World Geography
Social Studies
Unit: 01
Lesson: 03
Suggested Duration: 3 days
Human Environment Interaction
Lesson Synopsis:
Students explore human-environment interaction and natural hazards based on regions. This lesson also helps students
gain a better understanding of how people adapt and/or modify their environment and how this may impact the physical
environment.
TEKS:
WG.8
WG.8A
WG.8B
WG.8C
Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent. The
student is expected to:
Compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the physical environment, including the influences of
culture and technology. Readiness Standard
Describe the interaction between humans and the physical environment and analyze the consequences of extreme
weather and other natural disasters such as El Niño, floods, tsunamis, and volcanoes. Readiness Standard
Evaluate the economic and political relationships between settlements and the environment, including sustainable
development and renewable/non-renewable resources. Supporting Standard
WG.19
Science, technology, and society. The student understands the impact of technology and human modifications on
the physical environment. The student is expected to:
WG.19
A
WG.19
B
Evaluate the significance of major technological innovations in the areas of transportation and energy that have
been used to modify the physical environment. Readiness Standard
Analyze ways technological innovations such as air conditioning and desalinization have allowed humans to adapt
to places. Supporting Standard
Social Studies Skills TEKS:
WG.22
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
WG.22
B
WG.22
C
WG.23
Generate summaries, generalizations, and thesis statements supported by evidence.
WG.23
A
WG.23
B
Plan, organize, and complete a research project that involves asking geographic questions; acquiring, organizing,
and analyzing information; answering questions; and communicating results.
Use case studies and GIS to identify contemporary challenges and to answer real-world questions. Eligible for Dualcoding on STAAR
Use geographic terminology correctly. Eligible for Dual-coding on STAAR
Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with
others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to:
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicator(s):
•
Create a story about human-environment interaction based on a region you are familiar with and include:
adaptation to and modification of the environment for daily life, examples illustrating ways man has coped with the
environment (e.g., natural hazards), and the impact of the physical environment on man’s settlement patterns.
(WG.8A, WG.8B, WG.8C; WG.9A; WG.19B; WG.22B; WG.23A)
1A; 5G
Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
•
Humans modify and adapt to the physical environment to meet their social, political, and economic needs.
— How are people and the environment connected and interdependent?
— How do people modify their environment in response to political, economic or cultural needs?
Vocabulary of Instruction:
•
•
•
•
deforestation
natural hazards
tsunami
flooding
©2013, TESCCC
•
•
•
hurricanes
forest fire
earthquake
02/20/13
•
•
volcano
drought
page 1 of 5
Materials:
•
Refer to the Notes for Teacher section materials.
References and Resources
•
USGS information about hazards: www.usgs.gov.
Attachments:
•
•
Handout: Exploring by Reading (1 per student)
Handout: Natural Hazard Notes Organizer (1 per student)
Advance Preparation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson, including geography terminology.
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.
Explore websites listed throughout this document to learn more background information regarding physical
geography and human-environment interaction.
7. On the Internet, find news websites and print off about 12-15 articles on Human-Environment Interaction. Try to
find a variety of articles. You may want to have two copies of each article so that both students in each pair have
one to read from.
8. Gather pictures from magazines, newspaper or the Internet that highlight Human-Environment Interaction. Maps
are also helpful (e.g., a map of deforestation rates and the timber trade, or a map of oil consumption or CO 2
emissions).
Background Information:
Human-Environment Interaction comes in many forms, from everyday use of consumer products, to political agreements
over environment resources, to natural hazards. The interaction can take the form of humans adapting to or modifying
their environment. Students should be taught to critically analyze all forms of interaction from many points of view and
from a local to global scale.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT
Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners.
The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus
Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page.
All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE – Adapt or Modify?
NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
Suggested Day 1 – 15 minutes
TEKS: WG.8A, WG.8B
1. Post the question on the board:
• What is the difference between human adaptation to and human
modification of the environment?”
2. With a partner, students discuss possible responses to the question.
3. Students share their answers and the teacher scripts the list of their
answers on the board.
4. Show the students pictures of human populations modifying or adapting to
the environment (examples: a picture of a city, a picture of a person
wearing warm clothes, etc). Ask the students if the picture is a
modification of the environment or an adaptation of the environment.
©2013, TESCCC
02/20/13
Purpose:
Students are introduced to human
adaptation and human modification.
Instructional Note:
A human modification of the
environment means that humans have
actually changed some part of the
physical environment (e.g., building a
dam) whereas a human adaptation to
the environment is a change in human
behavior to cope with environmental
conditions (e.g., different clothing).
page 2 of 5
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
5. Ask questions such as:
• Why do you think that this adaptation or modification occurs?
• What are ways in which you have adapted to your environment?
(e.g., Air conditioning, type of clothing, location of settlement, etc.)
• How do you think this affects human’s settlement decisions?
6. Introduce the lesson’s ideas using words such as:
• This lesson will explore this interaction between humans and the
environment in more detail.
EXPLORE – Human-Environment Interaction
1. Distribute the Handout: Exploring by Reading.
2. In pairs, students read the article and discuss it with their partner. As
students read they note ways humans have interacted with (adapted to or
modified) their environment and investigate the interaction, the location of
the interaction, and reasons for the interaction.
Suggested Day 1 (cont’d) – 20 minutes
Materials:
• articles about human-environment
interaction
Attachments:
• Handout: Exploring by Reading
3. Students read additional articles about human-environment interaction and
add to their knowledge base.
TEKS: WG.8A, WG.8B; WG.19A,
WG.19B; WG.22B, WG.22C
4. Students share with the class their findings on human-environment
interaction by summarizing and explaining their findings to the class.
Purpose:
Students are able to find relevancy
through reading about current issues
and topics.
5. The class categorizes them as an adaptation or modification.
Instructional Note:
Some articles may be focused on
natural hazards while other articles may
focus on everyday life, political
agreements about the environment, or
economic activities that affect the
environment. A variety of articles should
be used.
EXPLAIN – Share Findings
1. Students are to think of ways the local community has interacted with their
environment or ways recent events worldwide have caused humanenvironment interaction.
2. Use questions such as the following to help students shape their thoughts:
• How did it affect the community?
• How have members of the community adapted to or modified
their environment related to this interaction?
3. Randomly select group members to share their learning with the class.
4. Students sketch an example and list human-environment interactions
below the illustration.
EXPLORE/EXPLAIN
©2013, TESCCC
Suggested Day 1 (cont’d) – 15 minutes
TEKS: WG.8A, WG.8B; WG.19A,
WG.19B; WG.22B, WG.22C; WG.23A
Purpose:
Through the process of presenting
findings to the class, students are
exposed to multiple ways in which
humans interact with their environment.
Instructional Note:
Another option for students to present
their findings is to project the Handout:
Exploring by Reading for the class to
view if a document camera is available.
After each presentation, the teacher lists
each of the human-environment
interactions on the board.
Suggested Day 2 – 25 minutes
02/20/13
page 3 of 5
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
1. Distribute the Handout: Natural Hazards Notes Organizer
Materials:
• information on natural hazards and
how people cope with them
• information on recent events
involving natural hazards
• map, recent population map in
relation to natural hazards
2. Facilitate a discussion on the various types of natural hazards that humans
cope with: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Tsunamis, Floods, Forest Fires,
Drought, Hurricanes, etc.
3. Students use information from their textbooks and other classroom
materials to gather information and add to their notes organizer as the
discussion continues.
4. Provide additional information as needed for each type of hazard on how
that hazard specifically affects humans and what humans have done to
modify the environment. (e.g., dams and levees for flood control,
hurricane-proof and earthquake resistant architecture, etc.)
5. Continue the discussion, moving the topic to the human-environment
interaction related to natural hazards:
• How do you think natural hazards affect human settlement
patterns?
• Are natural hazards push or pull factors? Why?
6. Suggestions: Show students a recent population map in relation to natural
hazards and discuss why people may or may not stay in an area prone to
natural hazards. (Ex. Volcanoes –good fertile soil; Hurricanes along a
coast where agriculture and economic activities abound.)
ELABORATE – Discuss and Predict
1. Facilitate a discussion by asking students to describe each natural hazard
with examples including the damage and human’s preparation and
reaction to the hazard. When possible, relate the hazards to the local or
familiar examples.
Ask:
• What types of hazards are more difficult for people to adapt to?
The answer would be those hazards that are unpredictable or
predictable only for a short time before it hits (earthquakes, tsunamis,
hurricanes).
• What have human populations done to help control the damage
from these hazards? Is it always successful? How have people
adapted? What innovations (technologies) have been created to
help humans prepare for and deal with natural hazards? Do
these hazards affect patterns of settlement? How? How does it
affect the economy? How do hazards affect the availability of
natural resources? What hazards are a threat to your local
community? Is the community prepared? How?
©2013, TESCCC
02/20/13
Attachments:
• Handout: Natural Hazards Notes
Organizer
• Handout: Natural Hazards Notes
Organizer KEY
Purpose:
Students organize/categorize
information on the multiple types of
natural hazards.
TEKS: WG.8A, WG.8B; WG.19B;
WG.22B, WG.22C
Instructional Note:
Answers on the organizer vary based on
the classroom materials used and the
discussion. The point is that humans
modify and adapt to the physical
environment to meet their social,
political, and economic needs.
People’s interaction with the
environment depends on three factors:
the nature of the environment, the
culture and values of the human group,
and the level of technology. Example:
Compare and contrast how people in
the United States prepare for a
hurricane and how people in other
countries prepare.
Suggested Day 2 (cont’d) – 20 minutes
TEKS: WG.8A, WG.8B; WG.19B;
WG.22B, WG.22C
Purpose:
Students make connections between
natural hazards, technology available
and/or lack of technology and the
effects on a community’s economy and
livelihood.
Instructional Note:
Some students may need some
guidance on the adaptations or
modifications that may have occurred in
their town. Examples could be recycling
activities, flood control, hurricane plans,
and plans for droughts, etc.
page 4 of 5
Instructional Procedures
•
Notes for Teacher
Discuss with a partner possible technologies that would be
useful but that we do not have at this point to help people be
better prepared for a natural hazard. (This is a thought-provoking
question that requires critical thought. Perhaps this could be an
extension to the lesson.)
EVALUATE
1. Create a story about human-environment interaction based on a region
you are familiar with and include: adaptation to and modification of the
environment for daily life, examples illustrating ways man has coped with
the environment (e.g., natural hazards), and the impact of the physical
environment on man’s settlement patterns. (WG.8A, WG.8B, WG.8C;
WG.9A; WG.19B; WG.22B; WG.23A)
1A; 5G
©2013, TESCCC
02/20/13
Suggested Day 3 – 50 minutes
page 5 of 5