Properties

Title: Mystery
Type: Lesson Plan
Subject: Social Studies
Grade Range: 7th
Description: Asian Geography
Duration: 100 minutes (2 class periods)
Author(s): Nicole estermann
Instructional Unit ontent
Standard(s)!"le#ent(s)
ontent Area Standard
SS$G% The student &ill locate selected 'eatures in Southern and "astern Asia(
a! Locate on a "orld and regional political#physical map$ Ganges %i&er' (uang (e ()ello" %i&er)' *ndus %i&er' Me+ong
%i&er' )angt,e (-hang .iang) %i&er' /ay o0 /engal' *ndian 1cean' Sea o0 .apan' South -hina Sea' )ello" Sea' Go2i
3esert ' 4a+lima+an 3esert' (imalayan Mountains' and 5orean Peninsula!
2! Locate on a "orld and regional political#physical map the countries o0 -hina' *ndia' *ndonesia' .apan' North 5orea'
South 5orea' and 6ietnam!
TAG Standard
Ad)anced o##unication S*ills
10! 4he student supports and de0ends his7her o"n opinions "hile respecting the opinions o0 others!
Ad)anced Research S*ills
8! 4he student gathers' organi,es' analy,es' and synthesi,es data 0rom multiple sources to support or dispro&e a hypothesis!
+igher ,rder ritical Thin*ing S*ills
11! 4he student dra"s conclusions 2ased upon rele&ant in0ormation "hile discarding irrele&ant in0ormation!
Su##ary!,)er)ie&
4he 0ocus o0 this lesson is on di00erent geographical location in Southeast Asia! 4he students "ill 2e as+ed to
help Mrs! estermann 0igure out e9actly "here she is going on her S: Asia trip! She lost her itinerary and all
she has le0t are descriptions o0 the locations! 4he students "ill ha&e to use the clues in order to map out her
;ourney!
"nduring Understanding(s)
At the end o0 this lesson the student "ill understand the
a! 4he di00erent geographical countries descriptions
2!
Students "ill +no"$
a! the location on a "orld and regional political#physical map$ Ganges %i&er' (uang (e ()ello" %i&er)' *ndus %i&er'
Me+ong %i&er' )angt,e (-hang .iang) %i&er' /ay o0 /engal' *ndian 1cean' Sea o0 .apan' South -hina Sea' )ello" Sea'
Go2i 3esert ' 4a+lima+an 3esert' (imalayan Mountains' and 5orean Peninsula!
2! the location on a "orld and regional political#physical map the countries o0 -hina' *ndia' *ndonesia' .apan' North 5orea'
South 5orea' and 6ietnam!
1
Students "ill 2e a2le to$
a! *denti0y characteristics o0 di00erent countries in S: Asia!
"ssential -uestion(s)
hat are the main geographical characteristics o0 S: Asia<
oncept(s) to .aintain
Physical and human characteristics
*mpact o0 location' climate' physical characteristics' natural resources' population

")idence o' /earning
Students "ill then 2e as+ed to create ne" clues 0or the countries in S: Asia! 4his "ill ser&e as the students o"n mystery lesson and "ill
2e played "ith other students in the class!
Assess#ent o' /earning
/e0ore "e 2egin this acti&ity' students "ill already ha&e completed a political and physical map o0 Asia as "ell
as spent a day in the computer la2 on Maps101 and Shepard So0t"are!
Procedure(s)
Phase 1$ +oo*
1! * "ill open the class 2y descri2ing "here "e "ill 2e meeting 0or class tomorro"! * "ill descri2e the class "ith
directions and other descriptors 2ut * "ill not gi&e the hall num2er' room num2er' or teacher name! * "ill as+ the
students ho" they +ne" "hat * "as tal+ing a2out!
Phase 2$ "0a#ine the ontent
1! Share the Mystery lesson
2! Present the lues(
a! 3istri2ute the clues 0or Meeting 1Students "ill use in0ormation 0rom (1 and their pre&ious +no"ledge to complete the
statement to contri2ute to sol&ing the mystery!
2! 3istri2ute the clue 0or Meeting2Students "ill use in0ormation 0rom (1 and their pre&ious +no"ledge to complete the
statement to contri2ute to sol&ing the mystery!
c! 3istri2ute the clues 0or Meeting=Students "ill use in0ormation 0rom (1 and their pre&ious +no"ledge to complete the
statement to contri2ute to sol&ing the mystery!
d! 3istri2ute the clues 0or Meeting>Students "ill use in0ormation 0rom (1 and their pre&ious +no"ledge to complete the
statement to contri2ute to sol&ing the mystery!
Phase =$ Synthesis Acti)ity
1! A0ter reading through the clues' the students "ill use handout ? to map "here and in "hat order Mrs!
estermann@s trip is! 4hey "ill glue it to a piece o0 2utcher paper and then "rite "hat clue in each group helped
them the most! e "ill then ha&e a gallery "al+!
2! lass Discussion$ Share
2
Technology:
Political and Physical map ' Acti&/oard
+andouts:
(andout 1$ Mystery Letter
(andout 2! -lue 1
(andout =$ -lue 2
(andout >$ -lue =
(andout 8$ -lue >
(andout ?$ /lan+ 1utline Map o0 Asia
.odi'ications
#Groups are selected according to academic a2ility and 2eha&ior!
"0tension or "nrich#ent
#:9tended time "ill 2e pro&ided 0or those "ho need more time to process!
#Students "ho 0inish early "ill complete the Asian Geography lesson on Study *sland! 4his program identi0ies
student@s strengths and "ea+nesses and pro&ides sca00olded acti&ities according to the student@s a2ility le&el!
4his program also includes games i0 students reach certain le&els o0 mastery! Students "ho are high achie&ing
0ind this program to 2e moti&ating' yet educational!
=
(andout 1$ Mystery
7
th
Grade Social Studies'
Mrs! estermann has planned this ama,ing
&acation to South :ast Asia o&er summer 2rea+!
4here is one pro2lem! She cannot remem2er
"hich countries she has planned to &isit! e all
+no" that she 0orgets things easily!
Since she cannot remem2er "here she is supposed to go' you all are
going to help her 0igure out her course o0 tra&el! )ou are all mem2ers o0
the National Geographic :9plorer 4eam! She has entrusted you to 0igure
out her 0our di00erent tourist destinations! )ou
and your team "ill recei&e 0our 2ags 0ull o0
clues! Ase all o0 the clues to help you 0igure
out "hat country Mrs! estermann "ill &isit!
Ma+e sure to +eep the 2ags in order as that is
the course o0 tra&el she "ill 2e ta+ing! *0 you
mi9 them up' Mrs! estermann@s tra&els "ill
2e "rong and she "ill 2e e9tremely con0used!
Ase the +no"ledge that you already ha&e
a2out the di00erent countries characteristics! Since there are some
un+no"ns a2out these countries' 0eel 0ree to use "hate&er technological
de&ice that you ha&e 2rought in! At the end o0 the period "e "ill 2e
comparing our notes and presenting our 0indings to Mrs! estermann!
(a&e Bun and Sa0e 4ra&elsC
Mrs. Lost and Confused
>
(andout 2$ -lue 1 (-hina)
(ills' mountains and plateaus co&er t"o#third o0 the population!
Plains are mainly in the eastD in the southeast are mainly hills
Plateaus and 2asins ;oin the other topographical 0orms scattered o&er "ide
areas or intermingling "ith each other to pro&ide 0a&ora2le conditions 0or
de&eloping a di&ersi0ied economy o0 agriculture' 0orestry' animal
hus2andry and mining
5no"n as Ethe roo0 o0 the "orldF'
-omposed o0 high and super#high mountains and massi&e highlands and
a&erages >'000 meters or more a2o&e sea le&el
Lying 0rom north to south are the Northeast Plain' the Middle#Lo"er
-hang;iang ()angt,e %i&er) Plain and the hills and 0oothills south o0 the
)angt,e %i&er!
ith superior geographical conditions and a large concentration o0 2ig
cities' these are the leading 0arming and industrial areas
4his is the most populated country in the "orld
8
(andout =$ -lue 2 (*ndia)
area o0 =!= million sG! +m
4he peninsula is separated 0rom mainland Asia 2y the (imalayas
4he country lies north o0 the :Guator
*t is surrounded 2y the /ay o0 /engal in the east' the Ara2ian Sea in the
"est and the *ndian 1cean to the south
4he (imalayas 0orm the highest mountain range in the "orld
/ounded 2y the *ndus ri&er in the "est and the /rahmaputra in the east
the (imadri' (imachal and Shi&ali+s ha&e deep canyons gorged 2y the
ri&ers 0lo"ing into the Gangetic plain!
3espite the country@s si,e and its &aried relie0' the seasonal rhythm o0 the
monsoon is apparent throughout!
Second most populated country in the "orld
Largest democracy in the "orld
?
(andout >$ -lue = (.apan)
:9posed parts o0 mountain chains that rise a2ruptly 0rom the ocean 0loor
A2out 0our#0i0ths o0 the county is either hilly or mountainous
Plains and relati&ely 0lat areas account 0or a2out a 0i0th o0 its total area and
occur mainly along the coast
4hey are the centers o0 0arming' manu0acturing' and population
Lies in a &olcanic' earthGua+e#prone 2elt called the %ing o0 Bire
Many o0 the ri&ers are used 0or hydroelectric po"er and to irrigate lo"land
rice 0ields
4he climate &aries 0rom su2tropical in the south to continental in the north
Summers are generally hot and sultry e9cept in the northD "inters are cold
e9cept in the e9treme south
4hey are not allo"ed to ha&e their o"n military e9cept 0or domestic
purposes
7
(andout 8# -lue > (South 5orea)
4he 201H "inter 1lympics are located here
*t has a rugged' mountainous terrain
/arely one#0i0th o0 its sur0ace in lo"lands or plains
4here are 0e" places "here mountains cannot 2e seen
Lo"lands are chie0ly 2et"een the mountains and the coasts
1nly a narro" coastal plain lies along the eastern shore
4he southeast has plains that "iden and e9tend along the Na+tong %i&er
&alley
:&ergreen 0orests o0 0ir' larch' pine' and spruce are e9tensi&e in the higher
areas
Borests o0 deciduous trees and pines pre&ail else"here' in the "armer
areas
1&ercutting and clearing 0or agricultural purposes ha&e depleted many
0orests' causing serious soil erosion in some areas
4he climate is strongly a00ected 2y seasonal monsoons
H
(andout ?# /lan+ 1utline Map
I