  •  IdenEfy  the  local  physiographic  region,  physical  geography,  nearby  highways  and  rivers,  or  other  landmarks  using  the  appropriate  maps  

•  Describe  their  county  or  community  in  relaEve  terms  

Procedure  

•  Set  the  stage  with  images  •  IdenEfy  the  locaEon  of  the  local  town  or  community  

•  Provide  instrucEon  about  how  to  read  key/legend  

•  PracEce  idenEfying  locaEon    •  Assess  students’  ability  to  describe  a  locaEon  in  relaEve  terms  

Our  Community  

Our  Community  

Our  Community  

County  Map  

Physiographic  Map  

Water  Resources  Map  

San Diego Bay

Major  Highway  Map  

Assessment  

•  My  town    is  located  near  _______.  

•  My  town  is  part  of  the  ______  region.  

•  ______  River  is  near  my  town.  

Lesson  Plan  Debrief  

•  How  might  this  lesson  help  your  students  to  know  more  about  where  they  live?  

•  How  might  the  strategies  help  support  all  learning  be  successful?  

•  What  type  of  prior  knowledge  might  students  need  before  you  deliver  this  lesson?  

•  How  might  you  adapt  this  lesson  for  your  own  classroom?  

California’s  Economy    

DemonstraEon  Lesson  #3  

Standards  

•  Describe  the  development  and  locaEons  of  new  industries  since  the  turn  of  the  century  

ObjecEves  

•  Students  will  idenEfy  and  locate  the  CA  regions  that  produce  one  of  the  state’s  leading  agricultural  commodiEes  

•  Students  will  describe  and  summarize  the  physical  geography  and  climate  of  the  commodity’s  producEon  region  

Sample  Commodity:  Strawberries  

Agricultural  Products  Map  

Physical  Geography  Map  

Urban  and  Agricultural  Lands  Map  

Minimum  January  Temperatures  Map  

Maximum  July  Temperatures  Map  

Procedure  

•  Using  a  chart  paper,  list  student  background  knowledge  of  sample  commodity  

•  Define  commodity  and  yield  

•  Use  CA  Leading  Producers  and  County  maps  to  point  out  unique  features  for  sample  commodity  

•  Record  informaEon  onto  Commodity  Fact  Sheet  

Lesson  Debrief  

•  How  might  this  lesson  help  your  students  to  know  more  about  California’s  economy  and  land  organizaEon?  

•  What  type  of  prior  knowledge  might  students  need  before  you  deliver  this  lesson?  

•  How  might  the  strategies  help  support  all  learning  be  successful?  

•  How  might  you  adapt  this  lesson  for  your  own  classroom?  

More  Geography…  

•  Where  to  find  more  lesson  plans,  digital  maps,  etc.    

•  Literature  ConnecEons  •  WriEng  AcEviEes  

•  Resources  for  your  classroom    

•  QuesEons?  •  Conclusion  &  Thanks  •  Go  forth  and  teach  GEOGRAPHY!!!!