Block 1 (50 minutes): The Five Themes and Absolute Location

Success Criteria:

I can name the Five Themes and find both the absolute and relative location of any spot on Earth.

Introduction (10 mins)

Hook: If you could teleport to any place on Earth right now, where would you go? How would you describe that place to a friend so they could find you exactly, without fail?

• I Do: Introduce Geography not just as 'naming places,' but as the study of where things are and why they are there. Introduce the mnemonic device for the Five Themes (MR. LIP: Movement, Region, Human-Environment Interaction, Location, Place).
• Objective Review: Focus today on Theme 1: Location.

Content & Practice: Location (30 mins)

• I Do: Define the two types of location: Absolute (specific address/coordinates) and Relative (description based on landmarks/surroundings). Model how latitude and longitude work using the globe (Equator and Prime Meridian).
• We Do: "Coordinate Hunt": Using the world map or Google Earth, work together to find the absolute coordinates of famous landmarks (e.g., Eiffel Tower, Great Pyramid).
• You Do: "Home Base": Cora finds the absolute location (coordinates) of her home/town and writes a brief description of its relative location using major highways, bodies of water, or cities.

Conclusion & Formative Assessment (10 mins)

• Recap: What are the two types of location? Why is absolute location important for shipping or air travel?
• Quick Check: Ask Cora to explain the difference between the Prime Meridian and the Equator.
• Transition: Next block, we will explore what makes a location unique—the concept of Place.

Block 2 (50 minutes): Place and Map Keys

Success Criteria:

I can differentiate between human and physical characteristics of a Place and successfully use a map key/legend.

Introduction (10 mins)

• Review: Quickly review the concept of absolute location from Block 1.
• I Do: Introduce Theme 2: Place. Explain that Place goes beyond coordinates—it's what makes a location unique. Divide "Place" into two categories: Physical Characteristics (mountains, climate, animals) and Human Characteristics (culture, language, buildings).

Content & Practice: Analyzing Place (30 mins)

• We Do: "Place Profile Comparison": Compare two drastically different places (e.g., Tokyo and a remote Alaskan village). Discuss the physical characteristics that are fixed (climate) versus the human characteristics that change (population density, building styles).
• I Do/We Do (Map Skills Integration): Introduce the essential elements of a map: Title, Orientation (North arrow), Date, and the Key/Legend. Model how to read complex symbols on a physical map (e.g., elevation, water depth).
• You Do: "Create a Place": Cora invents a fictional island and draws a rough map of it. She must create a detailed Map Key showing at least 8 features (4 physical, 4 human) using original symbols.

Conclusion & Formative Assessment (10 mins)

• Recap: What are the two types of characteristics that define a Place?
• Quick Check: Ask Cora to use her map key to describe two features of her fictional island.
• Transition: Tomorrow, we will look at how places interact through Movement.

Block 3 (50 minutes): Movement and Map Scale

Success Criteria:

I can identify the three types of Movement and accurately calculate distances using map scale.

Introduction (10 mins)

• Hook: Look at your clothes. Where was the cotton grown? Where was the shirt sewn? Where was it sold?
• I Do: Introduce Theme 3: Movement. Explain that places are connected by the movement of three things: people, goods, and ideas. Discuss examples of each (migration, trade routes, the internet).

Content & Practice: Movement & Scale (30 mins)

• I Do (Map Skills Integration): Introduce Map Scale (ratio, fractional, verbal). Demonstrate how to use a ruler and the map scale bar to accurately measure distances between cities. Explain the difference between large-scale maps (showing small areas in detail) and small-scale maps (showing large areas with less detail).
• We Do: "The Supply Chain": Choose a familiar item (e.g., a banana, a car, a video game). Trace the likely journey of its component parts from raw materials to consumer, listing geographical checkpoints and modes of transport (goods and ideas).
• You Do: Map Scale Challenge: Provide a regional map with a scale. Cora measures the distance between three identified points and calculates the actual real-world distance.

Conclusion & Formative Assessment (10 mins)

• Recap: Name the three things that move between places. If a map shows a tiny country in great detail, is it a large-scale or small-scale map?
• Quick Check: Why is the movement of ideas (like fashion trends or political news) just as important as the movement of goods?

Block 4 (50 minutes): Region and Map Projections

Success Criteria:

I can categorize different areas into the three types of regions and explain why 2D maps distort the Earth.

Introduction (10 mins)

• Hook: If someone says, "The Midwest," what do you picture? Do people agree on where that region starts and ends?
• I Do: Introduce Theme 4: Region. Define Region as an area that shares similar characteristics. Detail the three types: Formal (defined boundaries, e.g., states/countries), Functional (centered around a node, e.g., a city's delivery zone), and Vernacular (perceived, e.g., "The Deep South," "Silicon Valley").

Content & Practice: Regions & Distortion (30 mins)

• We Do: "Regional Sort": Present a list of geographical terms (e.g., The Sahara Desert, Europe, the area covered by a specific pizza delivery service, the Bible Belt). Cora sorts these into the three Region categories and justifies her choices.
• I Do (Map Skills Integration): Address the unavoidable challenge of Map Projections—trying to flatten a 3D sphere. Discuss the distortion of shape, distance, or area. Show and compare Mercator (good for navigation, but distorts size near the poles) and Peters (accurate area, distorted shape).
• You Do: "Projection Critique": Using provided printouts, Cora compares two map projections. She writes a short paragraph identifying which projection she would use if she were a pilot (good distance/direction) and which she would use if she were measuring land mass (good area).

Conclusion & Formative Assessment (10 mins)

• Recap: What makes a Functional Region different from a Formal Region? Why can't we have a perfect 2D map of the world?
• Quick Check: Have Cora define and give an example of a Vernacular Region.

Block 5 (50 minutes): H-E Interaction: Adapt, Depend, Modify

Success Criteria:

I can analyze historical and current scenarios to identify if humans are adapting to, depending on, or modifying the environment.

Introduction (10 mins)

• Review: Review the first four themes.
• I Do: Introduce Theme 5: Human-Environment Interaction (H-E I). This is the key focus of this lesson block. Break H-E I down into three actions:
  1. Dependence: Relying on the environment (e.g., fresh water, fertile soil).
  2. Adaptation: Changing human behavior/dress to suit the environment (e.g., wearing heavy coats, nomadic lifestyle).
  3. Modification: Changing the environment to suit human needs (e.g., building dams, clear-cutting forests, creating irrigation).

Content & Practice: Scenario Analysis (30 mins)

• I Do: Model analysis: Discuss the building of the Hoover Dam. (Modification: blocking a river) and how that changed human life (Dependence: power, Adaptation: new water-intensive industries move nearby).
• We Do: "Ecosystem Challenge": Present two environmental settings (e.g., The high Himalayan Mountains and Coastal Florida). Discuss how humans living there must Adapt (what clothes/shelter?), Depend (what resources?), and possibly Modify (what infrastructure?).
• You Do: "Local Survey": Cora lists three examples of H-E Interaction in her own community/region. She labels each as Dependence, Adaptation, or Modification, and explains the positive and negative consequences of the action.

Conclusion & Formative Assessment (10 mins)

• Recap: Which of the three H-E I actions usually leads to the biggest long-term environmental consequences?
• Quick Check: Ask Cora: Is building a large underground subway system Adaptation or Modification? (Modification).
• Transition: We will now apply this theme to understand where and why humans choose to settle.

Block 6 (50 minutes): Geography Dictates Settlement

Success Criteria:

I can identify the three main geographical factors (water, climate, landforms) that encourage dense human settlement and apply them to map analysis.

Introduction (10 mins)

• Hook: Why aren't there major cities built on the peak of Mt. Everest or in the middle of the Sahara Desert?
• I Do: Explain that physical geography is the ultimate boss of where people live. Focus on the three key elements:
  1. Water: Fresh water for drinking/agriculture; access to trade routes (rivers, oceans).
  2. Climate: Mild temperatures, adequate rainfall (arable land).
  3. Topography/Landforms: Flat land (easier to build and farm); natural harbors (shelter for ships); resources (timber, minerals).

Content & Practice: Global City Analysis (30 mins)

• We Do: "Why There?": Locate major world cities (e.g., London, Cairo, New York, Hong Kong). Using the physical map, analyze the immediate surroundings of each city. Discussion points: What river is nearby? Is it coastal? Is the land flat? What natural advantages led to its founding?
• You Do: "Design a Settlement": Provide Cora with a simplified topographic map of a fictional territory. She must draw the location of a planned city, an industrial zone, and a large farming area. She must write a justification explaining how her chosen locations utilize the three key factors (water, climate, landforms) to maximize human success.

Conclusion & Formative Assessment (10 mins)

• Recap: If you were an ancient farmer, which is more important: flat land or mountain land? Why?
• Quick Check: Ask Cora to name one modern modification that allows people to live successfully in an area that previously lacked a key factor (e.g., air conditioning for hot climates, desalinization plants for lack of fresh water).

Block 7 (50 minutes): Thematic Map Capstone Project Work

Success Criteria:

I will have completed the planning phase and made significant progress on my final thematic map, ensuring all required elements (Title, Key, Data) are accurate.

Introduction (10 mins)

• I Do: Introduce the Summative Assessment: The Capstone Thematic Map Project. Cora will create a large-scale thematic map based on one of the Five Themes or the principles of Settlement Patterns studied.
• Project Options (Choice & Autonomy):
  1. H-E Interaction Map: Map showing locations of major dams/irrigation systems in a specific region.
  2. Movement Map: Map showing the historical path of a major migration or trade route.
  3. Settlement Map: Map highlighting areas in a country with high population density and correlating that density with proximity to water sources.
• Review Success Criteria: Map must include Title, Date, Scale, Orientation, and a detailed Key showing the data being represented.

Content & Practice: Planning and Execution (35 mins)

• I Do/We Do (Planning): Help Cora select a topic and region. Guide her in identifying the data she needs to represent and how she will symbolize it (e.g., using different colors or shading for density). Discuss appropriate map projection/scale for her chosen topic.
• You Do (Work Session): Dedicated time for Cora to draw her base map and begin plotting her data points/thematic regions.

Conclusion & Formative Assessment (5 mins)

• Quick Check: Review the project outline to ensure Cora has a clear plan for completing the map before the final block.
• Homework/Prep: Finish the physical drawing of the thematic map and prepare a short (3-minute) presentation explaining the data it shows and why the pattern exists.

Block 8 (50 minutes): Showcase, Final Assessment, and Review

Success Criteria:

I can present my Capstone Map, confidently answer questions about the Five Themes, and apply my knowledge to interpret new map data.

Introduction (10 mins)

• I Do: Explain the format: Presentation of the Capstone Map followed by the Geographer's Challenge (Final Quiz).

Summative Assessment Part 1: Capstone Presentation (20 mins)

• We Do/You Do: Cora presents her Thematic Map. She explains:
  1. Which geographical theme the map addresses.
  2. What the data shows (e.g., "The population is concentrated along the coast because of natural harbors and mild climate").
  3. How she ensured her map key and scale were accurate.
• Educator/Peer Feedback: Provide specific, constructive feedback based on the clarity of the presentation and the accuracy/effectiveness of the map design.

Summative Assessment Part 2: Geographer's Challenge (15 mins)

• You Do: Final assessment covering all learning objectives:
  • Matching the Five Themes to definitions/examples.
  • Calculating distance using a provided map scale.
  • Short Essay Question: "Choose a major city you did not study this week. Using the principles of H-E Interaction and Settlement, explain three geographical reasons why that city grew where it did."

Conclusion & Recap (5 mins)

• Reinforcement: Review the overarching concept: Geography is not just memorizing names, but understanding the connections between the physical world and human decisions.
• Next Steps (Extension): Discuss further geography studies (e.g., cartography careers, different biomes, geopolitics).

Differentiation and Adaptability

Scaffolding (For Support)

• Thematic Prompts: Provide pre-filled templates for the "Place Profile" (Block 2) and "Settlement Design" (Block 6) with required categories already listed.
• Map Reading Support: Use a physical globe constantly during the Location and Region blocks to reinforce the 3D nature of the Earth before introducing 2D maps.
• H-E I: Use simple, local examples (e.g., building a road, planting a garden) before moving to complex global scenarios.

Extension (For Advanced Learners)

• "Six Themes" Challenge: Introduce a sixth theme, such as Cultural Landscape, and research how historical human activity permanently shaped a region (e.g., rice paddies in Asia, castle ruins in Europe).
• Advanced Cartography: Research the mathematics behind different map projections and attempt to draw a basic version of a less common projection (e.g., Goode homolosine).
• Critical Thinking: For the Capstone Project, require the learner to map a contentious geographical issue (e.g., water rights, endangered species habitats, or border disputes) and present opposing viewpoints.

Context Adaptability

• Homeschool (Cora): Focus activities on local geography using the learner's own town/state as the primary reference point for Location, Place, and H-E Interaction. Use digital resources extensively (Google Maps, specialized data sites).
• Classroom: "We Do" activities can become small group challenges (e.g., each group is responsible for one of the Five Themes for the Capstone Map).
• Training/Professional: Adapt the H-E Interaction and Settlement lessons to focus on infrastructure planning, logistics, or real estate development in a geographical context.