Standard Indicator
3.3.3
Regional Knowledge
Purpose
Students will explain that regions are areas which have similar
physical and cultural characteristics and locate the local community
in a specific region.
curriculum
English/
Language Arts
Materials
For the teacher: transparency of Black Line Master (BLM) Sample
Graphic Organizer, chalk, chalkboard, large physical map of the
United States, overhead projector, overhead marker
For each student: copy of BLM So Many Regions!, pencil
For each pair of students: copy of BLM What Is This Region Like?,
reference materials
Activity
B. Defining a Region
1. Write the heading “Regions of Our Community” on the board.
2. Tell students that a region is an area made up of places that
have features in common.
3. Tell students that places near each other will often look the same
or have similar characteristics, and so people might say that these
places are part of the same region.
4. Ask students to think about different regions of the local
community, such as downtown, certain neighborhoods,
or commercial areas.
5. Record students’ suggestions on the chalkboard under “Regions
of Our Community.”
6. Discuss the characteristics of each region and encourage students
to think about similarities among places in each region.
C. Regions of Our Nation
1. Direct students’ attention to the map of the United States.
2. Point out and name several regions of the country and explain
that even within the United States there are many regions.
(continued)
Have each student pick
a region of the U.S.
and write a descriptive
paragraph about that
region. Tell students
to write the proper
name of at least one
city in their region
and use correct
punctuation and
capitalization (e.g.,
“Denver, Colorado,
is in the Rocky
Mountain region.”).
extending
THE
ACTIVITY
Provide students with
a blank sketch of the
aisles of a supermarket.
Take them to a local
supermarket and
have them map the
“regions” of the
supermarket as they
walk the aisles.
Encourage students
to name each region
(e.g., the frozen foods
aisles could be named
“Antarctica”).
Standards Links
3.3.1, 3.3.4, 3.3.5
page 119
Standard 3
A. Pre-Activity Preparation
Gather reference materials that provide information on
the physical and cultural characteristics of different regions
in the United States.
Standard 3 / Curriculum Framework / Activity 3
Indiana Social Studies Grade 3 Standards Resource, February 2003
connecting
across the
Activity (continued)
3. Explain to students that a single place can belong to several
different regions at once. Point to Indiana and say: “Indiana
belongs to the Midwest region, but it is also sometimes called
part of the Central States region. It also belongs to the Great
Lakes region because it touches Lake Michigan.”
4. Give a copy of the BLM So Many Regions! and a pencil to
each student and guide students through the regions on the BLM.
5. Instruct students to locate Indiana on the map and color it in.
6. Ask students: “How many regions does Indiana seem to belong
to? What are these regions called?”
7. Place the transparency of the BLM Sample Graphic Organizer
on the overhead projector and review the four major regions.
8. As a class, complete the graphic organizer using one of the four
major regions. Point to the map of the United States and ask
students questions, such as: “What regions have mountains?
What regions touch oceans?” Fill in the appropriate information
on the transparency.
Standard 3
D. Where Are You?
1. Divide students into pairs.
2. Hand out a copy of the BLM What Is This Region Like? to each
pair of students and explain that they are going to complete
a graphic organizer like the one on the chalkboard for the smaller
region to which they have been assigned.
3. Assign each pair one of the nine divisions from the BLM So
Many Regions! and instruct them to write the name of their
division in the middle circle.
4. Direct students to use reference materials to complete their
BLMs and have students present their findings to the rest
of the class.
Questions for Review
Basic Concepts and Processes
As students are completing their BLMs, ask them questions, such as:
What is a region?
Why are places divided into regions?
Name one way to divide a large place into smaller regions.
Where is the [insert name of region] region of the United States?
What is the weather like in that region?
page 120
Standard 3 / Curriculum Framework / Activity 3
Indiana Social Studies Grade 3 Standards Resource, February 2003
Standard 3 / Curriculum Framework / Activity 3
Indiana Social Studies Grade 3 Standards Resource, February 2003
Black Line Master 1
page 121
HI
PACIFIC
CA
OR
NV
WA
AK
IFIC
PAC
PACIFIC
ID
AZ
UT
WY
NM
CO
MOUNT
AIN
MT
WEST
TX
NE
SD
ND
OK
IA
WEST
SOUTH
CENTRAL
NE
WEST
S
NOR
RTH
CENT
TRAL
TRAL
MN
LA
AR
MO
MIDWEST
IL
MS
TN
AL
EAST
IN
KY
CE
ENTRA
ENTRA
AL
A
MI
SOUTH
WI
SO MANY REGIONS!
Name:
OH
GA
FL
SC
NC
VA
UTH
OU
SO
IC
TIC
NT
AN
LA
ATL
AT
WV
DC
DE
NJ
ME
STATE
DIVISION
REGION
LEGEND
MD
PA
E
MIDDL IC
C
T
N
A
L
AT
NY
NORTHEAST
SO MANY REGIONS!
Teacher Directions
Give a copy of the BLM So Many Regions! and a pencil to each student. Guide students through
the regions shown on the BLM.
Instruct students to locate Indiana on the map and color it in.
Answer Key
Students should have correctly located the state of Indiana and colored it in.
Black Line Master 1
page 122
Standard 3 / Curriculum Framework / Activity 3
Indiana Social Studies Grade 3 Standards Resource, February 2003
Sample Graphic Organizer
____________
____________________________
Name of region
What states are in this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What major cities are in
this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What other countries does this
region share a border with?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What bodies of water does this
region touch?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What mountain ranges are in
this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What crops are grown in
this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What is the weather like in
this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What minerals or oils are mined
in this region?
Standard 3 / Curriculum Framework / Activity 3
Indiana Social Studies Grade 3 Standards Resource, February 2003
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
Black Line Master 2
page 123
Sample Graphic Organizer
Teacher Directions
Place the transparency of the BLM Sample Graphic Organizer on the overhead projector. Review
the four major regions with students. As a class, complete the graphic organizer using one of the
four regions. Point to the map of the United States and ask students questions, such as: “What
regions have mountains? What regions touch oceans?”
Answer Key
Using the Northeast region, the organizer would contain information similar to the following:
Maine,___________________________
Vermont, New Hampshire,
___
What bodies of water does this
region touch?
Atlantic
Ocean
___
___________________________
New York,
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,
___
___________________________
Lake Ontario
___
___________________________
Connecticut,
Rhode Island, New Jersey
___
___________________________
Lake Erie
___
___________________________
What major cities are in
this region?
What mountain ranges are in
this region?
Alleghenies
___
___________________________
What states are in this region?
Boston,___________________________
___
Adirondacks
___
___________________________
New York,
___
___________________________
White ___________________________
___
Philadelphia
___
___________________________
What crops are grown in
this region?
Corn,
potatoes,
___ blueberries,
___________________________
What other countries does this
region share a border with?
Canada___________________________
___
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
apples,
oats
___ ___________________________
___
___________________________
What is the weather like in
this region?
Warm ___________________________
summers,
___
cold winters
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What minerals or oils are mined
in this region?
Zinc, ___________________________
___
coal, ___________________________
___
oil
___
Black Line Master 2
page 124
___________________________
Standard 3 / Curriculum Framework / Activity 3
Indiana Social Studies Grade 3 Standards Resource, February 2003
Names:
What Is This Region Like?
____________
____________________________
Name of region
What states are in this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What major cities are in
this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What other countries does this
region share a border with?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What bodies of water does this
region touch?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What mountain ranges are in
this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What crops are grown in
this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What is the weather like in
this region?
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
What minerals or oils are mined
in this region?
Standard 3 / Curriculum Framework / Activity 3
Indiana Social Studies Grade 3 Standards Resource, February 2003
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
___
___________________________
Black Line Master 3
page 125
What Is This Region Like?
Teacher Directions
Divide students into pairs. Hand out a copy of the BLM What Is This Region Like? to each
pair of students and explain that they are going to complete a graphic organizer like the one
on the chalkboard for the smaller region to which they have been assigned.
Assign each pair one of the nine divisions from the BLM. Direct students to use reference
materials to complete their BLMs.
Have students present their findings to the rest of the class.
Answer Key
Answers will vary.
Black Line Master 3
page 126
Standard 3 / Curriculum Framework / Activity 3
Indiana Social Studies Grade 3 Standards Resource, February 2003