Instructional Unit Topics

                                                                                                 Key Learning

(What is the big understanding for this unit?  What will you ultimately want students to understand as a result of the instruction?  This is a “big picture” understanding, based both on the most critical standards and the thematic focus of the unit.)

Understanding how humans have altered and been affected by the physical environment.  . 

Unit Essential Question

(What broad question will students be able to answer as a result of the instruction? This question should reflect the most critical standards on which the instruction is based.  This question is the inverse of the Key Learning; the Key Learning would provide an “ideal” response to this question.)

How have humans altered and been affected by the physical environment?

Unit Description

(Briefly summarize the focus and content of the unit.)

Students will use their understanding of the 5 themes of geography and how they are used to organize the different aspects of geography.  During this unit we will specifically study Human Environment Interaction (HEI).  Students will be able to understand that the consumable goods we use are from natural resources, classifying them as either renewable or nonrenewable resources.  After gaining an understanding of consumable goods, and natural resources students will then apply their knowledge to understand how people use the land and in turn how land usage is dependent on culture.

Grade-Level Standards Addressed in the Unit

(List the critical grade-level standards on which the instruction will be based.  Since many of the standards are recursive, reinforced throughout the year’s instruction, list only those that will be the focus of the instruction and assessments for this unit.)

Geography Standard 2a:  Students will apply a knowledge of the major processes shaping natural environments to understand how different peoples have changed and been affected by, physical environments in the world's sub-regions

Know

(Factual: nouns or noun phrases related to key concepts; terminology, academic vocabulary, formulas, etc., often found or implied in the language of the grade-level standards.)

Understand

(Conceptual:  key understandings that students will gain as a result of the instruction within the unit, found in the language of the grade-level standards, and generally written in complete sentences. These understandings will contribute to the overall key learning of the unit.)

Do

(Procedural, Extending Thinking:  written as verb phrases, often found or implied in the language of the grade-level standards. These statements provide discreet targets for demonstrating learning.  Often the assessments for the learning will be selected

 from this column.)

The difference

between renewable and

nonrenewable

resources

The role environment has in changing culture.

The role

deforestation and

pollution play in

changing the

environment

The global

impact of consumption

and conservation.

Everything that people

use or consume is made

with natural resources,

which are either renewable or nonrenewable.

Humans modify, adapt, and depend on their physical environment depending on their individual culture leading to a global impact.

Classify nonrenewable and renewable

resources

Predict how culture changes when the

Environment changes.

Identify how we modify, adapt, and depend on the environment.

Trace and analyze the impact of consumption and conservation.

* Participate in a cooperative learning project in an online learning community to track how students in other schools are improving their region. (2)

Print Resources

Prentice Hall Western Hemisphere Geography textbook

Human Footprint