Monthly Archives: August 2012

Geographic Factors Influence Culture: NYS Social Studies

NYS Social Studies: Geographic Factors Influence Culture

Unit 1: Geographic Factors Influence Culture

GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS INFLUENCE CULTURE: NYS SOCIAL STUDIES

Geographic Factors Influence Culture is the second section in Unit 1 of the NYS 7th grade social studies curriculum. It includes the following:
A. Theories attempt to explain human settlement in the Americas
  • 1. Anthropologists theorize that Asians migrated across a land bridge between Asia and the Americas
  • 2. Native American Indians believe in indigenous development with migration patterns in both directions
B. Geographic factors affected the settlement patterns and living conditions of the earliest Americans
C. Major Native American civilizations in Central and South America
NYS 7th grade social studies teachers can include both A and B into one lesson plan and letter C into a second lesson plan.
To see suggestions for a lesson plan on both A and B called the Bering Land Bridge and Migration click here. If you would like to download the social studies differentiated instruction lesson plan click here. The PowerPoint mini-lesson is available by clicking here.
You can find all of my social studies differentiated instruction lesson plans here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kasha-Mastrodomenico
Written by,
Kasha Mastrodomenico (Connect with me on Linkedin.com)
kasha@socialstudiesdifferentiatedinstruction.com

Bering Land Bridge Lesson Plan

Bering Land Bridge Lesson Plan

Bering Land Bridge and Migration Lesson Plan

Bering Land Bridge Lesson Plan

Bring excitement into your classroom by using differentiated instruction to have students learn about the Bering Land Bridge and the Migration Theories. I have differentiated instruction for the Bering Land Bridge lesson plan in many ways. I leveled vocabulary sheets (3 versions), leveled note sheets (2 versions), and provided up to 4 choices of activities based on the Multiple Intelligence Theory. I chose a diary activity, cartoon strip, play-doh and a song for the students to choose from. Giving students a choice of the activity they want to do can spark student interest. They also can’t complain about the activity since they are the ones that picked it. When I provide students with choices I see more engagement and less behavior issues.

I focused on the Anthropology theory of migration over Bering Land Bridge from Asia to Alaska as well as the Native American theory of them crossing both ways because they believe they have always been here. I went into the how and why they traveled and ended with the bases of civilization.

The vocabulary words I chose for this lesson are:

  • Bering Strait
  • Land Bridge
  • Nomad
  • Irrigation
  • Ice Age
  • Surplus

Save yourself time planning by checking out my new Bering Land Bridge lesson plan that differentiates instruction by clicking on the link.

You can find the PowerPoint mini-lesson that goes with the Bering Land Bridge lesson plan by clicking here.

You can view a list of all of my social studies differentiated instruction lesson plans by clicking on the links below:

US History Lesson Plans

World History Lesson Plans

Georgia Studies Lesson Plans

You can also find all of my social studies differentiated instruction lesson plans here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kasha-Mastrodomenico

Written by,

Kasha Mastrodomenico

kasha@socialstudiesdifferentiatedinstruction.com