Unit Plan Overview

Name of Unit: Where Should I Live?

Subject: Geography

Grade Level: 7

Duration: Six Weeks

Overview:

In this unit, students will investigate why people migrate and why they choose to
live where they do. Students will research various historic migrations, including the
great migration, and the forced migrations of Native Americans and African
Americans. In addition, students will analyze refugee migrations by looking at the
Syrian Civil War. Finally, students will decide where they would to go to college
and recommend that location to high school students deciding on college.

Driving
Questions:

What are the factors that influence migration?

Products
Group: College fair
Individual: Syria refugee migration and disease essay, Syrian refugee migration essay
organizer, Syria refugee migration and disease research organizer

Assessments
Formative: Closures, quiz, organizers
Summative: Syria refugee migration and disease essay, college fair board

Materials:
Teacher College fair boards, Romantico (documentary)
Provided:
School Computers
Provided:

Entry Event:

Students will watch a documentary on an illegal Mexican immigrant (Romantico).

Students will discuss the push and pull factors in his migration and the status of
illegal immigration in the United States.

Common Core
Standards

Key Ideas and Details

RH.6-8.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources.
RH.6-8.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge
or opinions.
Craft and Structure
RH.6-8.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
RH.6-8.6. Identify aspects of a text that reveal an authors point of view or purpose
(e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RH.6-8.7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos,
or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
RH.6-8.8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.
RH.6-8.9. Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the
same topic.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RH.6-8.10. By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts
in the grades 68 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

McREL
Standards

The World in Spatial Terms

1. Understands the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic
tools and technologies
3. Understands the characteristics and uses of spatial organization of Earth's
surface
Places and Regions
4. Understands the physical and human characteristics of place
5. Understands the concept of regions
6. Understands that culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places
and regions
Human Systems
9. Understands the nature, distribution and migration of human populations on
Earth's surface
12. Understands the patterns of human settlement and their causes

CT Science
Standards

Structure and Function

7.2 Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that
interact with each other to maintain dynamic internal balance.

Unit Calendar

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Day 1
Introduction to unit
Pretest on migration
Start to watch Mexican
migration documentary
Answer documentary
questions
Introduction to timeline
Review trail of tears
migration
Review the great migration

Day 2
Continue to watch
documentary
Answer documentary
questions

Friday
Finish documentary
Discuss documentary

Complete slave trade

simulation
Recap slave trade simulation
through discussion

Research for Syria refugee

migration and disease
Computers for Syria essay

Computers for Syria essay

Introduction to 2nd Sudanese

Civil War / Syria refugee
migration and disease
Guest speaker for refugee
center
Start to fill out Syria essay
Peer review
Finish essay

Introduction to college fair

Research college fair with
computers
Work on college fair
boards

Research college fair with

computers

Create college fair presentation

Work on college fair boards

Practice college fair

presentation

Finish college fair boards

Hold College fair

College fair recap