Grade Level: Fourth

Kate Hickam

Curriculum: social studies and dance

Core Objectives:
Social Studies
Standard 1
Objective 1 - Classify major physical geographic attributes of Utah.
Dance
Standard 3
Objective 1 - Explore the process of making a dance.
Standard 4
Objective 3 - Make connections between dance and other disciplines.

Time: 45-60 minutes

Personal Objectives: Students will be able to identify the three major landforms that make up
Utah
Essential Questions: Why is it important to know the landforms that make up your state?
Key Vocabulary:
Landform, Rocky Mountains, Great Basin, Colorado Plateau
Materials:
Pictures (online or in person) of the rocky mountains, great basin and colorado plateau
Smart board (to pull up picture and write on it)
Each student should get a copy of the blank map of the state at the end of this plan
A hard copy of the map with boundaries for your reference
Before the Lesson: Go over expectations for the assignment. Explain that at points they will be
asked to get up and interact with each other and they will need to be respectful.
Phase I:
I will assess prior knowledge by talking to them about what they think a landform is and
asking questions like:

When you fly into Utah what are some big landmarks/landforms you see?

How do you think those landforms connect to what weve been talking about in
science? (ie wetlands, deserts and forests)

Use their ideas and answers to introduce vocabulary. Show pictures of the new
vocabulary words.
Now some of you said we have the mountains, does anyone know what mountain
range we are a part of?
plateau- a land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above
adjoining land on at least one side, and often cut by deep canyons.
basin - a hollow or depression in the earth's surface, wholly or partly surrounded
by higher land

Transition to Phase II:

Get the kids into groups of 5-8 and spread them throughout the classroom
Phase II:
Have each group of kids come up with some sort of physical shape as a team to represent
each of the landforms.
give them a chance to show each group what they came up with
while they are doing this mark out the sate on the floor using paper or tape just to show
corners. This doesnt have to be the full outline.
Have the students take a seat and show them where these landforms meet on a map of the
state.
have the kids come together again in their groups and have them act as the three
landforms in the large map that you laid out on the floor.
Transition to phase III:
Explain that activity
Phase III:
The Activity:
have each group create a dance using any of the movements from their group or

another to represent the different landforms.

they will have to represent where the landform is seen in the state so they can use
the large map you made on the floor out of tape.
They can also include animals you might find in those areas or activities you may
do. but they MUST include the three landforms in the correct locations on the
map.
After each group shows there dance to the others each student will be given a blank map
that they will be asked to draw in the boundaries of the landforms in. This will serve as
an exit ticket

*To extend this we could use teaching the dances to the other groups as a warm up for P.E or as
a quick 5 minute down time activity

ELL: Impact information through oral, visual, and auditory modalities. Simplify language of the
overall instruction. Use graphic organizers to make information more accessible.
Students with disabilities: Group where every student feels comfortable, where they will be
accepted and get the support they need.