7th Grade Kansas Lesson Plan (History)

Topic: Where on Earth is Kansas?

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to describe the location of Kansas on a map of the United States.

Materials

• Map of the United States
• Markers or colored pencils
• Handouts with information about the geography and climate of Kansas

Warm-up

• Ask students if they know where Kansas is.
• Poll the class and write down their responses on the board.
• Ask students if they can explain why Kansas is where it is.

Direct Instruction

• Give a brief overview of the geography of the United States, explaining the different regions and their characteristics.
• Tell students that Kansas is located in the central part of the United States, between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.
• Show students a map of the United States and point out Kansas on it.
• Ask students to name some of the natural features of Kansas, such as its rivers, lakes, and prairies.

Guided Practice

• Have students work in pairs or small groups to create a map of Kansas using a blank piece of paper or a drawing tool on a computer.
• Encourage them to use the natural features of the state as markers for their map.
• Have each group share their map with the class and explain their choices.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose one of the natural features of Kansas to research.
• Ask them to write a short paragraph about the feature, including information about its size, location, and importance.

Closure

• Have students share their paragraphs with the class.
• Ask them to identify the importance of the natural feature and how it affects the people who live in Kansas.
• Review the main points of the lesson and ask students to summarize what they have learned about the natural features of Kansas.

Assessment

• Collect and review students' paragraphs for understanding of the three natural features and their importance to the people of Kansas.
• Evaluate students' participation in class discussions and group activities.
• Administer a quiz or test covering the vocabulary, definitions, and features of the three natural regions of Kansas.