Geography Integrated Lesson Plan
Title: Land Bridge Theory of Migration
Subjects: Geography, History, Science (grade 3)
Duration of lesson: 1 block
Teacher: Danielle Spencer
PURPOSE/OVERVIEW
In this lesson, students work in cooperative groups solving the mystery of the crossing of the
Bering Strait and how it relates to the early presence of man in North America and West
Virginia.
The purpose of this activity is to allow students to work within their groups on problem solving
skills and coming to a group consensus on an issue while introducing them to the study of early
North American history.
As a result of this activity, the students will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Understand the effects of the ice age on the levels of the oceans waters.
Be able to identify the Bering Strait.
Understand that a land bridge between Asia & North America existed at the Bering Strait.
Be able to trace the migration of early man from Asia to the state of West Virginia.
ESSENTIAL OR GUIDING QUESTION:
“Where did the Native Americans come from?”
VOCABULARY:
consensus: an agreement
Bering Strait: a channel of water that lies between Alaska and Russial
land bridge: an actual or hypothetical strip of land, subject to submergence, that connects
adjacent continental landmasses and serves as a route of dispersal for plants and animals
Ice age: Any of several cold periods during which glaciers covered much of the Earth.
Migration: movement from one place to another
WEST VIRGINIA CONTENT STANDARDS
SS.O.3.4.1: The student will construct and use the basic elements of maps and globes (e.g., title,
legend, cardinal directions, scale, grid, parallels, meridians).
SS.O.3.4.2: The student will locate north, south, east, west, borders, lines of longitude and
latitude, equator, north and south poles and time zones using a map.
SS.O.3.4.3: The student will recognize world geographic features (e.g., peninsulas, islands,
continents, straits, mountains, rivers, deserts, oceans, seas, harbors, gulfs, forests, oases).
SS.O.3.5.1: The student will discuss the historical significance of major events, people and their
contributions to the United States (e.g., Pilgrims, George Washington, American Revolution,
Abe Lincoln, Civil War, Columbus, Native Americans, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr.).
SS.O.3.5.4: The student will make historical inferences by analyzing artifacts and pictures.
SS.O.3.5.8: The student will compare and contrast different stories or accounts about past events,
people, places or situations and identify how they contribute to our understanding of the past.
GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS
Standard 9- Element 4 (Human Systems): The Characteristics, Distribution, and Migration of
Human Population on Earth’s Surface
Standard 15- Element 5 (Environment and Society): How Physical Systems Affect Human
Systems
Standard 17- Element 6 (The Uses of Geography): How to Apply Geography to Interpret the Past
21ST CENTURY LEARNING SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGY TOOLS
21C.O.34.2.LS.1
Student engages, with teacher assistance, in a critical thinking process that
synthesizes knowledge and ideas.
21C.O.34.2.LS.3
Student engages in a problem solving process that promotes questioning,
planning investigations and finding answers and solutions.
21C.O.34.3.LS.4
Student appreciates, accepts and works cooperatively with others, in both
academic & social contexts, shares responsibility for continued
improvement of the academic performance & climate of the school, &
exhibits ethical behavior while working alone or communicating w/ others.
MATERIALS:
-
World map that shows Asia to the left of the United States
activity sheets (at end of plan)
Optional: computers with internet access, preselected age appropriate websites and books
on theories of Native American migration
MAP INTEGRATION:
Use a world map to show how Native American ancestors could have crossed from Asia to North
America and how they are thought to have migrated further. Practice basic map skills such as
directions, latitude/longitude, etc.
PROCEDURE: (include activity sheets)
1. To introduce the unit before any reading takes place create the following challenge game.
With students in small cooperative teams, tell the following story using a world map.
A time long ago, on this continent (point to Asia), a group of people who followed their food,
such as bison and mammoths, roamed the area. As the people continued their daily search for
food they were slowly lead to this point (point to the Bering Strait). As they continued to follow
their food they found themselves here (point to North American side of Bering Strait). As these
people continued to follow their food they eventually scattered themselves throughout North
America. Now, here is the challenge -- you can see that there is no land between these two
continents, yet animals and people crossed here. Your task is to tell me how the people got
across, or what they walked on to get to North America.
2. As the teams begin solving the challenge write the first news flash on the board, then continue
to supply news flashes until the teams can secretly report the correct answer.
News Flash: The animals had no boats and most people walked.
News Flash: The weather turned very cold.
News Flash: An Ice Age occurred.
News Flash: As ice bergs grew oceans shrank.
News Flash: The animals and people walked on bare ground.
*(correct answer: they walked across a land bridge that no longer exists)*
3. Discuss that the Bering land bridge is a theoretical way that the ancestors of the Native
Americans could have arrived.
4. Discuss how people use clues to come up with the various theories.
5. Have students brainstorm/research about other theories of where the Native Americans came
from (it will help to have preselected resources).
CONCLUSION/SUMMARY
1. Have the students try this exercise to check for understanding the theory.
An amateur archaeologist was exploring in a remote mountain region in Wyoming known as Owl
Creek. On a sheltered southern exposure hillside overlooking a natural spring the archaeologist
discovered petrified fish scales. Through closer study of the general site, skeletal remains of an
unknown fish were discovered. Once the site was carefully excavated, the fish remains were sent
to a lab for identification. The lab made the following discoveries:
a. The fish bones and scales were left behind, the meat of the fish was not left at the site, it
was removed from the scales and skeleton. The skeleton had marks that indicated that a
knife like tool had been used to remove the flesh from the bones.
b. The fish was a rare freshwater fish only found in the northeastern areas of Asia.
c. No other fish of this origin had ever been found in North America.
d. On further lab test, traces of fire carbon were found on the skeletons.
Using the above information, form a hypothesis about this archaeological find. Make sure you
note the laboratories findings in your hypothesis of the situation.
2. Discuss the hypothesizes. Have students tie these into the principles learned from the land
bridge hypothesis of Native American migration to both review and see how the basic principles
can be applied to different concepts.
ASSESSMENT (include assessment)
The activity sheet should be used assessment as well as the student’s participation/engagement in
the problem solving process in both activities.
The following scenario could be used as either a quiz or a challenge activity is needed/wanted.
Suppose that the land bridge that joined Asia and North America had joined North America to
Africa. How would North America and its early history be changed because of the land bridge?
Use the following topics to develop your ideas of possible changes that might have occurred.
1. Animal Species
2. Native Americans
3. Artifacts Left Behind
Activity Sheet
Name: _______________________________
Date: ________________________
Directions: Use the world map below to trace the story. Take notes as you listen
http://www.world-atlas.us/
Newsflash #1: _______________________________________________
Newsflash #2: _______________________________________________
Newsflash #3: _______________________________________________
Newsflash #4: _______________________________________________
Newsflash #5: _______________________________________________
Nomads: ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Where they crossed the ocean ____________________________________________
Ice Age: ______________________________________________________________
The nomads reached North America by
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________