Design Topic: Virginia’s History Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Lyssa Heath

Understanding by Design

Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: _Virginia’s History_______ Grade Levels: ____2nd _____

Topic/Subject Areas: _Virginia Social Studies_______

Key Words: Virginia, Native Americans, Archaeology, Rivers, Geographical Regions

Designed By: ____Lyssa Heath_________ Time Frame: ___2 Weeks______

School District: Regent University School: Teacher Ed & IDS Dept.

Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals): This
unit focuses on the
geographical features and native people of Virginia. Students will learn about the
neighboring states of Virginia, important waterways in Virginia and how they affected
travel and living for both colonists and Native Americans. Students will also explore
the three Native American tribes that lived in Virginia and how their culture has
changed both in beliefs and lifestyle. Finally, students will consider the impact that
archaeological discoveries have on our interpretation of the past. Instruction will be
taught by many methods including large and small group, differentiation based on
learning styles, graphic organizers, and cooperative learning groups. For the
summative authentic assessment, students will design and create a display focusing on
a geographical region of Virginia for the curator of the Jamestown Museum to
consider for a new exhibit.

Unit design status: X Completed template pages – stages 1, 2, 3

Completed blueprint for each performance task X Completed rubrics

Directions to students and teacher Materials and resources listed

x Suggested accommodations x Suggested extensions

Status: Initial draft (date: ___________) Revised draft (date: ____________)

Peer Reviewed Content Reviewed Field Tested Validated Anchored

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 1

Design Topic: Virginia’s History Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Lyssa Heath

STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: Virginia’s History

Established Goals:
VS.2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between physical
geography and the lives of the native peoples, past and present, of Virginia by
a) locating Virginia and its bordering states on maps of the United States;
b) locating and describing Virginia’s Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge
Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau;
c) locating and identifying water features important to the early history of Virginia
(Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River, York River, Potomac River,
Rappahannock River, and Lake Drummond and the Dismal Swamp);
d) locating three American Indian language groups (the Algonquian, the Siouan, and the
Iroquoian) on a map of Virginia;
e) describing how American Indians related to the climate and their environment to secure
food, clothing, and shelter;
f) describing how archaeologists have recovered new material evidence at sites including
Werowocomoco and Jamestown; and
g) describing the lives of American Indians in Virginia today.

Understandings: Students will understand Essential Questions:

that…
1. Virginia is located within the United
States, includes water sources, and can be
divided into distinct geographical regions.
2. Three American Indian groups inhabited
Virginia who relied on the climate and
environment to live. Their culture has
changed since colonial times
3. Archaeology can show us new information
about how early colonists and American
Indians lived in Virginia.
Students will know:
10. Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky,
Tennessee, West Virginia, and
Washington D.C. surround Virginia.
11. The five geographical regions of Virginia
are Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont,
Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge,
and Appalachian Plateau.
12. Where the Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake
Bay, James River, York River, Potomac
River, Rappahannock River, Lake
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
4. How would you describe Virginia’s
location?
5. Why are some areas in Virginia different
than others?
6. How did colonists use the bodies of water
around them?
7. How did people live in Virginia before
the colonists? Who were they?
8. Why does archaeology help us learn
about Virginia’s history?
9. How is American Indian culture now
different from the past. How is it the
same?
Students will be able to:
17. Identify Virginia and its surrounding
states on map.
18. Identify and describe the Coastal Plain
(Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge
Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and
Appalachian Plateau.
19. Locate and identify the Atlantic Ocean,
Chesapeake Bay, James River, York
River, Potomac River, Rappahannock
2
Design Topic: Virginia’s History Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Lyssa Heath
Drummond and the Dismal Swamp are
located on a map.
13. The Algonquian lived in eastern Virginia,
the Siouan lived in central Virginia, and
the Iroquoian lived in southern Virginia.
14. The climate and environment affect the
American Indians in hunting, finding
clothing, and shelter.
15. Archaeologists have discovered new
findings about Jamestown and
Werowocomoco.
16. Modern American Indian culture is
different from past cultures in lifestyle and
beliefs.
River, Lake Drummond and the Dismal
Swamp.
20. Locate the Algonquian, the Siouan, and
the Iroquoian on a map.
21. Describe how climate and environment
affected the American Indians.
22. Describe new archaeological finds for
Jamestown and Werowocomoco.
23. Describe how modern American Indians
live.

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks:
• My Virginian Region- students will pick
one geographical region and design a
display to be considered by the curator of
Jamestown and a new exhibit.
• Digging up History- Students will pair up
and give a 2 min oral presentation
together on an archaeological find from
Jamestown or Werowocomoco.
• My Neighbors- Students will create and
label a 3-D map showing Virginia, its five
neighboring states, and geographical
regions. The geographical regions and
rivers will be made from playdough
Other Evidence:
• Short Quiz- students will answer five
multiple choice questions about the
American Indians.
• Virginia Map- students will label a map
with Virginia’s water ways and
geographical regions.
• Essay- students will write a four to six
sentence paragraph about the differences
in past American Indian Culture from
present American Indian Culture.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection:

• Three column KWL Chart
• Students will review quiz after grading and note which information they need to focus
more on.
• Exit Tickets

STAGE 3 – LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Learning Activities:
1. The teacher will write the words Virginia, Archaeology, and Native Americans on the board
and ask students to fill out the first two columns of their KWL Chart based on these words
(National Education Association).
2. For the hook, the teacher will show the students several contrasting pictures from the different
geographical regions in Virginia and ask the students to make observations about them.
Students are asked to guess where these photographs were taken at and teacher will reveal that
they are all here in Virginia.
3. The teacher will state the standards and objectives and explain learning goal 1: Regions and
Geography.
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 3
Design Topic: Virginia’s History Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Lyssa Heath
4. The teacher will ask the students the essential question, “How would you describe Virginia’s
location?” Students will participate in large group discussion.
5. The teacher will show a map of Virginia and its surrounding states and students will learn and
practice identifying Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and
Washington D.C. The teacher will emphasize using words like next to, near and bordering.
6. Before leaving, students complete an exit ticket identifying three states around Virginia and
state where they are in relation to each other (bordering, next to, near)
7. The teacher will show “Virginia’s Geographical Regions” by Studies Weekly (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NqROuJiRXc
8. The teacher will explain the five geographical regions of Virginia, including their
characteristics and the waterways that are in each. Waterways to discuss include: Atlantic
Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River, York River, Potomac River, Rappahannock River, Lake
Drummond and the Dismal Swamp. The teacher will also introduce the Fall Line.
9. Students will play Virginia Rivers and Virginia Regions Drag and Drop Game to review the
regions and their characteristics (Clough, Fernald, Fitzpatrick, & Favale, 2012).
http://www.virginiatrekkers.com/VirginiaTrekkers/VirginiaTrekkers.html
10. Before leaving class, students will write down their answer to the essential question: “Why are
some areas in Virginia different than others?
11. Students will complete My Neighbors Project in class with cutouts of Virginia and
surrounding states to trace and create maps with. Students will then create and place
playdough molds of Virginia’s geographical regions on their maps, using blue puffy paint to
draw in rivers and waterways on top of playdough. Students may work in small groups, but
each student will create their own map.
12. At the beginning of class, the teacher will explain and assign My Virginian Region Project and
review rubric.
13. Students will complete the formative assessment Virginia Map and turn into teacher. The
teacher will grade and return to students to review before the end of class.
14. Teacher will introduce learning goal 2: Native Americans and students will participate in close
reading of a passage about the three different groups who lived in Virginia and the
characteristics of their culture. (Close Reading Protocol, n.d.). Students will be divided into
small groups to answer comprehension questions after close reading.
15. As a large group, students will color and label a large map identifing where each group of
Native Americans lived in Virginia.
24. At the beginning of class, the teacher will pose the essential question: “How did people live in
Virginia before the colonists? and Who were they?” Students will participate in think, share,
and pair to discuss topic (Rutherford, 2015, p.104).
16. Students will take formative assessment Short Quiz which the teacher will grade in class and
give back to students for self-assessment. The teacher will ask students what questions do they
have about the Quiz and address any confusion. Students will study quiz to in order to
complete final project, My Virginia Region.
17. The teacher will introduce learning goal 3: Archaeological Findings and show students
“Jamestown Archaeology Lab Tour” video by Finley Holaday Films (2010).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6emYInk9z8E
18. The class will discuss the essential question: “Why does archaeology help us learn about
Virginia’s history?” in small groups. Each group will be asked to share an idea that they
thought of to answer the question
19. The class will participate in a gallery walk of images from the Jamestown and Werowocomoco
digs and discuss with each other questions assigned to each image (Rutherford, 2015, p.104).

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 4

Design Topic: Virginia’s History Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Lyssa Heath
20. The teacher will assign Digging Up History Project and students will choose partners before
leaving class.
21. Students will spend entire class period preparing for their Digging Up History Presentation.
22. Students will present their Digging Up History Project.
23. Students will submit final summative authentic assessment My Virginian Region.
24. The teacher will write on the board the essential question: “How is American Indian culture
now different from the past. How is it the same?” Students will write a four to six sentence
paragraph about the differences in past American Indian Culture from present American
Indian Culture.
25. On the last day of the unit, students will participate in another gallery walk and admire the
final projects of their peers. Students are encouraged to ask questions of each other and
provide constructive feedback
26. To close the unit, students will fill in the final column of their KWL Chart and think, pair and
share the facts that they learned. Students can also volunteer to share with large group
(Rutherford, 2015, p.104).

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 5

Design Topic: Virginia’s History Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Lyssa Heath

Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
• KWL Chart • “Virginia • My Neighbors • Virginia Map • Think, Pair, Share
• Hook Geographical Project • Review Virginia • Short Quiz
• Standards/ Regions” Video Map grade • Review and Self-
Learning Goal • Virginia Rivers and • Assign My Virginia Assess Sort Quiz
• Essential Question Regions Game Region Project • Learning Goal 3
• Study Virginia Map • Essential Question • Learning Goal 2 • Essential Question
Exit Ticket • Close Reading of
Native American
Passage
• Large Group Map
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
• Gallery Walk • Work on Digging up • Presentations of • My Virginian Region • My Virginian
• Discussion of History Project Digging Up History Due Regions Gallery
questions Project • Native American Walk
• Assign Digging up Culture Differences • KWL Charts
History Project Essay • Think, Pair, Share

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 6

Design Topic: Virginia’s History Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Lyssa Heath

References

Close Reading Protocol. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2019, from

https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/close-reading-protocol

Clough, D., Fernald, B., Fitzpatrick, F., & Favale, A. (2012, December 1). Interactives. Retrieved March

3, 2019, from http://www.virginiatrekkers.com/Menu/Activities.html

Holaday, F. (Producer). (2010, June 24). Jamestown Archaeology Lab Tour [Video file]. Retrieved

March 3, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6emYInk9z8E

National Education Association. (n.d.). K-W-L (Know, Want to Know, Learned). Retrieved March 2,

2019, from http://www.nea.org/tools/k-w-l-know-want-to-know-learned.html

Studies Weekly. (Producer). (2015, June 10). Virginia's Five Geographic Regions [Video file].

Retrieved March 3, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NqROuJiRXc&t=1s

Tompkins, G. E. (2005). Language arts: Patterns of practice. Boston, MA: Pearson Education

Vestal, M. (2016, January 3). 3 Tips to Make Social Studies Hands-On. Retrieved March 3, 2019, from

http://www.virginiaisforteachers.com/2016/01/3-tips-to-make-social-studies-hands-on.html

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 7