Students brainstorm associations with the name “American West.” Then they learn about the physical geography of the Western United States, focusing on the landforms and their climates. Next they examine the human geography of the region. Finally, they prepare an oral report about one state in the region.
Students are introduced to the Western region of the United States and its states, then view an image of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. They respond to a word cloud prompt by posting single words or short phrases that describe what comes to mind when they hear “American West.”
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, highlighting key vocabulary students will encounter. Monitor student responses in the word cloud to gauge prior knowledge and stereotypes about the West, and prepare to address these ideas in later scenes.
Students read informational text describing the physical geography of the American West, including major landforms (mountain ranges, deserts, coastal areas, and temperate rainforests), climate patterns, the Continental Divide, and geological features such as fault lines, earthquakes, and volcanoes. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer to create a geographic profile of the region’s deserts and plains, forested mountains, Pacific coastal shore, and Pacific Northwest.
Teacher MovesGuide students through the reading, clarifying key terms and features such as the Continental Divide, elevation, and temperate rainforests. Support students in filling out the graphic organizer by prompting them to identify and summarize important details for each sub-region, and then briefly summarize the physical geography of the continental American West.
Students read about how U.S. maps represent the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii, and examine a map with insets for Alaska and Hawaii. They then read detailed descriptions of Alaska’s size, location, polar climate, tundra, and Denali, and of Hawaii’s island formation, volcanoes, earthquakes, tropical climate, and biodiversity. Students answer multiple-choice questions to check their understanding of terms such as polar climate and volcano.
Teacher MovesDraw students’ attention to how Alaska and Hawaii differ from the continental states in location and physical geography. Use the map and text to reinforce concepts like climate types, volcanic activity, and biodiversity, and review student responses to the questions to clarify any misconceptions about these features.
Students read about the human geography of the American West, including Native American use of natural resources, the impact of westward expansion on Native tribes, early Spanish colonies, the Gold Rush, the Transcontinental Railroad, and the growth of the entertainment and high-tech industries. They then post to a class wall explaining one reason someone might want to move to California and one reason someone might choose not to live there.
Teacher MovesConnect the region’s physical geography to patterns of settlement, economic development, and cultural change over time. Highlight examples such as Native American resource use, the Gold Rush, and modern industries. Share and discuss selected student responses about California, prompting students to consider both opportunities (such as climate, jobs, and attractions) and risks (such as earthquakes and natural disasters).
Students research an assigned Western state and prepare an oral report, using resources such as U.S. States to gather information about its geography, climate, population, and key features. They post a summary of the key points of their report to a shared wall and, after listening to classmates’ oral reports, post comments responding to their peers’ presentations.
Teacher MovesAssign each student a Western state and clearly outline expectations for research, preparation time, and presentation length. Direct students to appropriate research resources and support them in organizing their findings into clear oral reports. After presentations, facilitate a brief synthesis discussion to summarize key geographic information about the American West and encourage constructive peer feedback on the posted summaries.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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