3rd Grade Geography
Unit 3
Mia Tannous
(4) Geography. The student understands how humans adapt to variations in the physical environment.
The student is expected to:
(A) describe and explain variations in the physical environment including climate, landforms,
natural resources, and natural hazards;
(B) compare how people in different communities adapt to or modify the physical environment;
(C) describe the effects of physical and human processes in shaping the landscape; and
(D) identify and compare the human characteristics of selected regions.
(5) Geography. The student understands the concepts of location, distance, and direction on maps and
globes. The student is expected to:
(A) use cardinal and intermediate directions to locate places such as the Amazon River,
Himalayan Mountains, and Washington D.C. on maps and globes;
(B) use a scale to determine the distance between places on maps and globes;
(C) identify and use the compass rose, grid, and symbols to locate places on maps and globes;
and
(D) draw maps of places and regions that contain map elements including a title, compass rose,
legend, scale, and grid system.
Week
Objectives and Lesson Plans
1. SWBAT locate their home/ street by looking at the Austin
2. SWBAT use cardinal and intermediate directions
3. SWBAT use map keys to use scales to determine distance.
4. SWBAT understanding variations of physical environments
Week 1-2
Week 3
Week 4
1. Discuss the significance of why we have maps.
2. Find UT Elementary on the map.
3. Have a few students give their street name and help them find that on the
map.
4. Read Aloud “Me on the Map”
5. If time, show them “Google Earth App”
6. United Streaming : “Maps: Types, Symbol and Terms” / “Understanding
Maps: Key to Everywhere”
Vocab: Maps, legend, key
1. Me on the Map Project
2. (See Pintrest for Social Studies project using circles instead of foldable
book)
Vocab: home, street, neighborhood, town, city, county, state, country,
continent, world
1. Talk about cardinal / intermediate directions (use compass to illustrate the
importance)
2. Tape the directions on the class wall.
3. Tour the perimeter of the school using cardinal directions and log what
they see.
Vocab: Compass, cardinal directions, intermediate directions, North, East,
South, West, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest
Week 5
Week 6
1. Use globe scale to show how far two point are and calculate distance using
map scale. (Need rulers)
2. Have students practice using rulers by measuring the class. Then draw to
scale as a whole class.
3. Students will do “Find out How Far” worksheet. They will need rulers.
4. Map Champs: Map Champ Activity #8. (Learning how to use a Map Key/
Legend)
Vocab: scale, map key, legend
1. Discuss kinds of landforms (powerpoint)
2. Unitedstreaming: “Landforms #1” / “How Mountains Affect Life”
3. Brainpop on landforms
4. Map Champ #7
5. Homework : “A View of China”
Vocab: landorms, climate, natural resources, natural hazards