Midwest Comparison

Lesson 14
Name: Lauren Brenner
Grade Level: 4th
Materials Required:
Comparison Matrix packet (1 per student)
Family Feud: Midwest and West PowerPoint
Masking Tape
Midwest and Southwest Fact Sheets
Menu Board
Menu Board Rubric

Time Allotted: 55 Min.

Subject: Social Studies

Michigan Content Expectations:

4 G2.0.2 Compare human and physical characteristics of a region to which Michigan belongs
(e.g., Great Lakes, Midwest) with those of another region in the United States.
Objective:
Objective 1: The students will compare human and physical characteristics of the
Midwest with other regions in the United States so that they can create a project where
they compare 10 physical and human characteristics, where at least three are human
characteristics, of the Midwest with those of another region where they get at least 3 out
of 4 on the rubric.
Assessment:

Objective 1 Informal Formative Assessment: The students will pair and share two
characteristics of the South, each partner sharing different characteristics. If they could
share four different characteristics total, give the teacher a thumbs up.
Objective 1 Formal Formative Assessment: During 10 questions students will write
down what they think the answer is. Lauren and Kelli will check to see which students
get the answer correct. If Lauren notices a clear struggle on a certain concept, she will
revisit it with the class. Kelli will be coming up with data to split the class into three
homogenous groups for centers.
Objective 1 Summative Assessment: The students will create a project where they
compare the Midwest with another region. They may pick any project from the menu
board to complete and must include at least 10 human and physical characteristics from
the regions, with at least 3 being human characteristics. To be considered proficient the
student must earn a C- or above for both standards. Students who are not able to attain
this must redo the project until they have attained the proficient level.

We will generate data from the formative assessment to generate homogenous groupings for centers so students who
are highly proficient are together and students who are struggling are together. We will also generate data from the
summative assessment to show if any concept needs to be explored more before the final summative assessment to
the unit so that students can be proficient on the final summative assessment. Students will have the option of
redoing this summative assessment if they have not met the minimum level of proficiency on it. First the students
who have not met the level of proficiency will meet with the teacher to review misconceptions about the regions and
compare them. The students will have one week from the time of meeting to finish their assessment.

Instructional Procedure:
1. Anticipatory Set: (5 Min)
a. To grab the students attention at the beginning of the lesson, we will be showing
this YouTube video: http://youtu.be/uLxLs-QhXs0
i. This video is an overview of the 5 regions of the United States. This video
will get the students thinking about all 5 regions together, which prepares
them for this lesson.
b. Kelli is going to provide an overview of the previous lessons, explaining that as a
class we have learned about human and physical characteristics of the 5 regions in
depth. She will tell the students they will be using the information we learned
about the 5 regions and using the information to complete todays lesson.
c. In todays lesson we will be comparing human and physical characteristics of our
home region, the Midwest, to the other 4 regions of the United States. Once we
have compared all 4 regions to the Midwest, we will work on the final
assessment. The final assessment will be choosing 1 region and comparing it to
the Midwest, and you will select one way to display the comparisons from the
menu board option.
i. The students will be respectful to their classmates and the teachers
throughout the entire class period.
ii. The students will be actively engaged throughout the entire class period.
iii. The students will be creative, challenge themselves, and think out of the
box.

2. State Purpose and Objective of Lesson: (1 Min)

a. We want the students to learn how to compare different regions to each other. We
also want them to learn about how the region they live in is both similar and
different from the other regions of the United States.
b. This is important for the students to learn because they need to be aware of the
many similarities and differences of the human and physical characteristics of the
United States. This is important because the United States is a very diverse
country, but it is our home country and we need to be aware of the diversity.
c. This lesson connects to all of the prior social studies lesson. In the last 5 lessons,
the students were identifying human and physical characteristics of each of the 5
regions of the United States. These lessons prepared them for this lesson because
they are taking the information they learned from the previous lessons and
applying it to this lesson. This relates to our theme of Theres No Place Like
Home because the students will be looking at their home region, the Midwest,

and comparing it to another region of the United States to see how their home
region is unique compared to the other regions.

3. Instruction: (45 Min total)

a. Direct Interactive Instruction:
i. The teachers will model comparing the Midwest with another region and
then facilitate centers for students to compare the Midwest with other
regions.
ii. The students will work as a class, independently, and in small groups to
compare the Midwest with other regions and create a project where they
compare the Midwest with one region.
b. Modeling: (10 Min)
i. (Objective 1 Informal Formative Assessment) I will lead the students by
instructing them to pair and share with a partner two characteristics of the
West, so that they share four different characteristics. Ask them to give a
thumbs up if they have shared four different characteristics. If there are
multiple students who do not give a thumbs up, give them one more
minute or call on a few students to share some of the characteristics they
discussed.
ii. Pass out the Comparison Matrix to the students and instruct them to fill
them out during the lesson with the Midwest region in Topic 1 and the
region we are discussing in Topic 2. We will be comparing the Midwest
with the Southeast as a class and then comparing the Midwest with the
other regions at centers. They should fill it out so that they have at least
five attributes, similarities, and differences. Instruct the students that it
may be helpful to get out their Physical and Human Characteristic
Worksheet they completed in the previous lessons.
iii. First as a class, we will be comparing the Midwest with the Southeast.
Taylor will model, Lauren will assist, and Kelli will observe. Tell the
students We are going to play 10 Questions where I will be thinking of
a physical or human characteristic in the Midwest or the Southeast and
you can ask yes or no questions to figure it out. When you think you
know it, write it down on a piece of paper and give a thumbs up.
(Objective 2 Formal Formative Assessment) Lauren and Kelli will come
check it. At the end of 10 questions, you all will write down what you
think it is. Kelli will be observing which students are proficient and
which are struggling so that she can create homogenous groups for centers
(informal formative). After 10 questions, I will write the characteristic on
the board in a Comparison Matrix, which will have Midwest as Topic 1
and Southeast as Topic 2. At this time, I will also explain the process for
using the comparison matrix:
1. I will present two topics to the class (i.e. Midwest vs.
Southeast).

2. The students will write the two topics under the Topic 1,
Topic 2 column.
3. The students will give different attributes to compare
(i.e. crops, bodies of water, human characteristics). The
students are to write down the specific attributes in the
specific columns depending upon the facts discussed in
the 10 question games.
4. Students will then complete the matrix, writing down
information they have for the specific topic within its
given box.
5. Then individually, students are to look at similarities and
differences of attributes for each topic and write down
their observations.
6. Afterwards, as a class we will discuss the similarities and
differences between the two topics before breaking into
small groups.

iv. I will pick these characteristics in order. Do as many as possible in five

minutes.
1. Human characteristics
2. Crops
3. States
4. Climate
5. Landforms
v. Ask what else belongs in the matrix that you have learned about? Call
on students to come up to the board and write more characteristics so that
there are at least five attributes.
vi. Then, students will complete steps 5-6 of the Comparison Matrix.
c. Guided Practice: (30 Min [10 Min per center])
i. At the beginning of each center we will ask if any students have been to
that region and allow them to share about their experience for the first
minute.
i. Center Southwest: The students will work with Lauren comparing the
Midwest and the Southeast.
1. For this center, students will be split into partners to complete an
activity.
2. Within the activity, partners will create a compare and contrast
Venn diagram on the floor using tape.
3. Partners will be given 15 different cards with statements on them
regarding the Midwest and Southwest region
4. Directions for the activity are as follows:
a. Students are to make a Venn diagram on the floor using
tape.
b. After creating their Venn diagram, students will be given 15
statement cards that relate to the Midwest and/or the
Southwest region.

c. Using these cards, students are to determine what category

the statement falls under: Midwest, Southwest, or Both.
d. Once all students have completed their Venn Diagram, we
will come together as a class to discuss which statement
belongs in which category
e. Once we have all agreed on where the statement belongs,
students will write down all of the information on their
Venn diagrams.
5. During this activity, students may finish early when completing
their Venn Diagram with a partner. They can then transfer their
information into their personal comparison matrix.
ii. Center West: Students will work with Kelli comparing the Midwest with
the West. They will play Family Feud. The group will be divided into
two teams who will compete during the game and Kelli will keep track of
their points on a piece of paper. They will fill out their comparison Matrix
during the game and be allowed time between questions to complete it.
d. Independent Practice:
Summative assessment: Students will work individually to create a
project where they compare the Midwest with another region. They are to
complete the summative assessment (both step one and two). Rubrics for
the project are attached at the bottom of this sheet.
4.

Differentiated Consideration
Multiple Intelligences weaved throughout the lesson to meet the needs of all types of
learners:
o Visual-Spatial: The students will be sorting physical and human
characteristics into the charts in one of the centers. There is also a YouTube
video that will be shown at the beginning of the lesson. The students who
learn through visual-spatial awareness will benefit in multiple ways during
this lesson as well as in the assessment.
o Bodily-kinesthetic: The students who are able to learn best through
movement will thrive during the center with the beach ball activity. This is a
very hands-on center that has the students passing the ball back and forth to
each other. They will also benefit from the transitions between centers to keep
them moving and out of their seats.
o Musical: The students will be given the option to create a song or poem when
completing their assessment of the comparisons between the Midwest and
another region. The video at the beginning will also be beneficial to these
students because it is visual and incorporates music.
o Interpersonal: When the students are in their center work they are given the
option to work with their groups to find information out about the northeast

region. Discussion throughout the lesson is also another form of interpersonal

interaction for the students.
o Intrapersonal: The students will have an option to work alone during the
centers if they wish. They are also to work independently on the menu board
assessment.
o Linguistic: For the linguistic learners, the use of the Family Feud game will
benefit them. They will be able to apply their knowledge of the regions using
the game and words.
o Logical -Mathematical: The objective for this lesson is to have the students
identifying the patterns and relationships between the Midwest and another
region. The student who learns through logical or mathematic will benefit
from this lesson because they are able to think critically to compare the
regions.

Our assessment menu board integrates all multiple intelligences to ensure students are
able to express their knowledge of the regions in a way that best fits their learning
style.

If a student finishes early during centers and they have written down all human and
physical characteristics for the regions they will be asked to draw pictures of the
human and physical characteristics on their Venn Diagram.

All teachers in the classroom will be leading a center; therefore we will be able to
identify the students who might be struggling during the centers. We will take that
time to work independently with the student during the centers.

All students will be broken up into center groups based on their proficiency and
understanding during the 10 questions game. These groups will be homogeneous.

5. Closure: (4 Min)
a. Lauren will lead the students. Today, students have been able to compare and
contrast the Midwest region with other regions in the United States (Southwest,
Southeast, Northeast, and West)
b. Students are to share with a partner two things that they appreciate about the
Midwest.
c. Once everyone has finished talking with a partner, students will have an
opportunity to share with the class one thing that they appreciate about the
Midwest.
d. Students, thank you for your learning today! Our learning today connects to our
Unit of Theres No Place Like Home because we have looked at our home
region (the Midwest) and compared it to the other regions of the United States

(Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, and West) to see how unique how home truly
is.
6. References:
Benevides, L. A Comparison of the West and Midwest Regions of the USA. Retrieved
November 16, 2014, from http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/AComparison-of-the-West-and-Midwest-Regions-of-the-USA-1319286
Bower, B., Lobdell, J., & Teachers' Curriculum Institute. (2003). Social studies alive!:
Regions of our country. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers' Curriculum Institute.
Garca, J. R., & Silver Burdett Ginn (Firm). (1997). Regions and resources: Teaching guide
4. Parsipanny, NJ: Silver Burdett Ginn.
How Stuff Works. (2014). Northeast region population density. Image. Retrieved from
http://maps.howstuffworks.com/northeast-region-population-density-map.htm
Mdk12.org (2014). Geographic Characteristics. Retrieved from
http://mdk12.org/share/pdf/social_studies/GEOGRAPHY/Geo_ch_chart.pdf
National Geographic. (January, 2009). New Hoover Dam. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_rzojvKdE
NW Okie & Sadie. (2012). The Okie Legacy. Image. Retrieved from
http://okielegacy.net/journal/ezine/?vol=14&iss=23
Power, Caroline. (2013). The Northeast Region of the US. YouTube. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64PpR8vM7AE
Primary Facts. (June, 2013). Colorado River Facts. Retrieved from
http://primaryfacts.com/1895/colorado-river-facts/
Social Studies Alive: Regions of Our Country. (2003). Palo Alto, CA. Teacher Curriculum
Institute.
Stopera, M. (n.d.). 100 Incredible Views Out Of Airplane Windows.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/100-incredible-views-out-of-airplane-windows/
U.S. Department of Commerce. (2013). Census Data Mapper. Retrieved from
http://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/datamapper/map.html
Vesco. Midwest Region Song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc1UCOm-8B4
Zane Education. (2010). The North East States: Location and physical features. YouTube.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPE-Kled5v8

Midwest Region
The States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and
Wisconsin.

Called the Heartland.

Called the Breadbasket because it

produces a large amount of Wheat, Corn,
Vegetables, Meat, Milk, Cheese, Soybeans,
Apples, Cherries, Plums, Carrots,
Cucumbers, Carrots, Asparagus.
Is made up of many plains and farmlands.

The Mississippi River runs through it.

This region is home to the Great Lakes.

Home of Mt. Rushmore.

Indianapolis 500 is a NASCAR race in this

region.
The Mackinac Bridge is located in this
region.

Similarities
Diverse Climate! Cool and rainy, but also
dry and warm.

Southwest Region

The States: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

Oklahoma.

Within the region, you can find deserts,

mesas, canyons, and plateaus.

Is home to the Hoover Dam.

The Colorado River is this regions main

source of water.

Is home to the Grand Canyon.

Is home of the battle of the Alamo.

Total Points:

30

What are three geographical features in

the West
1.)

Rocky Mountains

10

2.)

Pacific Ocean

10

3.)

Death Valley

10

TIME TO PASS
SCORE
Try Again

Family Feud

Total Points:

What are three geographical features in

the Midwest
Great Plains

10

2.)

Mississippi River

10

3.)

Great Lakes

10

1.)

Question Question
1
2

Question Question
6
7

Question
3

Question
8

Question Question
4
5

Question Question
9
10

30

TIME TO PASS
SCORE
Try Again

Total Points:

30

Total Points:

Question What are three states in the

West Region

30

What are three natural resources in the

West Region

1.)

California

10

1.)

gold

10

2.)

Hawaii

10

2.)

oil

10

3.)

Alaska

10

3.)

TIME TO PASS

Pacific Ocean

10

TIME TO PASS
SCORE
Try Again

SCORE
Try Again

40

Total Points:

Total Points:

30

Question: What are three states in the

Midwest

2.)

1.)
2.)
3.)

10
10

10

10

10

Wisconsin

10

3.)

Fertile
soil
Sequoia National
Park

Illinois

10

4.)

Space Needle lead

in Seattle

Minnesota

Score

What a the 4 places to visit in the West

Total Points: 30
Region
Team 1
Team 2
WhatNational
are three
resources in the
Yellowstone
Park natural 10
1.)
Midwest
Hollywood
0
1.)

10

2.)
3.)

Back To
Question
Board SCORE

Iron ore

TIME TO PASS
TIME TO PASS

TIME TO PASS

10

Try Again

SCORE

SCORE

Total Points:

30

Try Again

Try Again

Where are 3 places you could visit in

the Midwest?
1.)

Mount Rushmore

10

2.)

Indianapolis 500

10

3.)

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

10

TIME TO PASS
SCORE
Try Again

Total Points: 30

What are three weather or natural disasters

that may occur in the West Region
1.)

earthquakes

10

2.)

Volcanic eruptions

10

3.)

drought

10

TIME TO PASS
SCORE
Try Again

Total Points:

Comparison Matrix

30

What are three weatherTopic

or natural
1
disasters that happen in the Midwest?
Attribute
1
tornadoes
1.)
10
2.)

blizzards

10

3.)

flooding

10

Attribute 2

Topic 2

D
S

TIME TO PASS
SCORE

Attribute 3

Similarities and
Differences
S

Try Again

D
S
D

Attribute 4

S
D

Attribute 5
S
D

Summative Assessment
For your final assessment, you are to show mastery of the following standards:

4-G2.0.2 Compare human and physical characteristics of a region to which

Michigan belongs (e.g., Great Lakes, Midwest) with those of another region
in the United States.
4 G1.0.4 Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures
to answer geographic questions about the United States.

*In order to show mastery of the standards, follow the two steps below and look to the
attached rubric as a guide *

Step One:
Directions: Select one option from this menu board to display your mastery of the
expectation 4-G2.0.2. The following rubric attached will be your guide for the exact
knowledge that you are to display.
Create a Poster

Create a Song/Poem

Create a Drawing

Be creative and create a poster that

compares the human and physical
characteristics of the Midwest and a
region of your choice.

Be creative and create a song or

poem that compares the human and
physical characteristics of the
Midwest and a region of your
choice.

Be creative and create a drawing that

compares the human and physical
characteristics of the Midwest and a region
of your choice.

Create a Writing

Pick Your Project

Create a Your Choice

Be creative and write an essay that

compares the human and physical
characteristics of the Midwest and a
region of your choice.

Select any of the options on this

menu to compare the human and
physical characteristics of the
Midwest and a region of your
choice. See the rubric for specifics
that must be include.

Dont see an option on the PYP Menu?

Create your own choice of how you want
to compare the human and physical
characteristics of the Midwest and a region
of your choice. This idea must be approved
by the teacher first.

Create a Presentation

Create a Brochure

Create a Video

Be creative and create a presentation

that compares the human and physical
characteristics of the Midwest and a
region of your choice.

Be creative and create a brochure

that compares the human and
physical characteristics of the
Midwest and a region of your
choice.

Be creative and create a video that

compares the human and physical
characteristics of the Midwest and a region
of your choice.

Step Two:
Directions: Using the standard 4-G1.0.4, the student is to provide a minimum of 3
sources of information as to where they found their data for the project. The students data
can be turned in to the teacher, typed on a separate sheet of paper, when the student
presents their project to the class. The following chart can be used as a guide for the exact
information the student is to provide for each piece of data:

Name:_______________________
Step Two
1. What is the human or physical characteristic?

2. What tool did you use to discover this characteristic (ex. internet, book, maps etc.)?

3. Why did you use this specific tool? In what way was this tool beneficial to use in
discovering the data/characteristic?