Clarifying Content Priorities

I have begun working on a fifth grade Social Studies unit focusing on the following Geography and Environmental Literacy objectives:

5.G.1.1 Explain the impact of the physical environment on early settlements in the New World and 5.G.1.2 Explain the positive and negative effects of human activity on the physical environment of the United States, past and present.

I chose to look at the geography standard for several reasons.  First, it is the one that I feel least comfortable with, and would like to work through it with the class to get feedback and input from others.  Second, I think that it would be a good objective to integrate not only with the arts, but also with a number of science and language arts standards. 

When drafting this unit, I am going to be using the Understanding by Design model.  This is a very interesting way to approach lesson planning that I have not used in my prior teaching experiences.  So far, I find it very interesting, but also challenging to implement.  I have been working on the first stage of lesson planning, which is to Identify Desired Results.  I have used the planning organizers to “Clarify Content Priorities” for my unit.  The biggest challenge for me was to find concepts that fit under the worth being familiar with heading.  I often found myself wanting to put more under what students should know and do, but I don’t want to overwhelm my students.

 

Below is my draft; it is still a work in progress and all feedback is welcome!

Worth being familiar with:

•  Effects of pollution and greenhouse gases on the environment
•  Specific environmental regions of the US
• Main economic activities during key periods of US history (ie farming, industrial manufacturing)

Important to know and do:

• State characteristics of the physical environment of the Jamestown and Plymouth colonies
• Compare how the environment of the early colonies both helped and harmed the settlement growth
•  Identify examples of human development that have positively impacted the environment
• Identify examples of human development that have negatively impacted the environment
•  Compare characteristics of the local physical environment today and when the first settlers arrived

Big Ideas and Essential Understandings:

• The physical environment impacts where individuals settle and live
• The physical environment is constantly changing
• Human activity impacts the physical environment, which can be positive or negative.
• Individual choices can influence how a person impacts the environment