Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 01
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 2 days
Ganándose la vida en Texas
Lesson Synopsis:
Students use data and other information to explain how people in different regions of Texas earn a living. They examine
major Texas cities and major industries to learn about how these industries are influenced by the geographic factors.
TEKS:
4.6
4.6B
4.7
4.7A
4.8
Geography. The student uses geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interprets data. The student is expected to:
Translate geographic data, population distribution, and natural resources into variety of formats such as graphs
and maps
Geography. The student understands the concept of regions. The student is expected to:
Describe a variety of regions in Texas and the United States such as political, population, and economic regions
that result from patterns of human activity
Geography. The student understands the location and patterns of settlement and the geographic factors that
influence where people live. The student is expected to:
4.8B
Describe and explain the location and distribution of various towns and cities in Texas, past and present
4.12
Economics. The student understands patterns of work and economic activities in Texas. The student is expected
to:
4.12A
Explain how people in different regions of Texas earn their living, past and present, through a subsistence
economy and providing goods and services
4.12B
Explain how geographic factors such as climate, transportation, and natural resources have influenced the
location of economic activities in Texas
Social Studies Skills TEKS:
4.21
4.21B
4.22
4.22D
Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a
variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing,
contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences
and conclusions
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
Create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicator(s):

Create a graphic organizer describing the economic activities of each Texas geographic region. Write a
summary statement that explains how geographic factors influence the location of the economic activities in
each region. (4.7A; 4.12B; 4.21B; 4.22D)
4I; 5B
Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:

Los factores geográficos influyen la ubicación de las actividades económicas.
— ¿Cómo se ganan la vida las personas de las diferentes regiones de Texas?
— ¿De qué manera los factores geográficos influyen la ubicación de las actividades económicas en Texas?
Vocabulary of Instruction:
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
actividades económicas
datos geográficos
distribución de la población
©2012, TESCCC
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patrones de asentamiento
factores geográficos
distribución
04/09/13
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patrones de trabajo
clima
transportación
page 1 of 5
Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 01 Lesson: 02
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recursos naturales

agricultura
Materials:

Refer to the Notes for Teacher section for materials.
Attachments:
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Handout: Economics (1 per student)
Handout: Texas Cities (1 per student)
Teacher Resource: Texas Cities KEY
Handout: Texas Industries (1 per student)
Teacher Resource: Texas Industries KEY
Handout: Economic Activities (1 per student)
Handout: Poster Rubric KEY (1 per student)
Handout: Application (1 per student)
Resources and References:

Possible optional web resources
 Texas Department of Agriculture: www.agr.state.tx.us/
 Texas Workforce Commission: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/
 Texas Workforce Commission: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/customers/jsemp/job-search.html
 City Population: http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Texas.html#Stadt_alpha
 Governor’s office: http://governor.state.tx.us/ecodev/business_research/maproom/
 Tour Texas: http://www.tourtexas.com/texas_maps_regions.cfm
 Texas Almanac: http://www.texasalmanac.com
 Texas State Historical Association: http://www.tshaonline.org
 Texas Parks and Wildlife: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/about_texas/regions/
 Texas Handbook Online: www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online
 Teaching Texas: www.teachingtexas.org
Advance Preparation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Become familiar with the content and procedures for this lesson.
Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials to support the learning in this lesson.
Gather economic and geographic information about the region your school district is located in. The websites
above can be helpful, but investigate other sources as well, including local government offices and museums.
Review the information provided in the handouts. Add information related to the local economy, and adjust
information based on current data and events.
Preview materials and websites according to district guidelines.
Display vocabulary words on a “word wall” to be referred to throughout the lesson.
Print and prepare handouts and other materials for the lesson.
Background Information:
Students enter 4th grade with background knowledge about different types of economic activities and how people earn a
living (from K-3 and real life experience). Lesson 1 in this unit taught students about the regions of Texas and their
characteristics. The expectation of this lesson is to apply that background knowledge to investigate the economic
activities of contemporary Texas and see how the geographic characteristics of Texas students learned about in
Lesson1 have influenced these activities.
Economics: Individuals, businesses, and governments make choices about allocating scarce (limited) resources to
satisfy their (unlimited) wants. Economics is the study of these choices and the effects that emanate from the choices.
Economics deals with the production and distribution and consumption of goods and services.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT
©2012, TESCCC
04/09/13
page 2 of 5
Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 01 Lesson: 02
Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of
learners. The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional
Focus Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of
the page. All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE – Build definition of “economics”
1. Organize students into pairs and provide each student with the
Handout: Economics.
2. Students brainstorm what they think the word economics
means to them, recording their ideas on the Handout:
Economics. (Responses can include words and pictures.)
NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
Suggested Day 1 – 10 minutes
Materials:
 chart paper
Attachments:
 Handout: Economics (1 per student)
Instructional Note:
Economics – Characteristics that have to do with
the production, development, and management of
material wealth of a country, household, or business
4. Each pair shares one characteristic from their list (no repeats) enterprise.
that the teacher scribes to an anchor chart. Students can
 Examples – Money, trade, technology, labor
add/delete/adjust information on their handouts.
system, terms that have to do with economic
systems (free enterprise, socialism) agriculture,
5. Facilitate a brief discussion of the answers provided. . Students
making a living, different types of jobs etc.
provide reasons (evidence) for their thinking. Teacher probes
with questions and encourages other responses as needed,
discussing the information provided.
3. Allow 2-3 minutes for students to discuss, brainstorm, and
record ideas.
6. Return to this anchor chart throughout the lesson, reviewing
and adjusting information for accuracy.
EXPLORE – Major cities in Texas
1. Students continue to work in pairs.
2. Distribute to each student the Handout: Texas Cities.
3. Student pairs work together to research the cities shown using
their textbook, classroom materials, current economic data,
and other resources.
Suggested Day 1 (continued) – 10 minutes
Materials:
 current data about Texas cities
http://txsdc.utsa.edu/
 information on the population of cities of Texas
http://www.citypopulation.de/USATexas.html#Stadt_alpha
 Regions of Texas Map from Lesson 1
 map pencils
4. Students label the major cities in Texas and record at least one
general fact about each city and one fact related to economics. Attachments:
 Handout: Texas Cities (1 per student)
5. Students switch partners and share their information, adding to  Teacher Resource: Texas Cities KEY
and adjusting their handouts based on new information from
their partners.
Purpose:
6. Facilitate a discussion using the Regions of Texas map from
Lesson 1 as an anchor chart. Teacher adds the major cities to
the map as students share information from their handouts.
7. Lead students in a study of information on the population of
cities of Texas.
8. Students add symbols to their Handout: Texas Cities map
(and to its legend) to provide information on the size of
selected cities.
Students gain knowledge about the location of cities
in Texas.
Instructional Note:
Adjust the information and descriptions on the
handout to reflect available resources, current
conditions, local economy, etc. Add other industries,
especially related to the local economy, as needed.
9. Students draw in the regions of Texas on the map of Texas on
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04/09/13
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Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 01 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
their handouts and add geographic information regarding the
city to the facts listed.
10. Continuing the discussion, students speculate on the reasons
for the location and growth of major Texas cities. (Encourage
speculative discussion of factors such as climate, proximity to
natural resources and labor pools, transportation routes, etc.)
11. Teacher adds information to the class anchor chart.
EXPLAIN – Major cities in Texas
Suggested Day 1 (continued) – 5 minutes
1. Partner A uses complete sentences and academic language to
summarize information regarding one of the major cities of
Texas to their partner.
2. Partner B uses complete sentences and academic language to
summarize information regarding a different city of Texas.
3. Repeat as time allows to provide an opportunity for students to
verbalize what they have learned about several cities in Texas.
EXPLORE – Earning a living in Texas
1. Provide students with the Handout: Texas Industries.
Suggested Day 1 (continued) – 15 minutes
Materials:
 want ads from around the state (optional)
2. Students research a variety of materials and data about
economic activities in Texas to deduce different ways people
earn a living in Texas. (One source is the Texas Workforce
Commission website, but hard copy want ads and other
resources may be used. The Governor’s office site provides
many maps showing various aspects of the Texas economy.)
Attachments:
 Handout: Texas Industries (1 per student)
 Teacher Resource: Texas Industries KEY
Purpose:
Students gain knowledge major industries of Texas.
3. Students analyze information and data regarding the Texas
economy to make inferences about how people earn a living in
different parts of the state.
4. Facilitate a discussion encouraging students to put together
the information they have regarding cities, natural resources,
human characteristics, economic activities, etc. Students draw
conclusions about the influence various factors (including
geographic factors) have on economic activity. Teacher adds
appropriate information to the class anchor chart.
5. Include in the discussion the Key Understanding and Guiding
Questions for the lesson.
 Geographic factors influence the location of the
economic activities.
— How do people in different regions of Texas earn
their living?
— How do geographic factors influence the location
of economic activities in Texas?
EXPLAIN – Economic Activities organizer
1. Students complete the Handout: Economic Activities using
the information gathered in earlier activities.
©2012, TESCCC
04/09/13
Suggested Day 1 (continued) – 10 minutes
Attachments:
 Handout: Economic Activities (1 per student)
 Handout: Economic Activities Rubric (1 per
student)
page 4 of 5
Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 01 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
EXPLORE – How do people in the local region earn a living? Suggested Day 2 – 10 minutes
1. Regroup students into pairs.
2. Provide a variety of data and materials on industries in the
local region/area. (data charts, graphs, etc.)
3. Using materials specific to the local region, students delve
more deeply into the population and economic activities of the
region, examining the region where they live, its physical
characteristics, and information on how people earn a living.
EXPLAIN – Job ad poster
1. Student pairs create a poster advertising a job in an industry in
the local region.
Materials:
 data and research materials on industries in the
local region
Purpose:
Provide an opportunity for students to delve more
deeply into ways people earn a living in the local
area/region and understand why.
Suggested Day 2 (continued) – 10 minutes
Attachments:
 Handout: Poster Rubric KEY (1 per student)
2. Students use the Handout: Poster Rubric KEY to complete
the poster and then evaluate their work.
ELABORATE – Where I’d like to work
1. Display the posters from the Explain section and allow
students to rotate through the posters.
Suggested Day 2 (continued) – 10 minutes
Attachments:
 Handout: Application (1 per student)
2. Distribute the Handout: Application.
3. Students use information they gathered during the Explore
activities to reflect on and then describe an industry in Texas
where they would like to work. (Answers will vary but should be
based on the information gathered during the Explore
activities, use academic language, and be supported by
evidence.)
EVALUATE – Economic Activity Graphic Organizer

Suggested Day 2 (continued) – 20 minutes
Create a graphic organizer describing the economic
activities of each Texas geographic region. Write a
summary statement that explains how geographic factors
influence the location of the economic activities in each
region. (4.7A; 4.12B; 4.21B; 4.22D)
4I; 5B
©2012, TESCCC
04/09/13
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