Geography Minilesson.

Lesson Title: The Regions of the United States


Resources Utilized
Map of the of the United States of America
http://www.doe.state.in.us/standards/welcome2.html
http://www.indianastandardsresources.org/index.asp
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/outlinemaps/usa.shtml

Materials Needed:
Map of the United States of America
State cut-outs
Index cards labeled as the four big regions (Midwest, South, West, and Northeast)
Index cards labled as the nine smaller regions (i.e, West North Central, Mountain)
So Many Regions! handout
What is This Region Like? worksheet
Various resource materials on the fifty states


Procedure
1. Explain to students that a region is an area made up of places that have features in common. Tell the students that places near each other will look similar so people might say that these places are part of the same region.

2. Discuss and record on the board the different regions in the local community (i.e. downtown, certain neighborhoods such as Hessville in Hammond).

3. Tell students that like their community, the United States has many different regions.

4. Using the map of the United States of America, point out the different regions.

5. Explain that one place can be in more then one region. Point to Indiana on the map and tell the students Indiana belongs to the Midwest region and the Great Lakes Region.

6. Give students So Many Regions! handout and go over the nine smaller regions of the Untied States.

7. As a class, fill out What is this Region Like worksheet on one of the four big regions.

8. Pair students together to research one of the nine smaller regions and have them fill out What is this Region Like worksheet on their region.