DAY 1 INTRODUCTION
Explain to the students that they are beginning a four week simulation, or study, of a
fictitious town in California. The name of this fictitious town is Mediana City.
Students will be helping this town solve one of its problems.
Show the video/powerpoint - Welcome to Mediana City
After the video place the students in groups of four. Choose a recorder for each group.
1. List with your table partners all the facts that you learned about Mediana City.
2. What questions do you have about this fictitious town?
Share the groups’ answers with the whole group.
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Los Angeles Unified School District
Office of Curriculum, Instruction and School Support
Elementary History-Social Science and
Elementary Science Divisions
DAY 1
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How do people, environment and events cause change and influence the design of towns and cities?
FOCUS QUESTION:
What are the significant geographic features of Mediana City?
Objective
Students will read a variety of maps and use the details to create a map of Mediana City.
Lesson Overview:
Students will use a variety of maps to create a picture of the significant geographic features that
influence and affect Mediana City.
Time: Approximately 45-60 minutes
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Standards:
History
4.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic
features that define places and regions in California.
4.1.3. Identify the state capital and describe the various regions of California,
including how their characteristics and physical environments (e.g., water, landforms,
vegetation, climate) affect human activity.
4.1.4. Identify the locations of the Pacific Ocean, rivers, valleys and mountain passes,
and explain their effects on the growth of towns.
4.1.5. Use maps, charts and pictures to describe how communities in California vary
in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services and
transportation.
Science (NGSS) - 4-ESS2-2 Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe
patterns of Earth’s features.
Language Arts Common Core State Standards
RI 4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
RI 4.7: Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in
charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web
pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in
which it appears.
RI 4.9: Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or
speak about the subject knowledgeably.
W 4.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of
different aspects of a topic.
SL 4.2: Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse
media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
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Art
Analyze Art Elements and Principles of Design
1.5 Describe and analyze the elements of art (e.g., color, shape/form, line, texture,
space, value), emphasizing form, as they are used in works of art and found in the
environment.
Visual Literacy
5.3 Construct diagrams, maps, graphs, timelines, and illustrations to communicate
ideas or tell a story about a historical event.
Teacher Background:
Students will map the simulated characteristics of a fictional city (“Mediana City”). Students will learn
the water, mountains, coalfields, mountains and railroad accessibility as well as Mediana City’s
relative location.
Located about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Mediana City sits in the Central
Valley near several rivers. (Note: Rivers run towards the ocean, which can help students detect
them.) There is a railroad line running through Mediana City, and coalfields are located close by.
Though Mediana City is located in a plains location perfect for agriculture, there are mountains
located to the east of the town.
Using the physical geography map (Day 1 HO#2), water resource map (Day 1 HO#3) and railroad
development map (Day 1 HO#4), teachers will guide the students to create their own map of Mediana
City on the blackline master map of California.
The resource maps are from the California Atlas provided by the CA Geographic Alliance. Pages
can be found at http://calgeography.org/resources/atlas-pages/.
Vocabulary
The following terms will be integral to the study and creation of the maps:
Political map
Physical map
Key/legend
Coastline
Natural features
Manmade features
Boundary
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Cardinal directions
Compass rose
Materials

Physical geography map (Day 1 HO#2)

Water resources map (Day 1 HO#3)

Railroad development map (Day 1 HO#4)

Colored pencils or crayons

Model of completed map

Black line master of map of California
The resource maps are from the California Atlas provided online by the CA Geographic Alliance.
Pages can be found at http://calgeography.org/resources/atlas-pages/ .
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THE LESSON
Introduction – (5 minute discussion) What is a map and what are some of the key features of a
map?
The purpose of the introduction is to pre-assess the students and determine their level of
understanding of maps and of the vocabulary of maps so that teachers can differentiate the lesson
appropriately.
Description of Activities – (2 minutes) Today we are going to read maps and use the information
we find to make a map of a fictional town, Mediana City. These maps will be important to us because
we will be working on understanding Mediana City. The map will help us to answer the essential
question: How do people, environment and events cause change and influence the design of towns
and cities?
It is important to know this is a simulation and although Mediana City is not an actual California city, it
is based on real places in California, and the historical, scientific and geographic features we will be
studying will help us deepen our understanding of California.
Vocabulary – political map, physical map, key/legend, coastline, natural features, manmade
features, boundary, cardinal directions, compass rose
This vocabulary may be reviewed whole group, in small groups, or definitions can be integrated
throughout the lesson at the teacher’s discretion.
Analysis
Step 1:
(5 minutes)
Have introductory discussion (See above)
Step 2:
(2 minutes)
Review description of activities (See above)
Step 3:
(5 minutes)
Pass out the blackline master map to pairs of students. As directions are given, the pairs of students
must collaborate and agree on where features should be placed on the map. Students will take turns
drawing features on the map.
Review compass roses and legends. Students should create a compass rose in the upper right hand
corner of the map. They will need room for a legend in the lower left corner of the map.
On an overhead projector/document reader, display the physical geography map (Day 1 HO#2)
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Ask the students to identify what the features of the maps they are seeing might be (i.e. oceans,
coastline, rivers, islands, natural features.) Point out where the locations of San Francisco and Los
Angeles would be on the map.
Step 4: (5-10 minutes)
On their blackline master map, students should label and identify with two dots San Francisco and
Los Angeles. With teacher’s assistance the students should also note Mediana City’s position
relative to Sacramento and San Diego.
They should trace the coastline in brown, and label the Pacific Ocean.
Step 5: (5-10 minutes)
While still referencing the physical geography map students will:
Identify the mountain ranges on the map. Students should also note the relative position of the
mountains and draw them in with inverted v’s. Find the ones closest to Mediana City and draw on the
map.
Draw an oval at the base of the mountains near Mediana City on the students’ maps. Identify this
region as a Coal Field. Students should color this black and note it on their legends.
Identify the Central Valley on the map. Draw and color the Central Valley on the map.
Step 6: (10 minutes)
Show the water sources map (Day 1 HO#3).
What bodies of water are near Mediana City?
Draw the rivers that are near Mediana City blue.
Step 7: (5-10 minutes)
Show the railroad development map 1870-1880 (Day 1 HO#4).
When was this map created? What map features does it have?
Draw railroad tracks on the black line master map to show the railroad going through Mediana City.
(This map is a bit complicated, and students may need some help decoding it.)
Attached is a model of a completed map for Teacher Reference.
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Journal Entry
Conclusion – (3 minutes) - Debrief
Which of the features of Mediana City did you think were most important and why?
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Completed Model - Teacher Resource
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(Day 1 HO#2)
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(Day 1 HO#3)
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(Day 1 HO#4).
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