Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: The Physical Geography and Native people of Virginia Grade: Fourth

Topic/Subject Areas: Social Studies

Key Words: Bordering, next to, near, Native Americans, Water Features, States.

Designed by: Cassidy Dooly Time Frame: Two weeks

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

In this unit our fourth grade students will be learning all about the state of Virginia! By the
end of this unit, students will be able to locate Virgina and the bordering states on a map,
locate and name the main water features in Virginia, and elaborate on the Native Americans
who lived in Virginia and how the environment impacted their survival and livelihood!

Key Words: Bordering, next to, near, Native Americans, Water Features, States.

Essential Questions:
• How does using archaeology help us understand history?
• How are these water features used today in Virginia?
• What did the American Indians do that benefit us today?
• Why is it important to be able to read maps and locate specific landmarks and characteristics?
• How does this study of history help us realize that the ideas and actions of individuals and groups have consequences and
shape events?

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: ____________)

 Design Topic Virginia Studies Subject(s) History and Social Studies
Grade(s) Fourth Designer(s) Cassidy Dooly
STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title:
The Physical Geography and Native Peoples

Established Goals:
(VA SOL Virginia Studies 2:A-G)
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… • How does using archaeology help us understand history?
• They can use relative terms to describe the • How are these water features used today in Virginia?
locations of places and geographical regions • What did the American Indians do that benefit us today?
seen on a map and describe their characteristics • Why is it important to be able to read maps and locate specific
in their own words. landmarks and characteristics?
• States can have multiple regions within them • How does this study of history help us realize that the ideas and
that provide different resources and actions of individuals and groups have consequences and shape
environmental benefits depending on where events?
they are located.
• Seasons and the environment impacted Native
Americans in the past and present. They heavily
relied on forests for shelter and animals for
clothing and food.
Students will know: Students will be able to:
• Geography of boarding water features and • Locate, identify, and name the water features and bordering
states in relation to Virginia. Chesapeake Bay, states of Virginia on a map.
Atlantic Ocean, James River, York River, • Locate, identify, and describe the five regions of Virginia on a
Potomac River, Rappahannock River, Lake map.
Drummond, Dismal Swamp, Maryland, West • Recall the three Native American Language groups and explain
Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North which tribes associated with the dialect.
Carolina. • Explain why archeology is important.
• The five geographic regions are the Coastal • Explain how Native Americans and how they keep their cultural
Plains, Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, heritage alive in society today.
Valley and Ridge, and the Appalachian Plateau.
• The three Major American Indian Languages
and the groups that were associated with them.
The Algonquian, Powhatan; Siouan, Monacans;
and Iroquoian, Cherokees.
• Jamestown was the first permanent English
landmark in North America.
• American Indians used their environments to
provide food, work, and living structures and
how they practice their heritage in modern
Virginia today.

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks: Other Evidence:

• GRASPS. Students will be creating a script for
a local television station that is wanting to add an
educational cartoon to their weekly schedule.
The students have been asked to write a script
and then test it as a puppet show to see how
young students respond.
• Silent share: Students will be paired into
groups and given a name of one of Virginia
Coastal Plains. Without talking to one another,
they have to write on a shared piece of paper all
the facts they know about that specific coastal
Plain.
• Five-item Multiple choice Quiz will test students’
knowledge on the boarding waterways and states of
VA and American Indians culture.
• Homework: Fill in the map. Students will fill-in
the map of Virginia, locating the different boarding
waterways and States.
• Homework: Vocab Check. Match the vocab word
with the right definition.

• Four corners: Students will play a game of four

corners where the teacher reads off questions
that came from the unit and four answers. The
students will listen to the question and go to the
correct corner. This is great because it gives the
teacher a general idea of which areas to target
next.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

• Heart, Star, Oval - students will answer one thing they learned, one thing that made them confused,
and one thing they still do not understand. This will be used when learning about Virginia's regions,
the water features, and Native American Groups.
• Thumbs - Throughout the lesson, the teacher will check in and ask for a thumbs up (I got it), Thumb
in the middle (I'm getting there), or thumb down, (I need help) when working on projects and
assignments.
• Sort and match - students will be given a list of coastal plains and waterways and asked to cut them
out and put them in the correct categories of plains vs. Waterways. They will then review their work
with the teachers example to make sure they have them in the correct location before gluing them
down.

Instructional Strategies cooperative strategies differentiation

STAGE 3 – LEARNING PLAN
Summary of Learning Activities:
(list by number here and then complete the week-by-week planning calendar below using the
same information)

1. Pre-assess: Students will start with a KWL to pre-assess what they know about the state of
Virginia. The teacher will put up a picture of the state of Virginia for students to be
assessed upon (Rutherford, 2008).
2. Hook: Students will toss a beach ball around and answer the teachers questions based on
the placement of their thumb.
3. Introduce Key Words and essential questions: Instructional lesson where the teacher will
introduce the key words and vocabulary words of this unit to the students. Students will
copy these into their notebooks. Then introduce the essential questions for the unit.
4. Homework/assessment: Vocab Check. Match the vocab word with the right definition.
5. Instructional lesson on the State of VA and it’s bordering states: Kiss Me With No Teeth.
6. Magnet Puzzle Match: Students and the teacher will use a puzzle on the board to place the
bordering states in their correct locations. Students agree or disagree.
7. Instructional lesson on the water features of Virginia.
8. Group Color: As a class we will work through a color sheet. Teacher will name a location
on the map and a color to color it. Helping the students identify states and water features
better.
9. Homework: Take home group color sheets for reviewing and a practice labeling the map
on their own. Review for assessment next day.
10. Assessment: Map labeling solo. Students will be given a blank map and will have to fill in
Virginia, bordering states, and water features. For students who are struggling, we will
start with the locations marked, but the students will have to label them!
11. Instructional lesson on the five regions of Virginia: Students will have a map with the
regions divided and colored differently to reference as the lesson is being taught.
12. Silent Share: Students will work on pairs with one sheet of paper and will be assigned a
region to review. Their goal is to remember as many facts about that region without
talking in person. Then present to the class.
13. Instructional lesson on Native American Language Groups: the Algonquian, the Siouan,
and the Iroquoian
14. Locating the Native American Groups: Using regions of Virginia map in a transparent
sleeve, we will identify the placement of Nataive American Groups and languages spoken.
15. Heart, Star, Oval - students will answer one thing they learned, one thing that made them
confused, and one thing they still do not understand. This will be used when learning
about Virginia's regions, the water features, and Native American Groups.
16. Instructional lesson on how environment and climate affected Native Americans ability to
thrive and their lives today.
17. Graphic Organizers of how climate/seasons affected Native Americans search for food
(Rutherford 2008).
18. Graphic Organizers of how climate/seasons affected Native Americans search for shelter
(Rutherford 2008).
 19. Graphic Organizers of how climate/seasons affected Native Americans search for housing
(Rutherford 2008).
20. Homework - Seasons Cube: Draw and label pictures that show how Virginia’s first people
adapted to their environment and what kinds of occupations they had in 1607.
21. Introduce JamesTown (more on that next Unit) and the architectural finds from
Jamestown and Werowocomoco.
22. Journal entry Archaeology finds: draw a picture of one of the items discovered in either
JamesTown or Werowocomoco and then write a paragraph about its importance. Students
will be able to pick whatever item is most appealing to them. Sentence structure and detail
will vary depending on the level of the learner. Lower level students will be asked to write
a short paragraph with two important facts, average will be asked to write a paragraph
with 3 facts, and above will be asked to include five or more facts.
23. Assessment: Four corners - Students will play a game of four corners where the teacher
reads off questions that came from the unit and four answers. The students will listen to
the question and go to the correct corner. *
24. Review Lesson on the entire Unit.
25. Sort and match - students will be given a mixed up list of regions, coastal plains,
waterways, and states and will be asked to cut them out and put them in the correct
categories of waterways, plains, regions, states. They will then review their work with the
teacher's example to make sure they have them in the correct location before gluing them
down.
26. Five-item Multiple choice Quiz will test students’ knowledge on the boarding waterways
and states of VA and American Indians culture.
27. GRASPS. Students will be creating a script for a local television station that is wanting to
add an educational cartoon to their weekly schedule. The students have been asked to
write a script and then test it as a puppet show to see how young students respond.
Students will get to choose their own approach for this assignment and if they want to
work solo or with a group!
28. Thumbs - Throughout the lesson, the teacher will check in and ask for a thumbs up (I got
it), Thumb in the middle (I'm getting there), or thumb down, (I need help) when working
on projects and assignments. (Rutherford. 2008) * I used Rutherford's suggestion, just
using their hand singles instead of cards!
29. Field trip to JamesTown
30. Journal response: Students will write a summary of their time spent in JamesTown

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
- Students will start - Instructional - Instructional lesson - Assessment: Map - Instructional lesson on
with a KWL to pre- lesson on the State on the water features labeling solo. Native American Language
assess what they know of VA and it’s of Virginia. Students will be Groups: the Algonquian,
about the state of bordering states: given a blank map the Siouan, and the
Virginia. The teacher Kiss Me With No - Group Color: As a and will have to fill Iroquoian
will put up a picture of Teeth. class we will work in Virginia,
the state of Virginia for through a color sheet. bordering states, and - Locating the Native
Teacher will name a American Groups: Using
students to be assessed - Magnet Puzzle water features.
location on the map regions of Virginia map in
upon (Rutherford, Match: Students and
and a color to color a transparent sleeve, we
2008). the teacher will use - Instructional lesson
it. Helping the will identify the placement
a puzzle on the on the five regions of
students identify of Nataive American
board to place the Virginia: Students
- Hook: Students will states and water Groups and languages
bordering states in will have a map with
toss a beach ball features better. spoken.
their correct the regions divided
around and answer the locations. Students and colored
agree or disagree. - Homework: Take - Heart, Star, Oval -
teachers questions differently to
home group color
based on the placement reference as the students will answer one
sheets for reviewing
of their thumb. and a practice lesson is being thing they learned, one
labeling the map on taught. thing that made them
- Introduce Key Words their own. Review confused, and one thing
for assessment next - Silent Share: they still do not understand.
and essential questions:
day. Students will work
Instructional lesson This will be used when
on pairs with one
where the teacher will sheet of paper and learning about Virginia's
introduce the key will be assigned a regions, the water features,
words and vocabulary region to review. and Native American
words of this unit to Their goal is to Groups.
the students. Students remember as many
facts about that
will copy these into region without
their notebooks. Then talking in person.
introduce the essential Then present to the
questions for the unit. class.

-
Homework/assessment:
Vocab Check. Match
the vocab word with
the right definition.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
- Instructional lesson - Introduce - Review Lesson on - GRASPS. Students - Field trip to JamesTown
on how environment JamesTown (more the entire Unit. will be creating a
and climate affected on that next Unit) script for a local - Journal Review: Students
Native Americans and the architectural - Sort and match - television station that will write a summary of
ability to thrive and finds from students will be is wanting to add an their day in JamesTown.
their lives today. Jamestown and given a mixed up list educational cartoon
- Graphic Organizers Werowocomoco. of regions, coastal to their weekly
of how climate/seasons plains, waterways, schedule. The
affected Native - Journal entry and states and will be students have been
Americans search for Archaeology finds: asked to cut them out asked to write a
food (Rutherford draw a picture of and put them in the script and then test it
2008). one of the items correct categories of as a puppet show to
discovered in either waterways, plains, see how young
- Graphic Organizers JamesTown or regions, states. They students respond.
of how climate/seasons Werowocomoco and will then review their
affected Native then write a work with the - Thumbs:
Americans search for paragraph about its teacher's example to Throughout the
shelter (Rutherford importance. make sure they have lesson, the teacher
2008). them in the correct will check in and ask
location before for a thumbs up (I
- Graphic Organizers gluing them down. got it), Thumb in the
of how climate/seasons middle (I'm getting
affected Native - Five-item Multiple there), or thumb
Americans search for choice Quiz will test down, (I need help)
housing (Rutherford students’ knowledge when working on
2008). on the boarding projects and
waterways and states assignments.
- Homework Seasons of VA and American
Cube: Draw and label Indians culture. ** this last one will
pictures that show how be used constantly
Virginia’s first people throughout the
adapted to their lesson, not just on
environment and what this day.
kinds of occupations
they had in 1607.

Grasp Rubric: Interns Designing the Fall Festival:

Criteria Points I’ve got it I’m kinda getting I could use some

help
there
Able to Students' work clearly Students’ work showed Students’ work did not
differentia used problem solving some understanding of show clear understanding
te skills to find the problem solving skills to and did not use
between dimensions of area, list two of the dimensions of area,
perimeter, and mathematical perimeter, or volume.
area,
volume. dimensions of area,
perimeter, perimeter, or volume.
and
volume _/5

Grammar Students' work is Students' work has some Students' work is not
and clearly written, data is data and is slightly clear, data is missing and
mechanics clear and organized organized. Grammar and is unorganized properly.
properly, and spelling punctuation needs work. Spelling and grammar
or grammar does not takes away from the
_/5 take away from the reading.
reading.

Graphic The blueprint has a The blueprint has a The blueprint does not
Represent detailed sketch of the sketch, but does not have a sketch, it does not
parking lot, clearly show all the details. Has show the data found, and
ation states how many most of the data, but is did not meet the standard.
games and stands can not organized on the
be used to maximize paper. Standard is partly
the space, and has the met.
dimensions of the
parking lot and each
stand's dimensions.
_/5 Standard is clearly
met.