Title of Lesson: landforms

Subject Area: Social Studies

Grade Level: second

Objective:

• When given a map, students will identify all the geographical landforms along the pioneer trail which the class discusses.
• Students will study and present to the class at least one geographical landform along the pioneer trail.

Materials Needed:

• I Walked To Zion by Susan Arrington Madsen (pgs. 8-9, 22, 145)
• pictures of landforms
• butcher paper to draw a map of the pioneer trails and to locate the geographical land formations.

Procedures:

1. Lead a discussion on the subject of landforms. Ask the class who knows what landforms are. Identify landforms near their home or landforms they are familiar with.
2. Explain to the class that in pioneer times, there weren't maps like there are today. Many maps consisted of landforms. People found out where they were by the shape of the mountains, the type of vegetation growing in the area, etc.
3. Read sample stories from I Walked to Zion and how they identified when they came to certain landforms.
4. Explain to the class that they are going to walk through some of the steps of the pioneers by studying the various landforms and landmarks along their way. Have each child pick a partner. Together they will draw one of the following landmarks the pioneers came in contact with on their west.
5. The students are then in charge of researching the item they picked and presenting it to the class.
6. The teacher will pick a class period for the projects to be due. The students will then present their item to the class, state its importance to the pioneers, draw or make a model of it, and plot its location on the map.

• Scotts Bluff
• Courthouse Rocks
• 3 island crossing
• Ft. Bridger
• South Pass
• Chimney Rock
• Sweetwater River
• Missouri River
• Devil's Gate
• Badlands
• Skunkweed
• Sagebrush
• Thistle
• Massacre Rocks

Evaluation:

• Students will be given a map and a list of the landforms. They will plot the landforms on the map in the correct places.
• The students will be evaluated on the thoroughness of their information
• The students will be evaluted on the time they took on the presentation of their project.

EXTENSIONS:

• Students can draw a map from their house to the school by using the land formations and landmarks along the way.
• Students can study famous land formations in their area.
• Students can learn how land formations are made and what type of erosions are involved, such as wind and water.