The Regions and People
of California
Level 4 – Social Science Unit
Santa Ana Unified School District
Project GLAD
Aimee Danciger, Chris De Elena,
Pam Hutchins, Sara Shorey, & Alicia Skibby
April 25-28, 2006
Project GLAD
Santa AnaSchool Unified School District
The Regions and People of California
Level 4
IDEA PAGES
- Unit Theme-Includes cross-cultural sensitivity theme
- The characteristics and physical environments of various regions of California affect human activity.
- The Pacific Ocean, rivers, valleys, and mountain passesaffect the growth of towns.
- Communities in California vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services, and transportation.
- Californiais an agricultural and industrial power.
- Twentieth-century Californians impacted the nation’s artistic and cultural development
- Focus/Motivation
- Inquiry Charts: “What do we know about California?” “What are we interested in learning about California?”
- Personal Interactions; Big Book-Important Book About California
- Read Aloud-TBD
- Award
- Songs, Poetry
- Closure
- Community Meeting/Debate
California’s natural resources: Are we using them wisely?
- Team Explorations
Create a California region
Design a vacation to a place in California
Create a Big Book about other coastal regions in the U.S.
- Personal Explorations
Write a biography or autobiography of:
- A Twentieth-century Californian
- An architect of a dam, reservoir, or aqueduct
- Write a series of letters to a relative back home. Describe your trip to California.
- Create a poem about California today.
- Write a letter to school on how to adopt a local beach or highway
- Portfolio conference
- Process Inquiry and other charts
- Share personal explorations
- Home-School connection
- Team Jeopardy game
- Concepts/Understandings
- California Today
- Geographical regions of California
- The evolution of dams, aqueducts, and reservoirs in California
- The development and locations of new industries in the twentieth-century
- The history and development of California’s public education system
- Impact of twentieth-century Californians on nation’s artistic and cultural development
- CaliforniaState Board Adopted Standards
History/Social Science Standards:
4.1.1Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California, as a basis for this concept:
4.1.2Students will explain and use the coordinate grid system of latitude and longitude to determine the absolute locations of places in California and on Earth.
4.1.3Students will identify the state capital and describe the various regions of California, including how their characteristics and physical environments affect human activity.
4.1.4Students will identify the locations of the Pacific Ocean, rivers, valleys, and mountain passes and explain their effects on the growth of towns.
4.1.5Students will use maps, charts, and pictures to describe how communities in California vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services, and transportation.
4.4 California became an agricultural and industrial power, tracing the
transformation of the California economy and its political and cultural development back to the 1850’s, as a basis for this concept:
4.4.6Students will describe the development and locations of new industries since the turn of the century and important trade links with the pacific Basin.
4.4.7Students will trace the evolution of California’s water system into a network of dams, aqueducts, and reservoirs.
4.4.8Students will describe the history and development of California’s public education system.
4.4.9Students will analyze the impact of twentieth-century Californians on the nation’s artistic and cultural development, including the rise of the entertainment industry.
Math:
2.0Students use two-dimensional coordinate grids to represent points and
graph lines and simple figures:
2.2Understand that the length of a horizontal line segment equals the
difference of the x-coordinates.
2.3Understand that the length of a vertical line segment equals the difference
of the y-coordinates.
1.1Analyze problems by identifying relationships, distinguish relevant from
irrelevant information, sequencing and prioritizing information, and observing patterns.
Reading:
1.0Word Analysis, Fluency and Systematic Vocabulary Development
Word recognition
1.1Read narrative and expository text loud with grade-level fluency and accuracy and with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.
Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.2Apply knowledge of word , derivations, synonyms, antonyms, and idioms to determine the meaning of words and phrases.
1.3Use knowledge of root words to determine the meaning of unknown words within a passage.
1.4Know common roots and affixes derived from Greek and Latin and use this knowledge to analyze the meaning of complex words.
1.5Use a thesaurus to determine related words and concepts.
1.6Distinguish and interpret words with multiple meanings.
2.0Reading Comprehension
Structural Features of Information Materials
2.1Identify structural patterns found in informational text to strengthen comprehension.
Comprehension and Analysis of grade-Level Appropriate text
2.2Use appropriate strategies when reading for different purposes.
2.3Make and confirm predictions about text by using prior knowledge and ideas presented in the text itself, including illustrations, titles, topic sentences, important words, and foreshadowing clues.
2.4Evaluate new information and hypotheses by testing them against known information and ideas.
2.5Compare and contrast information on the same topic after reading several passages or articles.
2.6Distinguish between cause and effect and between fact and opinion in expository text.
2.7Follow multiple-step instructions in a basic technical manual.
3.0Literary Response and Analysis:
Structural Features of Literature
3.1Describe the structural differences of various imaginative forms of literature, including fantasies, fables, myths, legends, and fairy tales.
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.2Identify the main events of the plot, their causes, and the influences of each event on future actions.
3.3 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character’s traits and motivations to determine causes for the character’s action.
3.4 Compare and contrast tales from different cultures by tracing the exploits of one character type and develop theories to account for similar tales in diverse cultures.
3.5Define figurative language and identify its use in literary works.
Writing:
1.0Writing Strategies
Organization and Focus
1.1Select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based upon purpose, audience, length, and format requirements.
1.2Create multiple-paragraph compositions; provide an introductory paragraph, establish and support a central idea with a topic sentence at or near the beginning of the first paragraph, include supporting paragraphs with simple facts, details, and explanations, conclude with a paragraph that summarizes the points, use correct indentation.
1.3Use traditional structures for conveying information.
Penmanship
1.4Write fluidly and legibly in cursive or joined italics.
Research and Technology
1.5Quote or paraphrase information sources, citing them appropriately.
1.6Locate information in reference texts by using organizational features.
1.7Use various reference materials as an aid to writing.
1.8Understand the organization of almanacs, newspapers, and periodicals and how to use those print materials.
1.9Demonstrate basic keyboarding skills and familiarity with computer terminology.
Evaluation and Revision
1.10Edit and revise selected drafts to improve coherence and progression by adding, deleting, consolidating, and rearranging text.
2.0Writing Applications
2.1Write narratives
2.2Write responses to literature
2.3Write information reports
2.4Write summaries that contain the main ideas of the reading selection and the most significant details.
Written and Oral English Language Conventions
1.0Written and Oral English Language Conventions
Sentence Structures
1.1Use simple and compound sentences in writing and speaking.
1.2Combine short, related sentences with appositives, participial phrases, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases.
Grammar
1.3Identify and use regular and irregular verbs, adverbs, prepositions, and coordination conjunctions in writing and speaking.
Punctuation
1.4Use parentheses, commas in direct quotations, and apostrophes in the possessive case of nouns and in contractions.
1.5Use underlining, quotation marks, or italics to identify titles of documents.
Capitalization
1.6Capitalize names of magazines, newspapers, works of art, musical compositions, organizations, and the first words in quotations when appropriate.
Spelling
1.7Spell correctly roots, inflections, suffixes and prefixes, and syllable constructions.
Listening and Speaking
1.0Listening and Speaking Strategies
Comprehension
1.1Ask thoughtful questions and respond to relevant questions with appropriate elaboration in oral settings.
1.2Summarize major ideas and supporting evidence presented in spoken messages and formal presentations.
1.3Identify how language usages reflect regions and cultures.
1.4 Give precise directions and instructions.
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
1.5Present effective introductions and conclusions that guide and inform the listener’s understanding of important ideas and evidence.
1.6Use traditional structures for conveying information.
1.7Emphasize points in a way that help the listener or viewer to follow important ideas and concepts.
1.8Use details, examples, anecdotes, or experiences to explain or clarify information.
1.9 Use volume, pitch, phrasing, pace, modulation, and gestures appropriately to enhance meaning.
Analysis and Evaluation of Oral Media Communication
1.10Evaluate the role of the media in focusing attention on events and in forming opinions on issues.
2.0 Speaking Applications
2.1Make narrative presentations
2.2Make informational presentation
2.3Deliver oral summaries of articles and books that contain the main ideas of the event or article and the most significant details.
2.4Recite brief poems, soliloquies, or dramatic dialogues, using clear diction, tempo, volume, and phrasing.
English Language Development Standards
Listening and Speaking (Graded 3-5 ELD Standards)
Comprehension
B: Speak with few words/sentences
Answer simple questions with one/two word response
Retell familiar stories/participate in short conversations/using
gestures
EI: Ask/answer questions using support elements
Restate/execute multi-step oral directions
I: Ask/answer questions using support elements
Identify key details from stories/information
EA: Identify main points/support details from content areas
A: Identify main points/support details from stories and subject areas
Respond to and use idiomatic expressions appropriately
Comprehension, Organization, and Delivery of Oral Communication
B: Recognize familiar phonemes
Recognize sound/symbol relationships in own writing
EI: Read orally recognizing/producing phonemes not in primary
language
Recognize morphemes in phrases/simple sentences
I: Read aloud with correct pronunciation of most phonemes
Use common morphemes in oral and silent reading
EA: Use knowledge of morphemes to derive meaning from
literature/texts in content areas
A: Use roots and affixes to drive meaning
Reading-Fluency and Systematic Vocabulary Development
(Grades 3-5 ELD Standards)
Vocabulary and Concept Development
B: Read aloud simple words in stories/games
Respond to social and academic interactions (simple ques/ans)
Demonstrate comprehension of simple vocabulary with action
Retell simple stories with drawing, words, phrases
Use phrases/single word to communicate basic needs
EI:Use content vocabulary in discussions/reading
Read simple vocabulary, phrases, and sentences independently
Use morphemes, phonics, syntax to decode and comprehend words
Recognize and correct grammar, usage, word choice in speaking or
reading aloud
Read own narrative and expository text aloud with pacing,
intonation,
expression
I: Create dictionary of frequently used words
Decode/comprehend meaning of unfamiliar words in texts
Recognize and correct grammar, usage, word choice in speaking or
reading aloud
Read grade level narrative and expository text aloud with pacing,
intonation, expression
Use content vocabulary in discussion/reading
Recognize common roots and affixes
EA: Use morphemes, phonics, syntax to decode and comprehend words
Recognize multiple meaning words in content literature and texts
Use common roots and affixes
Use standard dictionary to find meanings
Recognize analogies and metaphors in content literature and texts
Use skills/knowledge to achieve independent reading
Use idioms in discussions and reading
Read complex narrative and expository texts aloud with pacing,
intonation, expression
A: Apply common roots and affixes knowledge to vocabulary
Recognize multiple meaning words
Apply academic and social vocabulary to achieve independent reading
Use idioms, analogies, and metaphors in discussion and reading
Use standard dictionary to find meanings
Read complex narrative and expository texts aloud with pacing,
intonation, expression
Reading Comprehension
B: Answer fact questions using one/two word response
Connect simple test read aloud to personal experience
Understand and follow one-step directions
Sequence events from stories read aloud using key words/phrases
Identify main idea using key words/phrases
Identify text features: title/table of contents/chapter headings
EI: Use simple sentences to give details from simple stories
Connect to personal experience
Follow simple two-step directions
Identify sequence of text using simple sentences
Read and identify main ideas to draw inferences
Identify text features: title/table of contents/chapter headings
Identify fact/opinion in grade level text read aloud to students
I: Orally respond to comprehension questions about written text
Read text features: titles, table of contents, headings, diagrams,
charts, glossaries, indexes
Identify main idea to make predictions and support details
Orally describe connections between text and personal experience
Follow multi-step directions for classroom activities
Identify examples of fact/opinion and cause and effect in
literature/content texts
EA:Give main idea with supporting detail from grade level text
Generate and respond to text-related comprehension questions
Describe relationships between text and personal experience
Identify function of text features: format/diagrams/charts/glossary
Draw conclusions and make inferences using text resources
Find examples of fact, opinion, inference, and cause and effect in text
Identify organizational patterns in text: sequence and chronology
A: Make inferences/generalizations, draw conclusions from grade level
text resources
Describe main ideas with support detail from the text
Identify patterns in text: compare and contrast/sequence/cause and
effect
Writing Strategies and Applications (Grade 3-5 ELD Standards)
Penmanship, Organization, and Focus
B:Write alphabet
Label key parts of common object
Create simple sentences/phrases
Write brief narratives/stories using few standard grammatical forms
EI: Write narratives that include setting and character
Respond to literature using simple sentences, drawings, lists, charts
Write paragraphs of at least four sentences
Write words/simple sentences in content areas
Write a friendly letter
Produce independent writing
I.Narrate sequence of events
Produce independent writing
Use variety of genres in writing
Create paragraph developing central idea using grammatical form
Use complex vocabulary and sentences in all content areas
Write a letter with detailed sentences
EA: Write a detailed summary of story
Arrange compositions with organizational patterns
Independently write responses to literature
Use complex vocabulary and sentences in all content areas
A:Write short narrative for all content areas
Write persuasive composition
Write narratives that describe setting, character, objects, and events
Write multi-paragraph narrative and expository compositions
Independently use all steps of writing process
Writing Conventions
B: Begin own name and sentences with capital letter
Use period at end of sentence
EI:Begin proper nouns and sentences with capital letter
Use period at end of sentence/use some commas
Edit for basic conventions
I:Produce independent writing
Use standard word order
EA:Produces independent writing with correct capitals, punctuation,
spelling
Use standard word order
A: Use complete sentences and correct order
Use correct parts of speech
Edit for punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
Produce writing with command of standard conventions
Reading Literary Response and Analysis (Grades 3-5 ELD Standards)
Narrative Analysis of Grade Level Appropriate Text
B:One/two word oral responses to factual comprehension questions
Word/phrase oral response identifying characteristics and settings
Distinguish between fiction and non-fiction
Identify fairy tales, folk tale, myth, legends, using lists, charts, tables
EI:Orally answer factual questions using simple sentences
Orally identify main events of a plot
Recite simple poems
Orally describe setting of literature piece
Orally distinguish among poetry, drama, short story
Orally describe character of a selection
I:Paraphrase response to text using expanded vocabulary
Apply knowledge of language to derive meaning from text
EA: Describe figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification)
Distinguish literary connotations from culture to culture
Identify motives of characters
Describe themes stated directly
Identify speaker/narrator in text
Identify main problem of plot and how it is resolved
Recognize first and third person in literary text
A: Describe characteristics of poetry, drama, fiction and non-fiction
Evaluate author’s use of techniques to influence reader
Describe directly stated and implied themes
Compare and contrast motives of characters in work of fiction
- Vocabulary
AerospaceExcavationReservoir
AgricultureFaunaRural
AquaticFloraSuburban
AqueductHabitatUrban
AgricultureIndustryVegetation
ClimateIrrigation
CommunicationsLandform
DamLatitude
EconomyLongitude
EstuaryPrecipitation
- Oral Language/Reading/Writing Skills
- Express ideas sequentially
- Express personal thoughts in a group
- Synonyms
- Words in context
- Recalls specific details
- Cause/effect relationships
- Fact v. opinion
- Predicting outcomes
- Literal, inferred main idea
- Capitalizes proper nouns
- Writes compound sentences
- Use common adjectives, comparative, superlative
- Uses comparative, superlative forms of adverbs
- Resources and Materials
Books for Student Research
Ansary, M. (2003). California History. HeinemannState Studies.
Ansary, M. (2003). All Around California Regions and Resources. Heinemann