GED 2002 Teachers' Handbook of Lesson Plans

Activity Title - Who's Working Where in America?

Goal/Objective

The students will be able to locate the 50 states on a map and analyze how the geographical features of an area can effect the occupations that people have.

Lesson Outline/Introduction

Look at a map of the United States. Have students point out states they may have lived in or visited. Write the following words on the board: river, forest, beach, plain, desert, hill, plateau, and mountain. Have the students talk about what each one of these areas are like.

Activity

Play the Identify the State game. Have a blank wipe-off U.S. map in front of the room. Divide the students into two teams. Give each team a list of states (each list should be different). Give one team a blue wipe-off marker and one team a red one. Have the team send one person at a time to fill in one of their states on the map. The winner will be the team with the most correct answers.

Debriefing/Evaluation Activity

Discuss the different types of geographical features and talk about how they might effect the occupations of the people who live there.

Materials, Texts, Realia, Handouts

• Map of the United States
• Chalkboard and chalk
• Wipe-off U.S. map
• Erasable blue and red marker
• Paper and pencils

Extension Activity

Have the students research one of the geographical features. Have them write a paragraph telling what they found out about the feature they chose.

ESE/ESOL Accommodations

Divide the class in groups of two. Have them describe the town they grew up in and locate it on the map.

Real-Life Connection

Have the students write a paragraph about a geographical feature in their county that has promoted some occupation.

Activity Title - Who's Working Where in America?

Introduction

Say: Many of us have lived in other states. These states all have a different geographical makeup.

Have students point out states they have lived in.

Write the following words on the board: river, forest, beach, plain, desert, hill, plateau, and mountain.

Ask: Who can tell me what any of these areas are like?

Main Activity

Divide the class into 2 teams.

Say: We are going to play the State Identification Game. I will give each team a list of 25 states. You must send one member of your team up to fill in a state from your list on our blank map. You will continue until all 25 states are filled in. One team will be writing with a red marker and one team will be writing with a blue marker. The winner will be the team with the most states correct.

Closure/Conclusion

Ask: How could a geographical feature effect the occupations that people have in a region?

Have the students discuss this.

Follow-up lessons/Activities

Discuss things that states are well known for. Have the students locate these states on the map. Have them tell you anything else they might know about the state.