California Geography Lesson

Lesson Preparation
I. Learning Objectives
1. Students will be able to name the four regions of California and locate them on a
color-coded, unlabeled map
2. Students will be able to describe at least three key details about each region.

II. Standards
 7.1.3.A Identify how basic geographic tools are used to organize and interpret
information about people, places and environment.
 7.1.3.B Identify and locate places and regions as defined by physical and human
features.
 7.2.3.A Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions.

III. Academic Language

1. Region: a geographical area with defined characteristics (e.g. Coastal Region)
2. Urban: a city or town (e.g. San Francisco is urban)
3. Rural: the countryside (e.g. much of the Central Valley is rural)
4. Suburban: residential area outside a city (e.g. we live in suburban neighborhoods)
5. Capital: the center of government in a state or country (e.g. Harrisburg is our
capital)

IV. Technology, Materials, Resources

1. Interactive notebooks (one per student)
2. Interactive notebook templates and cutouts
3. Video “California’s Regions” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPXDy-9iIAI
4. Tablets for centers (5 in Coast center, 5 in Desert center)
5. Maps of CA and fact sheets about mountain ranges for Mountain center
6. Scavenger hunt worksheet and list of websites for Desert center
7. Fact sheets about central valley
8. Various art materials for travel brochures
9. Video “Soarin’ Over California” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOszirJluaQ
start at 5:20
10. Instruction sheets for each center (see Appendix A)

Instructional Delivery
V. Anticipatory Set
1. Remind students of the unit theme (comparing and contrasting geography and
culture of different places around the country), the rationale and review learning
goals (I can statements).
2. Introduce the next state, California, and activate background knowledge. What do
you already know about California? Have you ever been there? Can you name
any famous places or geographical features? Discuss as a class.
 3. Show the “California’s Regions” video on the Smart Board or projector. Quickly
review the regions and move into the lesson.

VI. Instructional Activities

1. Teacher will lead an interactive notebook entry, creating a map of California.
Students will glue in map of California. Template will have:
a. Major cities marked, not labeled
b. Major rivers marked, not labeled
c. Major landforms marked, not labeled
d. Regions outlined, not labeled
e. Room for a key, compass rose, other map features
f. Flaps around the map for key details
2. Teacher will guide students in creating a key to color in the regions, labeling
major cities/landforms/rivers, filling in map elements. Students will fill in the
foldables as they move around centers.
3. Introduce centers students will move around – one for each region.
4. Divide students into 4 groups randomly (e.g. count off), allowing for any students
with accommodations
5. Center 1 – Coast
a. Students will research major cities, bodies of water, and landmarks from
given resources online independently
b. Students will write one paragraph summarizing what they find (4-5
sentences) independently
c. Students will read each other’s paragraphs (out loud or pass them
around) and discuss questions from a list. What did you include that
others didn’t? How did you decide what to include? What did you find
most interesting about the Coastal region? Why do you think people
choose to visit or live in this region? Make an educated guess.
d. When they are done exchanging ideas, students will fill in the foldables
for the coastal region (some fill in the blank, some free
response…scaffolded)
6. Center 2 – Mountains
a. Students will look at various maps of California, all including mountain
ranges
b. Students will also have access to fact sheets about each mountain range
(Klamath, Cascade Range, Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Transverse
Ranges, Peninsular Ranges) including height and climate
c. Using model magic, toothpicks, and post-it notes, students will create
(together in the small group) a topographical map of the mountain
ranges and label each range and important details of their choosing
d. Students will discuss questions from a list. What was the most difficult
part of this activity? How did you work together as a group? How else
could you show what you know about the mountain region of CA? What
else do you want to know? Write down some of these questions and
research them if you have time.
 e. Afterward, students will fill in the foldables for the mountain region
(some fill in the blank, some free response…scaffolded)
7. Center 3 – Desert
a. Students will complete a brief scavenger hunt worksheet on the Desert
from given resources online.
b. Questions may include: What is the Desert known for? What are its
major cities? Are there any major landmarks? Why do you think people
choose to live or visit there? How is this similar or different to places
you’ve experienced?
c. Students will fill out an activity sheet based on their research (some fill
in the blank and some free response). Students will then discuss and
compare their answers, adding notes if necessary.
d. Using their discussion, students will independently fill in the foldables
for the desert region (some fill in the blank, some free
response…scaffolded)
8. Center 4 – Central Valley
a. Students will be given fact sheets about the central valley including
population, landmarks, major cities, tourist attractions, other
geographical features
b. Using these resources, students will discuss which are most important
and highlight things to include in a travel brochure.
c. Students will then independently create a brief travel brochure using
what they highlighted (materials may include construction paper,
drawing materials, scissors, glue, and 3D materials if desired).
d. Afterward, students will share their creation with their group and
compare. They will discuss questions such as How did you decide what
to include? What was the most interesting thing you learned? Would
you want to live in or visit the Central Valley? Why or why not? Why do
you think others choose to live or visit there? How did you work
together as a group?
e. After their discussion, students will independently fill in the foldables
for the desert region (some fill in the blank, some free
response…scaffolded)
9. During these rotations, teacher will monitor progress, taking note of anyone who
needs more assistance, keeping groups on task, facilitating discussions, etc.
Teacher will also give a three minute warning until the next rotation as a cue for
students to wrap up discussions and fill in their interactive notebooks.

VII. Closure
1. Students will come back together as a whole group. Teacher will collect the
products of centers if not already done.
2. Teacher will lead discussion about California geography overall. Questions may
include: Where do you think most people live? Where do you think most people
visit? Where would you want to live or visit? How do you think the different
regions’ geography might influence these things?
 3. Teacher will then show video of the Disneyland ride “Soarin’ Over California”
and narrate each place shown. Students will be encouraged to call out which
region it’s in.
4. Teacher will give exit ticket: blank map with the four regions outlined and room
for three facts in each region (to serve as formative assessment).

Meeting All Learners

VIII. Differentiation
1. Different learning styles are all met. All centers meet reading and writing needs,
creative artistic needs, and some meet kinesthetic needs. Auditory learners can
have materials read out loud instead of silently, and all centers include a
discussion component to help interpersonal learners. Students will be up and
moving between centers. All students can engage with material in diverse ways
to meet many of the multiple intelligences and diverse learning styles. Higher
order questions are included throughout, and extensions can be provided to
advanced students.

IX. Accommodations
1. Students with IEPs or 504s might have extra computer assisted instruction, an
aide, preferential seating, specific grouping (e.g. gifted students who need to have
opportunities to work with other gifted peers), all materials read out loud, seat
cushions, fidgets, etc. This is all easily provided within the lesson while
maintaining the activities.

X. Modifications
1. Modified learning goals:
a. SWBAT match the names of the four regions to their location on a
colored map from a word bank.
b. SWBAT match key details from each region to the region using their
interactive notebook.
2. Other modifications could be made depending on the student’s disability or
learning needs. The biggest change would be the requirements for the exit ticket.

Meeting Objectives
XI. Assessments
1. The students will be assessed via the exit ticket during closure. This assesses both
learning objectives directly in a simple and objective way. Students will not be
“graded” but teacher will check off who was able to correctly label the regions
and give three correct details about each region.
2. The students will also be assessed through a permanent product assessment
through the products of each center (paragraph, 3D map, travel brochure, and
scavenger hunt worksheet). Students will not be “graded” but teacher will make
note of who has met the objectives and who has not.
3. Informal assessment can also be conducted by observing each group in action,
taking notes, and going through their interactive notebook entries. Students will
not be “graded” but teacher will make note of who has met the objectives and
who has not.
Appendix A: Directions for each center

Center 1: Coastal Region

I can…summarize and discuss research on geography of the coastal
region on California.

Independently…
Research major cities, bodies of water, and landmarks in the
coastal region of California.
 Use kiddle.co for your research.
 Take notes in your interactive notebook or on scratch
paper.
 Write a paragraph (4-5 sentences) summarizing your research

As a group…
Read and discuss each other’s paragraphs. You may choose as
a group to read them out loud or to pass them around.
 What did you include that others didn’t? What did they
include that you didn’t?
 How did you decide what to include?
 What did you find most interesting from your research?
 Why do you think people choose to live in or visit this
region?

Use the following sentence starters to help guide your

discussion:
 I noticed…
 I included…
 I found out…
 My favorite part was…
 I can infer…
 I can make a connection…

Independently…
Fill in the foldables in your IN if you haven’t already.
 You may ask peers for assistance, but you may not copy each
other.
 Use the word wall or your personal word wall in your IN.
 Center 2: Mountains
I can…show the mountain ranges of California through a 3D map.

Independently…
Look through each map and fact sheet on the mountains in CA.
 You may take notes in your IN or on scratch paper.
 Notice similarities and differences.

As a group…
Create a 3D map of the mountains in California.
 Include information on height, the names of mountains, and
other key details.
 Use any materials from our student material bins.

Discuss these questions:

 What was the most difficult part of this activity?
 How did you work together?
 How else could you show your knowledge of this region?
 What else do you want to know about this region? Post
these questions on the Wall of Wonder or jot them down in
your IN.

Use these sentence starters:

 I’m curious about…
 We could also…
 One positive thing about our group work was…
 One thing we could have done better was…
 I want to know…

Independently…
Fill in the foldables in your IN if you haven’t already.
 You may ask peers for assistance, but you may not copy each
other.
 Use the word wall or your personal word wall in your IN.
 Center 3: Desert Region
I can…explore the desert region of CA through a scavenger hunt.

Independently…
Complete the online scavenger hunt about the desert region.
 Jot down your answers on the worksheet.
 Resources are on the tablets at the tables…Stick to the
provided websites.

As a group…
Compare and discuss your answers.
 If someone has another answer or detail, add it to your
notes.
 Discuss the positives and deltas of this activity.

Independently…
Fill in the foldables in your IN if you haven’t already.
 You may ask peers for assistance, but you may not copy each
other.
 Use the word wall or your personal word wall in your IN.

Center 4: Central Valley

I can…create a travel brochure with facts about the Central
Valley.

Independently…
Look over the resources about the Central Valley.
 Highlight things you might include in a travel brochure
about this region.
 Look at the example brochures for ideas.

Create a travel brochure using the provided resources.

  Include population, landmarks, major cities, tourist
attractions, and any other facts you highlighted.
 Use any materials from our student material bins.
 Be creative! Draw pictures, use color, and be organized.

As a group…
Share your creation with the group. You may choose to
present them or pass them around. Discuss these questions:
 What were some similarities or differences of your
projects?
 How did you decide what was most important to include?
 What was the most interesting thing you learned?
 Why do you think people choose to visit or live in this
region? Do you think your brochure would encourage
visitors?
 What suggestions do you have for your peers? What might
you change about your own?

Use these sentence starters:

 I noticed…
 I was interested in…
 I can infer…
 I would change…
 I have a suggestion…
 I have a connection…

Independently…
Fill in the foldables in your IN if you haven’t already.
 You may ask peers for assistance, but you may not copy each
other.
 Use the word wall or your personal word wall in your IN.