Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 05
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 3 Days
Grade 02 Social Studies Unit 05 Exemplar Lesson 02: Where Others Live – Urban Centers of Texas
This lesson is one approach to teaching the State Standards associated with this unit. Districts are encouraged to customize this lesson by
supplementing with district-approved resources, materials, and activities to best meet the needs of learners. The duration for this lesson is only a
recommendation, and districts may modify the time frame to meet students’ needs. To better understand how your district may be implementing
CSCOPE lessons, please contact your child’s teacher. (For your convenience, please find linked the TEA Commissioner’s List of State Board of
Education Approved Instructional Resources and Midcycle State Adopted Instructional Materials.)
Lesson Synopsis
Students plot urban centers of Texas on a map, learn about the different urban centers of Texas, and identify those urban centers on a map.
TEKS
The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) listed below are the standards adopted by the State Board of Education, which are required by
Texas law. Any standard that has a strike-through (e.g. sample phrase) indicates that portion of the standard is taught in a previous or
subsequent unit. The TEKS are available on the Texas Education Agency website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148.
2.5
Geography.
The student uses simple geographic tools such as maps and globes. The student is expected to:
2.5A Interpret information on maps and globes using basic map elements such as title, orientation (north, south, east, west), and legend/map
keys.
2.7
Geography. The student understands how physical characteristics of places and regions affect people's activities
and settlement patterns. The student is expected to:
2.7D Identify the characteristics of different communities, including urban, suburban, and rural, and how they
affect activities and settlement patterns.
Social Studies Skills TEKS
2.18
Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a
variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
2.18B Obtain information about a topic using a variety of valid visual sources such as pictures, maps, electronic sources, literature,
reference sources, and artifacts.
2.19
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
2.19B Create written and visual material such as stories, poems, maps, and graphic organizers to express ideas.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicators
Grade 02 Social Studies Unit 05 PI 02
Use geographic tools to identify major urban areas in Texas on a map by pointing them out to the teacher. Explain orally how to use the map elements to gain
information about characteristics of a community. Then choose one community on the map about which to give information gained by using map elements. Present
this information orally or in writing.
Standard(s): 2.5A , 2.18B , 2.19A
ELPS ELPS.c.3D , ELPS.c.5B
Key Understandings
Geographic tools help people interpret maps and globes to learn about places.
— Where are the urban centers of Texas?
— How do map elements help people interpret information on maps and globes?
Vocabulary of Instruction
geographic tools
orientation
direction
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Print Date 06/18/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
legend
map key
community
urban
page 1 of 6 Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 05
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 3 Days
Materials
Refer to the Notes for Teacher section for materials.
Attachments
All attachments associated with this lesson are referenced in the body of the lesson. Due to considerations for grading or student assessment,
attachments that are connected with Performance Indicators or serve as answer keys are available in the district site and are not accessible
on the public website.
Teacher Resource: Texas City Road Trip
Resources
student atlases
classroom map of Texas
Advance Preparation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson.
Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.
Preview available resources and websites according to district guidelines.
Prepare materials and handouts as needed.
Locate and photocopy blank maps of Texas for each student.
Locate a map of Texas to use during the Performance Indicator.
Background Information
It is important for students to know that people settle in large cities for reasons. Most settle in large cities for employment, public transportation, and access to
amenities.
All student maps should include the map elements TODAL – Title, Orientation (directions/compass rose), Date, Author’s name, and Labels and Legend.
regions – areas of the earth’s surface that have similar physical or human characteristics distinctive from the characteristics of neighboring
areas
urban center – a densely populated city
plot – to mark places on a map
map elements – title, orientation, date, author, legend
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Teachers are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to meet the needs of learners. These lessons are
one approach to teaching the TEKS/Specificity as well as addressing the Performance Indicators associated with each unit. District personnel
may create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab. All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab
within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
ENGAGE – Miles and Miles of Texas
Notes for Teacher
NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
Suggested Day 1 – 10 minutes
1. Display/project a map of Texas.
Materials:
2. Play songs about Texas and Texas cities.
3. Review the characteristics of urban communities learned about in Lesson 01 (high
population density, large number of human features).
classroom map of Texas
online songs about Texas and Texas cities such
as at the TexasTripper
4. Student volunteers tell about and locate cities they have visited or know about.
Help student differentiate between urban and suburban (residential area within
commuting distance of a city, less densely populated than urban area) areas.
EXPLORE – Urban Center Map
Suggested Day 1 continued – 20 minutes
1. During this social studies lesson, students will be going on an imaginary road trip
Materials:
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Print Date 06/18/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
page 2 of 6 Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 05
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 3 Days
through some of the cities in Texas. Before that trip can be made, however, the
class needs to plan the trip and create maps of Texas that include the cities that
will be visited.
2. Play songs about Texas and Texas cities.
3. Distribute blank maps and map pencils to students.
4. Display or project a large map for students to see.
5. Locate, with student help, important places and geographic features on the
classroom map (Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, Louisiana, Rio Grande, etc.) while
students follow along on their maps, pointing out the locations and repeating the
names.
6. Students should title their map “Urban Centers of Texas”.
7. Show students examples of a compass rose, and ask students add one to their
map.
8. Model drawing a legend for the students; include dots for cities and a star for the
state capital. Talk to students about what else might be on a legend (bodies of
water, natural resources, roads, state boundaries, etc.).
9. Students date their maps and list themselves as the author.
10. One city at a time, locate and model plotting the following cities: Houston, San
Antonio, Dallas, Austin, El Paso, Ft. Worth, Corpus Christi, and Lubbock.
blank maps of Texas (1 per student)
map pencils
online songs about Texas and Texas cities such
as at the TexasTripper
Purpose:
Familiarize students with the urban centers in their own state
and to discuss why some people choose to live in urban
centers.
TEKS: 2.5A; 2.7D; 2.18B; 2.19B
Instructional Note:
Students may need to be reminded that map
pencils are a tool as opposed to art supplies for
this lesson.
Maps should be free of extraneous decoration
that could confuse students or make reading
more difficult.
TODAL map elements: T = Title; O = Orientation;
D = Date; A = Author; L = Legend and Labels
11. Students need to add the cities to their map and label each city. Use a star to
mark Austin as the state capital.
12. Students trade maps and check for accuracy, helping ensure that their peers
include appropriate map elements (TODAL), as well as the cities located in the
proper location.
EXPLAIN
Suggested Day 1 continued – 10 minutes
1. Students form two circles, an inside circle and an outside circle, with students
facing each other. (Teacher may have to take a place in a circle if there is an
uneven number.)
Materials:
songs about Texas and Texas cities online such
as at the TexasTripper
2. Students share their map with the student across from them in the other circle and
note any discrepancies.
3. Play another song about a city in Texas and ask students to move to the music
and stop when the music stops.
4. They again share their map with their new partner, talking about the TODAL
components.
5. Repeat as time allows to find such things as:
a. Gulf of Mexico
b. Mexico
c. Rio Grande River
EXPLORE – Texas Road Trip
Suggested Day 2 – 40 minutes
1. Post the eight sections from the Teacher Resource: Texas City Road Trip. Cut
the sections apart and post them around the room.
Materials:
2. Divide students into eight groups.
3. Provide students with a highlighter, their Handout: Texas City Road Trip map,
and an index card for each city.
4. Place one group of students at each posted description around the room.
5. Students read each passage. On their maps, they highlight that city. On the back
of the map, they write one sentence about that city.
6. Students rotate until they have read about, highlighted, and written about each of
the cities.
index cards (8 per student)
student maps from Day 1
highlighters (1 per student)
Attachments:
Teacher Resource: Texas City Road Trip (cut
apart and posted)
Purpose:
Students practice locating the urban centers on their maps.
7. Model a summary sentence pattern that students apply to explain how to use map TEKS: 2.5A; 2.7D; 2.18B
elements (e.g., compass rose, grid system, legend) to describe the relative
location of the urban centers. (Example: Corpus Christi is an urban area in the
Last Updated 05/06/13
Print Date 06/18/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
page 3 of 6 Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 05
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 3 Days
southern part of Texas. It is on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.)
8. Facilitate a discussion where students use academic language and map elements
to describe the relative location of the urban centers.
EXPLAIN
Suggested Day 2 continued – 10 minutes
1. Students turn to a partner to share their sentences on the back of their maps
about the urban centers.
Materials
student maps of Texas
2. Students then quiz each other about the location of urban centers in Texas,
checking their information against the class map.
ELABORATE – Apply skills
Suggested Day 3 – 20 minutes
1. Distribute maps of other states or the nation. Students practice using map
elements to locate and describe the location of urban areas and explain how they
located them.
Materials
2. Students use academic language to describe the location of urban areas and
answer the guiding questions in support of the Key Understanding.
Geographic tools help people interpret maps and globes to learn
about places.
maps with map elements that show populated
areas of states
Instructional Note:
Maps are often available in a textbook or atlas.
Maps should have a legend and compass rose that students
can use to find information about cities in the state.
— Where are the urban centers of Texas?
— How do map elements help people interpret information on maps and globes?
EVALUATE – Performance Indicator
Grade 02 Social Studies Unit 05 PI 02
Use geographic tools to identify major urban areas in Texas on a map by pointing them out to the
teacher. Explain orally how to use the map elements to gain information about characteristics of
a community. Then choose one community on the map about which to give information gained
Suggested Day 3 continued – 30 minutes
Materials:
map of Texas
by using map elements. Present this information orally or in writing.
Purpose:
Students will exhibit their map skills and share information about
Standard(s): 2.5A , 2.18B , 2.19A
ELPS ELPS.c.3D , ELPS.c.5B
a selected urban center of Texas.
TEKS: 2.5A; 2.18B; 2.19A
1. Students place their “Urban Centers of Texas” maps on their desks.
2. Call out the names of urban centers (and other geographic features) as students
point to them on their maps.
3. Students should explain orally how to use the map elements to gain information
about characteristics of a community. Then, choose one community on the map
about which to give information gained by using map elements.
Last Updated 05/06/13
Print Date 06/18/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
page 4 of 6 Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 05 Lesson: 02
Texas City Road Trip
1. Houston
Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest city in the
United States. There are many different places to work in Houston. Many
people in Houston work on or near the ship channel. NASA is in Houston,
as well as Texas Medical Center, which is one of the largest hospitals in
the world.
2. San Antonio
San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the United States with a
population of 2.2 million people. Families live in single family homes and
apartments. There are many different places for people to work in San
Antonio. One of the big businesses in San Antonio is tourism. People
travel to San Antonio to visit special attractions and historical sites.
3. Dallas
Dallas is the third largest city in Texas and the ninth largest in the United
States. It is located in North Texas. Dallas used to be known for cotton
and oil, but now there are banking, medical, communications and
computer companies. There are many places to work and live in Dallas.
4. Austin
Austin is the capital of Texas. It was named after Stephen F. Austin. It is
in the hill country of central Texas. Austin is the home of many
government offices as well as the University of Texas. Austin is famous
for local music and the slogan “Keep Austin Weird”. Many people come to
Austin to visit during the Pecan Street Fair or to see the famous bat
bridge.
©2013, TESCCC
05/06/13
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Grade 2
Social Studies
Unit: 05 Lesson: 02
5. El Paso
El Paso is in West Texas. It is near the border Texas shares with Mexico.
Over 600,000 people live in El Paso. It is the sixth largest city in Texas.
There are many places to work and live in El Paso. There are factories, a
military base, and universities.
6. Ft. Worth
Ft. Worth is the fifth largest city in Texas. A long time ago, Ft. Worth was
a military outpost located on the Trinity River. This city has the nickname
“Cowtown”. People still visit Ft. Worth to see the stockyards. It is also
home to the Texas Motor Speedway.
7. Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi is on the coast in South Texas. It is the eighth largest city
in Texas. Many people visit Corpus Christi on vacation. It is the home of
beautiful beaches and the Texas State Aquarium. Many people in Corpus
Christ work in tourism or for oil companies.
8. Lubbock
Lubbock is in the northwestern part of Texas. It is the eleventh largest city
in Texas. Cotton is produced in Lubbock, more cotton than is grown
anywhere else in the world. It is also home to Texas Tech University. This
area is traditionally called the Llano Estacado.
©2013, TESCCC
05/06/13
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