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Lesson Title: Where Do We Choose To Live and Why?
Year of the Solar System
Grade Levels: 7-9
Connection To Curriculum:
Science and Technology
Teacher Prep Time: 2 hours
Lesson Time Needed: 1.5 hours
Complexity: Moderate
Keywords: history, habitability,
life on Earth, populations, U.S. at night,
puzzles, problem solving, city lights
Materials:
Briefing and Logs 1, 2 and 3 (one copy for each student)
Figure 2: United States at night puzzle (one per student or student group)
Figure 5: United States relief map (one per student or student group)
U.S. road/travel map or atlas
World map or globe
Overhead transparency sheet
Overhead markers (light colors)
Clear cellophane tape
Scissors
Figure 2: United States at night puzzle (one per student or student group)
Figure 5: United States relief map (one per student or student group)
U.S. road/travel map or atlas
World map or globe
Overhead transparency sheet
Overhead markers (light colors)
Clear cellophane tape
Scissors
Description
In this investigation, students use a nighttime image to observe areas of light across the United States and to identify patterns and spatial distributions of human settlements. They explain the reasons for these patterns by answering questions and making inferences about what they observe. Then, this knowledge is applied to identify similar patterns and spatial distributions on an unidentified region of the world using a color topographic map and nighttime image.
Objectives
Students will:
• Explore the spatial concepts of patterns, dispersion and density.
• Be engaged at looking at satellite images of various places on Earth and be asked what they can learn from those images.
• Explain the reasons for the patterns of distribution of human settlements across the globe.
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Lesson Guide Where We Live Lesson [116KB PDF file] |
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Lesson Activities and Sequence
- Where do we choose to live and why?
In this investigation students use a nighttime image to observe areas of light across the United States and to identify patterns and spatial distributions of human settlements. They explain the reasons for these patterns by answering questions and making inferences about what they observe. Then this knowledge is applied to identify similar patterns and spatial distributions on an unidentified region of the world using a color topographic map and nighttime image.
Keywords: history, habitability, life on Earth, populations - United States at Night
Keywords: populations, human settlements, history, puzzle, U.S. at night, city lights, problem solving
National Standards:
National Science Education Standards, NSTA
Life Science
• Populations and ecosystems.
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
• Populations, resources and environments.
• Population growth.
• Natural resources.
National Geography Standards
The World In Spatial Terms
• How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
• How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places and environments on the Earth's surface.
Places and Regions
• The physical and human characteristics of places.
Human Systems
• The characteristics, distribution and migration of human populations on the Earth's surface.
• The process, patterns and functions of human settlement.
Life Science
• Populations and ecosystems.
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
• Populations, resources and environments.
• Population growth.
• Natural resources.
National Geography Standards
The World In Spatial Terms
• How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
• How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places and environments on the Earth's surface.
Places and Regions
• The physical and human characteristics of places.
Human Systems
• The characteristics, distribution and migration of human populations on the Earth's surface.
• The process, patterns and functions of human settlement.