Students are introduced to the physical geography of Mexico. They create a geographic passport of the country. Then they focus on some of the features of the country that are threatened by human influence on the environment. Students then pick one of these features that they think is important and explain why.
Students read a brief introduction to Mexico’s cultural and population background and review the lesson objectives. They view an image of a Day of the Dead carnival and respond to a word cloud prompt by sharing a word or short phrase about what comes to mind when they think of Mexico.
Teacher MovesHighlight the lesson objectives and provide an overview of how students will create a geographic passport and examine environmental issues. Facilitate a whole-class discussion using the word cloud, inviting students to share prior knowledge and personal connections to Mexico, and emphasize how their experiences can support the class’s understanding.
Students closely examine a map of Mexico to identify major land and water features. They answer a poll about which countries border Mexico and another poll about which geographic feature forms much of the border between the United States and Mexico. After reading a brief definition of a peninsula, they post to a class wall identifying Mexico’s two peninsulas and their locations relative to each other. They then look at the main land body of Mexico and post to another wall describing the terrain of the eastern and western portions and where the capital city is located.
Teacher MovesGuide students in interpreting the map, clarifying that Mexico is bordered by three countries and surrounded by significant bodies of water. Use the poll results to reinforce that the Rio Grande forms much of the U.S.–Mexico border. Explain the locations of the Baja and Yucatán Peninsulas and the arrangement of the Western and Eastern Sierra Madre mountain ranges around the Mexican Plateau, noting that Mexico City lies in the southern part of the plateau. Address misconceptions as they appear in student wall responses.
Students read Mexico: Geography and People and use information from the Geography, People and Society, and Economy sections to complete a “geographic passport” graphic organizer, recording details such as country name, ethnic groups, language, terrain, urban population, natural resources, agricultural products, and natural hazards. They then respond on a group wall to predict environmental problems Mexico might face based on its terrain, urban population, natural resources, and natural hazards.
Teacher MovesSupport students in locating and extracting key details from the text to complete the passport organizer accurately. Prompt them to connect geographic and demographic information to potential environmental challenges, such as drought, overcrowding, natural disasters, pollution, and overuse of resources. Use their wall responses to surface and refine ideas about how Mexico’s physical and human geography relate to environmental issues, then organize students into small groups for the next scene.
Working in four small groups, students each focus on one topic—Sierra Madre Mountain Forests, Monarch Butterflies, Mesoamerican Coral Reefs, or Mexico City. They explore their assigned resource (including the Sierra Madre Mountain Forests Bioregions site and related videos) to learn about the place or feature and its environmental threats. Each group discusses its topic and collaborates to complete a graphic organizer describing positive features, threats or dangers, and possible solutions. Groups then review the findings from the other topics and contribute to a small-group wall discussing how humans are connected to environmental threats in Mexico and how people might also be part of the solution.
Teacher MovesAssign or help students choose topics and ensure each group can access its resource. Circulate to support group discussions and completion of the organizer, using the teacher note as a reference for key positive features, threats, and potential solutions for each topic. After groups share or review one another’s findings, facilitate a discussion that draws connections between human activities and environmental problems, and highlight examples of conservation and policy solutions. Prepare students to transition from group work to individual reflection in the next scene.
Students reflect on the four topics—Sierra Madre Mountains, Monarch Butterflies, Coral Reefs, and Mexico City—and choose one place or feature they are most interested in protecting. On a shared wall, they describe the chosen place or feature, explain why it is important to address its environmental challenges, and optionally upload a related photograph.
Teacher MovesEncourage students to read and respond to classmates’ posts, prompting discussion about the diversity and significance of Mexico’s natural and urban environments and the threats they face. Extend thinking by asking students to compare these environmental issues with those in their own communities, drawing parallels and contrasts to deepen understanding of human–environment interactions.
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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