Madison Public Schools
Grade 3 Social Studies
Written by:
Sara Kolesar
Caitlin Manley
Francesca Pisano
Reviewed by:
Matthew A. Mingle
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Janine Loconsolo
Supervisor of Elementary Education
Approval date:
September 9, 2014
Members of the Board of Education:
Lisa Ellis, President
Kevin Blair, Vice President
Shade Grahling, Curriculum Committee Chairperson
David Arthur
Johanna Habib
Thomas Haralampoudis
Leslie Lajewski
James Novotny
Madison Public Schools
359 Woodland Road
Madison, NJ 07940
www.madisonpublicschools.org
Course Overview
Description
Grade 3 Social Studies focuses on the fundamental concepts of history, government, citizenship,
economics, and geography. It traces the development of the state of New Jersey from the formation
of its natural regions, to the first people of New Jersey, to the formation and functionality of the
state government. Finally, students will be introduced to the regions across the United States to
prepare for their study of the nation in grade 4. Grade 3 Social Studies offers opportunities for
students to research past and present New Jersey to develop understandings and complete project
based assessments.
Goals
This course aims to:
● develop an understanding of how the events and individuals of the past shaped the present
● communicate the purpose and creation of government
● recognize the effects of location
● illustrate the economic system of a region
● apply non-fiction reading strategies to a variety of texts on a common topic
● develop ideas about local or state environmental issues
● develop analytical and critical reading strategies as well as an appropriate vocabulary to
comprehend a variety of challenging and sophisticated texts
● develop the writing process and writing to learn strategies through which students compose a
variety of written responses for different purposes and audiences, employing a range of
voices and taking compositional risks
Resources
Suggested activities and resources page
Unit 1 Overview
Unit Title: Life in the Regions of New Jersey
Unit Summary:
During this unit, students will explore how the people in New Jersey have always been influenced by
their environment. They have also affected their environment. Students will have the opportunity
to gain knowledge about New Jersey’s natural regions and physical characteristics, as well as the
state’s natural resources. They will learn about the state symbols, counties, and major cities of New
Jersey.
Suggested Pacing: 15 lessons
Learning Targets
Unit Essential Questions:
● Why are locations divided into regions?
● What makes New Jersey unique?
● How does the environment and its resources affect life in New Jersey?
Unit Enduring Understandings:
● Places are jointly characterized by their physical and human properties.
● Regions form and change as a result of unique physical/ ecological conditions, economies and
cultures.
● Patterns of settlement across the Earth’s surface differ markedly from region to region, place
to place and time to time.
● Urban areas, worldwide, share common physical characteristics, but may also have cultural
differences.
Evidence of Learning
Unit 1 Benchmark Assessment Information:
New Jersey in a Shoebox/Flipbook Project
Open-Ended Extension Question: “Which region of New Jersey would you like to live in and why?”
Objectives
(Students will be able to…)
Describe New Jersey’s
location relative to
other states,
countries, and bodies
of water.
Essential
Content/Skills
Content:
continent, relative
location, region,
physical
characteristics
Suggested
Assessments
Standards
(NJCCCS CPIs, CCSS, NGSS)
Pacing
Students can locate
and label New Jersey
on a map and label
surrounding states
and bodies of water.
6.1.4.B.2
Use physical and political maps to
explain how the location and
spatial relationship of places in
New Jersey, the United States, and
other areas, worldwide, have
contributed to cultural diffusion
and economic interdependence.
1 lesson
Students can locate
and label the regions
of NJ and a few major
cities on a blank New
Jersey map.
6.1.4.B.10
Identify the major cities in New
Jersey, the United States, and
major world regions, and explain
how maps, globes, and
demographic tools can be used to
understand tangible and
intangible cultural differences.
1 lesson
Students will take
notes for the New
Jersey in a Shoe Box
end-of-unit
assessment.
6.1.4.B.2
Use physical and political maps to
explain how the location and
spatial relationship of places in
New Jersey, the United States, and
other areas, worldwide, have
contributed to cultural diffusion
and economic interdependence.
8 lessons
Skills:
Read and understand
a map.
Name the relative
location of New
Jersey.
Identify New Jersey’s
natural regions and
its major cities.
Content:
urban, suburb, rural
Skills:
Name New Jersey’s
natural regions.
Name several major
cities in New Jersey
Explain how New
Jersey’s natural
regions formed over
time.
Identify the physical
characteristics of New
Jersey’s natural
regions.
Content:
glacier, erosion, till,
sea level, silt,
vegetation,
Appalachian Ridge
and Valley,
Highlands, Piedmont,
Inner Coastal Plain,
Atlantic Coastal
Plain, Outer Coastal
Plain
6.1.4.B.4
Describe how landforms, climate
and weather, and availability of
resources have impacted where
and how people live and work in
different regions of New Jersey
and the United States.
Skills:
Explain the
differences between
New Jersey’s natural
regions.
6.1.4.B.6
Compare and contrast
characteristics of regions in the
United States based on culture,
economics, politics, and physical
environment to understand the
concept of regionalism.
6.1.4.C.14
Compare different regions of New
Jersey to determine the role that
geography, natural resources,
climate, transportation,
technology, and/or the labor force
have played in economic
opportunities.
Identify the symbols
of New Jersey.
Content: symbol
Skills:
Discuss why places
have symbols and
why they are chosen.
Have students write a
persuasive letter to
the principal
suggesting an
appropriate “school
symbol.”
W.3.1
Write opinion pieces on topics or
texts, supporting a point of view
with reasons.
9.1.4.D.1
Use effective oral and written
communication in face-to-face and
online interactions and when
presenting to an audience.
2 lessons
Identify the 21
counties of New
Jersey.
Content: county,
Atlantic, Bergen,
Burlington, Camden,
Cape May,
Cumberland, Essex,
Gloucester, Hudson,
Hunterdon, Mercer,
Middlesex,
Monmouth, Morris,
Ocean, Passaic,
Salem, Somerset,
Sussex, Union,
Warren
Students can label
counties on an NJ
map (either all 21 or
Morris and
surrounding counties)
6.1.4.C.14
Compare different regions of New
Jersey to determine the role that
geography, natural resources,
climate, transportation,
technology, and/or the labor force
have played in economic
opportunities.
1 lesson
Foldable of renewable
and nonrenewable
resources found in
New Jersey
6.1.4.B.4
Describe how landforms, climate
and weather, and availability of
resources have impacted where
and how people live and work in
different regions of New Jersey
and the United States.
2 lessons
Skills:
Read and understand
a map.
Describe New Jersey’s
climate.
Identify the different
kinds of natural
resources found in
New Jersey.
Explain the difference
between renewable
and nonrenewable
resources.
Content:
climate,
precipitation,
nor’easter, natural
resource, renewable,
nonrenewable,
manufacturing
Skills:
Differentiate between
renewable and
nonrenewable
resources
Unit 2 Overview
Unit Title: History and First People of New Jersey
Unit Summary:
During this unit, students will learn about the native people of New Jersey. They will explore their
culture, traditions, and how they use their environment to survive. Students will understand the
impact the Lenni Lenape and other Native Americans had on the development of New Jersey and
their lives today.
Suggested Pacing: 19 lessons
Learning Targets
Unit Essential Questions:
● What makes New Jersey unique?
● How does the environment and its resources affect life in New Jersey?
● What is the impact of early peoples on our present culture?
Unit Enduring Understandings:
● Personal, family, and community history is a source of information for individuals about the
people and places around them.
● The study of American folklore and popular historical figures enables Americans with diverse
cultural backgrounds to feel connected to a national heritage.
● Cultures include traditions, popular beliefs, and commonly held values, ideas, and
assumptions that are generally accepted by a particular group of people.
● American culture, based on specific traditions and values, has been influenced by the
behaviors of different cultural groups living in the United States.
Evidence of Learning
Unit 2 Benchmark Assessment Information:
Unit 2 Assessment and Rubric
Lenape Poster Requirements and Plan
Lenape Research Packet
Open-Ended Question: What lasting impact did the Lenni Lenape and other Native Americans have
on modern-day New Jersey?
Objectives
(Students will be able to…)
Explain how the early
Native Americans
used legends to
explain their world.
Understand how
traditional stories
express beliefs about
history, culture, and
the natural world.
Essential
Content/Skills
Content: Lenape
Legends
Suggested
Assessments
Box and Bullets- Main
idea and details
Skill: Explain how the
Lenape Legend helps
make sense of the
natural world.
Standards
(NJCCCS CPIs, CCSS, NGSS)
6.1.4.D.13
Describe how culture is expressed
through and influenced by the
behavior of people.
Pacing
1 Lesson
RL.3.2
Recount stories, including fables,
folktales, and myths from diverse
cultures; determine the central
message, lesson, or moral and
explain how it is conveyed
through key details in the text.
RI.3.2
Determine the main idea of a text;
recount the key details and
explain how they support the
main idea.
RI.3.7
Use information gained from
illustrations (e.g., maps,
photographs) and the words in a
text to demonstrate
understanding of the text (e.g.,
where, when, why, and how key
events occur).
W.3.8
Recall information from
experiences or gather information
from print and digital sources;
take brief notes on sources and sort
evidence into provided categories.
Identify the culture
and products of New
Jersey’s early people
and their impact on
life in New Jersey
today.
Content: Land bridge,
The First New
Jerseyans,
Adaptations, Daily
Life of the Lenape,
Lenape Customs
Tell how changes in
climate affected
Native Americans in
New Jersey.
Skill: Explain how the
Lenape settled and
created a life in New
Jersey.
Describe how Early
Native American
beliefs and values
were handed down
over time and how
they are still evident
today.
Draw the Lenape’s
migration route on a
map.
Make a Mural: Draw a
mural to show how
the Lenape lived.
6.1.4.B.2
Use physical and political maps to
explain how the location and
spatial relationship of places in
New Jersey, the United States, and
other areas, worldwide, have
contributed to cultural diffusion
and economic interdependence.
6.1.4.B.4
Describe how landforms, climate
and weather, and availability of
resources have impacted where
and how people live and work in
different regions of New Jersey
and the United States.
6.1.4.B.7
Explain why some locations in
New Jersey and the United States
are more suited for settlement
than others.
6.1.4.B.8
Compare ways people choose to use
and divide natural resources.
6.1.4.C.16
Explain how creativity and
innovation resulted in scientific
achievement and inventions in
7 lessons
many cultures during different
historical periods.
6.1.4.D.2
Summarize reasons why various
groups, voluntary and
involuntary immigration on
America’s growth as a nation,
historically, and today.
6.1.4.D.10
Describe how the Native American
groups, including the Lenni
Lenape culture, is manifested in
different regions of New Jersey.
6.1.4.D.13
Describe how culture is expressed
through and influenced by the
behavior of people.
S.CHT.K-4.1
Place key and historical events
and people in historical eras using
timelines.
RI.3.2
Determine the main idea of a text;
recount the key details and
explain how they support the
main idea.
RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between
a series of historical events,
scientific ideas or concepts, or
steps in technical procedures in a
text, using language that pertains
to time, sequence, and
cause/effect.
RI.3.4
Determine the meaning of general
academic and domain-specific
words and phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 3 topic or
subject area.
RI.3.5
Use text features and search tools
(e.g., key words, sidebars,
hyperlinks) to locate information
relevant to a given topic
efficiently.
RI.3.7
Use information gained from
illustrations (e.g., maps,
photographs) and the words in a
text to demonstrate
understanding of the text (e.g.,
where, when, why, and how key
events occur).
RI.3.8
Describe the logical connection
between particular sentences and
paragraphs in a text (e.g.,
comparison, cause/effect,
first/second/third in a sequence).
RI.3.10
By the end of the year, read and
comprehend informational texts,
including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the
high end of the grades 2-3 text
complexity band independently
and proficiently.
Understand the role of
Chief Oratam in the
history of New Jersey.
Content: Chief
Oratam, Respect
Skill: Explain how
Chief Oratam is
connected to New
Jersey history,
Write to explain how
Chief Oratam showed
respect for his people
and the Dutch.
6.1.4.D.10
Describe how the Native American
groups, including the Lenni
Lenape culture, is manifested in
different regions of New Jersey.
1 lesson
6.1.4.D.12
Explain how folklores and the
actions of famous historical and
fictional characters from New
Jersey and other regions of the
United States contributed to the
American national heritage.
S.CHT.K-4.1
Place key and historical events
and people in historical eras using
timelines.
RI3.1
Ask and answer questions to
demonstrate understanding of a
text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.
RI.3.2
Determine the main idea of a text;
recount the key details and
explain how they support the
main idea.
RI.3.7
Use information gained from
illustrations (e.g., maps,
photographs) and the words in a
text to demonstrate
understanding of the text (e.g.,
where, when, why, and how key
events occur).
W.3.8
Recall information from
experiences or gather information
from print and digital sources;
take brief notes on sources and sort
evidence into provided categories.
L.3.1
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
L.3.2
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
Research the life of
Native Americans of
the Northeast,
focusing on the Lenni
Lenape.
Content: Lenape Food,
Clothing, Homes, and
Children
Completed research
packet for each
section
6.1.4.B.4
Describe how landforms, climate
and weather, and availability of
resources have impacted where
and how people live and work in
5 Lessons
*This project lends
itself to Nonfiction
reading and writing
units.
Skills: Synthesize
information from a
variety of texts.
different regions of New Jersey
and the United States.
6.1.4.B.7
Explain why some locations in
New Jersey and the United States
are more suited for settlement
than others.
6.1.4.B.8
Compare ways people choose to use
and divide natural resources.
6.1.4.C.16
Explain how creativity and
innovation resulted in scientific
achievement and inventions in
many cultures during different
historical periods.
6.1.4.D.13
Describe how culture is expressed
through and influenced by the
behavior of people.
9.1.4.F.2
Establish and follow performance
goals to guide progress in assigned
areas of responsibility and
accountability during classroom
projects and extra-curricular
activities.
RI3.1
Ask and answer questions to
demonstrate understanding of a
text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.
RI.3.4
Determine the meaning of general
academic and domain-specific
words and phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 3 topic or
subject area.
RI.3.5
Use text features and search tools
(e.g., key words, sidebars,
hyperlinks) to locate information
relevant to a given topic
efficiently.
RI.3.7
Use information gained from
illustrations (e.g., maps,
photographs) and the words in a
text to demonstrate
understanding of the text (e.g.,
where, when, why, and how key
events occur).
RI.3.9
Compare and contrast the most
important points and key details
presented in two texts on the same
topic.
RI.3.10
By the end of the year, read and
comprehend informational texts,
including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the
high end of the grades 2-3 text
complexity band independently
and proficiently.
W.3.7
Conduct short research projects
that build knowledge about a
topic.
W.3.8
Recall information from
experiences or gather information
from print and digital sources;
take brief notes on sources and sort
evidence into provided categories.
W.CCR.7
Conduct short as well as more
sustained research projects based
on focused questions,
demonstrating understanding of
the subject under investigation.
W.CCR.8
Gather relevant information from
multiple print and digital sources,
assess the credibility and
accuracy of each source, and
integrate the information while
avoiding plagiarism.
W.CCR.10
Write routinely over extended
time frames (time for research,
reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range
of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners
on grade 3 topics and texts,
building on others' ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
SL.3.1.A
Come to discussions prepared,
having read or studied required
material; explicitly draw on that
preparation and other information
known about the topic to explore
ideas under discussion.
SL.3.1.B
Follow agreed-upon rules for
discussions (e.g., gaining the floor
in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a
time about the topics and texts
under discussion).
SL.3.1.C
Ask questions to check
understanding of information
presented, stay on topic, and link
their comments to the remarks of
others.
SL.3.1.D
Explain their own ideas and
understanding in light of the
discussion.
Research and present
information on the
Lenni Lenape and
their impact on life in
New Jersey
Content: Lenape Food,
Clothing, Homes, and
Children
Skills:
Unit Assessment:
Nonfiction Research
Poster
9.1.4.F.2
Establish and follow performance
goals to guide progress in assigned
areas of responsibility and
accountability during classroom
projects and extra-curriculur
activities.
W.3.2
Write informative/explanatory
texts to examine a topic and
convey ideas and information
clearly.
W.3.2.A
Introduce a topic and group
related information
together; include
illustrations when useful to
aiding comprehension.
W.3.2.B
Develop the topic with facts,
definitions, and details.
W.3.2.C
Use linking words and
phrases (e.g., also, another,
and, more, but) to connect
ideas within categories of
information.
W.3.2.D
Provide a concluding
statement or section.
W.3.4
With guidance and support from
adults, produce writing in which
the development and organization
are appropriate to task and
purpose.
W.3.5
With guidance and support from
peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, and editing.
W.3.7
Conduct short research projects
that build knowledge about a
topic.
W.3.8
Recall information from
experiences or gather information
from print and digital sources;
take brief notes on sources and sort
evidence into provided categories.
W.3.10
Write routinely over extended
time frames (time for research,
reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range
of discipline-specific tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
5 lessons
SL.3.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a
story, or recount an experience
with appropriate facts and
relevant, descriptive details,
speaking clearly at an
understandable pace.
SL3.6
Speak in complete sentences when
appropriate to task and situation
in order to provide requested
detail or clarification.
L.3.1
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
L.3.2
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
L.3.3
Use knowledge of language and its
conventions when writing,
speaking, reading, or listening.
L.3.6
Acquire and use accurately
grade-appropriate conversational,
general academic, and
domain-specific words and
phrases, including those that
signal spatial and temporal
relationships (e.g., After dinner
that night we went looking for
them).
Unit 3 Overview
Unit Title: New Jersey’s State Government & Economy
Unit Summary:
During this unit, students will learn that government exists at federal, state, county, and municipal
levels. They will understand the structure and purpose of the different branches of the state
government and the role of state government officials. Students will also explore various aspects of
New Jersey’s economy and its impact on residents.
Suggested Pacing: 18 lessons
Learning Targets
Unit Essential Questions:
● What is the purpose of government?
● How do people, ideas and government interact to balance the needs of individuals and the
good of the community?
● What makes a successful economy?
● How has New Jersey's economy changed over time?
Unit Enduring Understandings:
● Rules and laws are developed to protect people’s rights and the security and welfare of
society.
● American constitutional government is based on principles of limited government, shared
authority, fairness, and equality.
● There are different branches within the government, each with its own structure, leaders,
and processes, and each designed to address specific issues and concerns.
● In a representative democracy, individuals elect representatives to act on the behalf of the
people.
● Economics is a driving force for the occurrence of various events and phenomena in societies.
● Economic opportunities in New Jersey and other states are related to the availability of
resources and technology.
Evidence of Learning
Unit 3 Benchmark Assessment Information:
Unit 3 Assessment and Rubric
Three Branches of Government Project
Open Ended Response essay: “How has New Jersey’s economy changed over time?”
Objectives
(Students will be able to…)
Identify fundamental
values of American
democracy in the Bill
of Rights
Describe how rights
guaranteed by the
Constitution and the
Bill of Rights
contribute to the
continuation of
democracy
Essential
Content/Skills
Content:
Constitution, Bill of
Rights, Amendments
Skills:
Identify how the
Constitution helps
keep order and
protects the rights of
the people
Suggested
Assessments
Choose one of the
rights from the Bill of
Rights and write a
paragraph about
what it means and
why it is important.
Then draw a poster/
picture exemplifying
that freedom.
Bill of Rights
Paragraph
Students complete a
Bill of Rights
worksheet to match
an amendment with
the correct right.
Bill of Rights Matching
Worksheet
Summary of
Amendments
Standards
(NJCCCS CPIs, CCSS, NGSS)
6.1.4.A.1
Explain how rules and laws
created by community, state, and
national governments protect the
rights of people, help resolve
conflicts, and promote the
common good.
Pacing
3 lessons
6.1.4.A.4
Explain how the United States
government is organized and how
the United States Constitution
defines and limits the power of
government.
6.1.4.A.2
Explain how fundamental rights
guaranteed by the United States
Constitution and the Bill of Rights
contribute to the continuation
and improvement of American
democracy.
RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between
a series of historical events,
scientific ideas or concepts, or
steps in technical procedures in a
text, using language that pertains
to time, sequence, and
cause/effect.
Recognize that the
government exists on
a federal and state
level
Understand the roles
of each branch of the
federal and state
government
Content:
Branches, executive,
legislative, judicial
branches, President,
Vice President,
Supreme Court,
justice, Speaker of the
House
Work collaboratively
to create a diagram to
describe the three
branches of New
Jersey government ,
their responsibilities
and how they work
together
Skills:
Identify the three
branches of the
National
Government.
Create a venn
diagram comparing
the federal and state
government
responsibilities.
Name the leaders of
the National
Government three
branches.
6.1.4.A.5
Distinguish the roles and
responsibilities of the three
branches of the national
government.
5 lessons
6.1.4.A.6
Explain how national and state
governments share power in the
federal system of government.
W.3.2
Write informative/explanatory
texts to examine a topic and
convey ideas and information
clearly.
W.3.2.a
Introduce a topic and
group related
information together;
include illustrations
when useful to aiding
comprehension.
Find factual
information through
Internet research
W.3.2.b
Develop the topic with
facts, definitions, and
details.
Understand the
function of the New
Jersey Constitution
and the purpose for its
creation
Content:
Three state
Constitutions
delegates
Skills:
Students read a
nonfiction article
about the
Constitution, focusing
on how it was created,
and write about three
6.1.4.A.4
Explain how the United States
government is organized and how
the United States Constitution
defines and limits the power of
government
2 lessons
Compare the roles and
responsibilities of the
three branches of NJ
state government
Understand the
purpose of the US
Constitution and how
it protects our rights
things the delegates
talked about when
creating the
Constitution.
Constitution
Attachment
Content:
Role of New Jersey
Branches: executive,
judicial and
legislative
New Jersey
Constitution
State government,
Governor, the
General Assembly,
New Jersey Supreme
Court
Assigned worksheets
and graphic
organizers to gather
information for final
assessment
W.3.7
Conduct short research projects
that build knowledge about a
topic.
Find factual
information through
Internet research
Describe how New
Jersey’s economy
functions
Skills:
Identify the changes
and reasons for
changes in New
Jersey’s economy over
the years
Define free enterprise,
consumers,
producers, imports
and exports and
explain their function
in a successful
economy
4 lessons
6.1.4.D.7
Explain the role Governor William
Livingston played in the
development of New Jersey
government.
Name the leaders of
the three New Jersey
state branches.
Content:
New Jersey's past and
present economy,
service industry, free
enterprise, consumers
vs. producers, imports
and exports
6.1.4.A.6
Explain how national and state
governments share power in the
federal system of government.
6.1.4.A.8
Compare and contrast how
government functions at the
community, county, state, and
national levels, the services
provided, and the impact of policy
decisions made at each level.
Skills:
Identify the three
branches and their
roles.
Describe how New
Jerseyans have
improved their
ability to earn income
by gaining
knowledge, skill, and
experience
RI.3.2
Determine the main idea of a text;
recount the key details and
explain how they support the
main idea.
W.3.8
Recall information from
experiences or gather information
from print and digital sources;
take brief notes on sources and
sort evidence into provided
categories.
Write a persuasive
essay explaining why
people should live in
New Jersey based on
our successful
economy
6.1.4.C.3
Explain why incentives vary
between and among producers
and consumers.
6.1.4.C.4
Describe how supply and demand
influence price and output of
products.
6.1.4.C.5
Explain the role of specialization
in the production and exchange of
goods and services
6.1.4.C.15
Describe how the development of
different transportation systems
impacted the economies of New
Jersey and the United States.
6.1.4.C.17
Determine the role and science
and technology in the transition
from an agricultural society to an
industrial society, and then to the
information age.
W.3.1
Write opinion pieces on topics or
texts, supporting a point of view
with reasons
4 lessons
W.3.1.a
Introduce the topic or text they
are writing about, state an
opinion, and create an
organizational structure that lists
reasons. W.3.1.b
Provide reasons that support the
opinion.
W.3.1.c
Use linking words and phrases
(e.g., because, therefore, since, for
example) to connect opinion and
reasons.
W.3.1.d
Provide a concluding statement or
section.
Unit 4 Overview
Unit Title: Regions Across the Nation
Unit Summary:
During this unit, students will understand that the United States of America is divided into regions.
They will learn the states that make up each region and the physical features of the regions. They
will compare and contrast the climate and landforms indicative of each region.
Suggested Pacing: 18 lessons
Learning Targets
Unit Essential Questions:
● Why are locations divided into regions?
● How does the environment and its resources affect life in each region?
Unit Enduring Understandings:
● Places are jointly characterized by their physical and human properties.
● Regions form and change as a result of unique physical/ ecological conditions, economies and
cultures.
● Patterns of settlement across the Earth’s surface differ markedly from region to region, place
to place and time to time.
Evidence of Learning
Unit 4 Benchmark Assessment Information:
Unit 4 Assessment and Rubric
Region Research Presentations- “Piecing Together Our Nation’s Regions”
Objectives
(Students will be able to…)
Identify and name the
five regions of the
United States.
Essential
Content/Skills
Content:
United States Regions,
West, Southwest,
Southeast, Midwest,
Northeast
Suggested
Assessments
Standards
(NJCCCS CPIs, CCSS, NGSS)
Use region maps to
answer questions
about each region.
Pacing
1 lesson
Skills:
Use map to section
each region
Identify the states in
each region
Discuss urban, rural
and suburban areas
in each region
Content:
West, Southwest,
Southeast, Midwest,
Northeast, urban,
rural, and suburban
Label each state and
capital in the United
States regions
6.1.4..B.10
Identify the major cities in New
Jersey, the United States, and
major world regions, and explain
how maps, globes and
demographic tools can be used to
understand tangible and
intangible cultural differences
5 lessons
Students will choose a
region and write a
paragraph about why
people settled there
6.1.4.B.7
Explain why come locations in
New Jersey and the United States
are more suitable for settlement
than others
4 lessons
Skills:
Use map to locate the
states in each region
Understand the
reasons for settlement
in each region in the
past and present
Content:
West, Southwest,
Southeast, Midwest,
Northeast,
settlement, jobs
Skills:
Understand the
relationship between
cause and effect as it
pertains to settlement
in each region
Develop an
understanding of the
climate and weather,
landmarks,
landforms, natural
resources, and
common jobs in each
region
Content:
West, Southwest,
Southeast, Midwest,
Northeast, climate,
weather, landmarks,
landforms, natural
resources, jobs
Skills:
Synthesize
information gathered
from resource books to
take notes on assigned
regions
RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between
a series of historical events,
scientific ideas or concepts, or
steps in technical procedures in a
text, using language that pertains
to time, sequence, and
cause/effect.
Students will work in
groups to research a
specific region. They
will use assigned
worksheets and
graphic organizers to
gather information
for the final
assessment.
6.1.4.B.4
Describe how landforms, climate
and weather, and availability of
resources have impacted where
and how people live and work in
different regions of New Jersey
and the United States
6.1.4.B.6
Compare and contrast
characteristics of regions in the
United States based on culture,
economics, politics, and physical
environment to understand the
concept of regionalism
RI.3.7
Use information gained from
illustrations (e.g., maps,
photographs) and the words in a
text to demonstrate
understanding of the text (e.g.,
where, when, why, and how key
events occur).
8 lessons