Teacher Name: Jamie DeBenedictis
Thematic Unit Theme/Title/Grade Level: The 5 Regions of the United States/Third Grade
Wiki space address: FiveRegionsThirdGrade
Daily Lesson Plan Day/Title: Day 5: Exploring the Northeast
Estimated Time: 1 hour+
The student will be able to identify the northeast region of the U.S. by
Learning Objectives
labeling the region on a map.
The student will be able to name the states belonging to the northeast region of
the U.S. by labeling a map of the Southeast region.
The students will be able to identify landmarks that are in the northeast region
by creating a postcard that illustrates a landmark that they have learned about.
NCSS Theme/Sunshine
SS.3.G.2.2: Identify the five regions of the United States.
State Standards
SS.3.G.2.3.: Label the states in each of the five regions of the United States.
SS.3.G.2.5.: Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States,
Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
LA.3.4.2.1: The student will write in a variety of technical/informational forms (i.e.
rules, summaries, procedures, recipes, notes/messages, labels, instructions, graphs/
tables, experiments, rubrics)
LA.3.4.2.2: The student will record information (i.e. observations, notes, lists, charts,
map labels, legends) related to a topic, including visual aids as appropriate.
Student Activities &
Procedures
Teacher Activities/Student
Activities
Anticipatory set:
1. Tell the students that today they will be exploring the Northeast region
of the United States.
2. Distribute a blank Planning Map each student. Explain to them they
will be going to the Northeast region, but first need to mark the region
on the map.
3. Have the students begin by drawing an outline of where they think the
northeast region is on their adventure map. Ask them to also label any
states that they know.
4. When the students are finished, collect all of the maps. The results of
the map will be used to assess the students’ prior knowledge on the
region.
5. Play the YouTube video song listed below about the northeast region.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R7MpmWSKXY
6. After the song is over, ask the class to name the states that were talked
about in the song. Ask them if they have ever been to any of the states
in the Northeast region.
Activity Outline:
1. To introduce the students to the northeast region, present the
Northeast Region
Northeast Region PowerPoint to them
(Double click for
powerpoint). Tell them that we will be taking a tour around the
northeast today.
2. Pass out a map of the northeast region to each student.
3.
Explain to the students that they will be marking the route that they
take on their trip today. As each location is talked about on the
PowerPoint, students will draw a line, and will draw a symbol on the
states that represent the landmarks they visit.
4. Outline of PowerPoint:
Western Region
 11 States
 Land and Water
 Climate
 Products and Natural Resources
 Landmarks
5. Artifacts: On slide 16, students will be learning that Vermont is
famous for its maple syrup that comes from the sugar maple trees.
Bring in maple syrup from Vermont and allow students to taste it.
6. On slide 22, students will be learning the Hersey factory that is
located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Give each student a Hershey Kiss
and tell them that they will be experiencing what it is like to be in a
factory. They will be visiting the Hershey Factory today. Show the
video on the website below:
http://www.thehersheycompany.com/about-hershey/manufacturingnetwork.aspx
7. Slide 23: Students will be visiting the Big Apple to see the Statue of
Liberty! Tell the students to get ready to board the ferry as they take
the journey to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Show the
YouTube video below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42yO2FUWL6A&feature=related
\
7. Continue with the rest of the PowerPoint. At the end, ask the students
to share which place they enjoyed the most.
Closure:
1. Explain to the students that they will be creating a postcard about one
of the landmarks they learned about and visited. The postcard should
contain the following information: FRONT: picture of landmark, a
caption or nickname of the state. BACK: 5-7 sentences describing their
trip to the landmark. State which region it is in and include 3 facts
about the state. Include a shipping address, return address, and a stamp.
Allow students to view a sample postcard that you made as an
example.
2. Give each student a postcard template and supplies such as markers or
colored pencils.
3. Students may use their textbook or a website such as the one listed
below to find facts to use in their postcard.
http://www.ipl.org/div/stateknow/
4. Walk around the room to monitor the students and assist if anyone
needs help.
5. When the students are finished making their postcards, pass out their
Adventure Maps. Explain that they will be outlining the Northeast
region on the map, and will be labeling the states within the region.
They may also include landmarks that they have visited and learned
about today. For example, see below:
Resources/Materials
6. When the students are finished, collect the maps.
Materials:
 Planning Map
 Adventure map
 Northeastern map
 PowerPoint of the Northeast Region
 Markers, colored pencils, pencils
 Map of the United States
 Maple syrup
 Hershey Kisses
 Social Studies textbook, literature set books
 Computer
 YouTube Northeast Region Song
 Postcard template
Websites used in this lesson plan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R7MpmWSKXY
http://www.thehersheycompany.com/about-hershey/manufacturingnetwork.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42yO2FUWL6A&feature=related\
http://www.ipl.org/div/stateknow/
Books:
Backer, Miles. Travels with Charlie: Travelin’ the Northeast. (2006) Blue
Apple Books.
McGill, Alice. Molly Bannaky. (1999). New York: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Assessment
Pre-Assessment: The students are given a Planning map and are asked to label
the northeast region and any states that they know are in it. This will determine
their knowledge on the location of the region and the states prior to the lesson.
The information obtained from the results of the pre-assessment will be used to
determine the level of instruction for the unit.
Post-Assessment: To assess the students after the lesson, they will given an
Adventure Map where they are asked to outline the northeast region, label the
states, and label some of the major landmarks they have learned about. The
results of this assessment will show whether the students are capable of
identifying the region on the map as well as the states in it.
Exceptionalities
ESOL/SLD:
 Provide captions on videos when applicable.
 Use pointing and hand gestures while teaching.
 Create notes for students to use during PowerPoint.
 Provide maps that are labeled in the students native language.
 ESOL students may work with a partner to acquire assistance.
 Use extra visuals of the states and landmarks.
 ESOL and/or SLD students may draw pictures on their postcards to
show the landmarks or facts that they learned instead of writing
sentences.
Gifted/Talented:
 Students can learn states capitals and can begin learning about the
history that took place in the different regions
 Students can choose a state to do research on. They may share what
they learn with the class.
 Students may choose books from the literature set to read, or may

select additional books on the regions to read.
Have student explore an educational website on the 5 regions or may
play an educational game from the websites below:
http://pbskids.org/bigapplehistory/index-flash.html
http://www.historyglobe.com/jamestown/popupwindow.html

Discussion Notes
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/geographygames/br
ainteasergrandcanyon/
 For a homework assignment, students can have the journal question
“If you could go to any state, which would you go to and what
would you do there?”
 If any students have been to any the landmarks that are taught in
the lessons, ask them to tell the class about it. Ask the parents if
they have any souvenirs that can be brought in to share with the
class.
 To expand these lessons, teachers can teach historical pieces about
each region.
 Any parents who are from other states can come in as guest
speakers to share what the state is like.