Comparing Natural Resources | Teaching Iowa History

General Information
Grade	6th Grade	Class	Social Studies	Length of Lesson	50 minutes

Lesson Title	Comparing Natural Resources
Unit Title	Iowa vs. Regions of the World
Unit Compelling Question	Why would someone choose to live in Iowa?
Historical Context: Students will analyze imagery in a Civil War era map of Dubuque to discover what natural resources are available in Iowa and how those natural resources are used. Many Iowan towns were developed near water sources, starting along the Mississippi River moving west. Fertile land encouraged people to settle in Iowa as farming was (and is) a profitable industry. Wooded areas in Iowa created a lumber industry as well as a fur-trading from the animals that lived there. There are also over 100 mines in Iowa for coal, lead, and other minerals. Currently, wind power is the largest source of electricity generation in the state. Dubuque is Iowa's oldest established city founded when the United States government took ownership of land in 1833 from the Meskwaki American Indians. The city's lead mines allowed banks and other businesses to flourish. Irish and German immigrants moved to the area, expanding all kinds of industries like mining, fur trading, logging, and meat packing. Over time, these industries significantly damaged the environment surrounding Dubuque leading to the America's River project in the late 1990s. This project transformed the Mississippi River front to share the history and culture of Dubuque which has become a popular tourist attraction.
Lesson Supporting Question
Lesson Overview	Students will examine maps that depict the natural resources available in Australia, southern Africa, and Berlin, Germany. Then student will examine a perspective map of Dubuque and use the imagery of the map to learn what natural resources are available in Iowa. Finally, students will create a map of their own city to show the natural resources available around them.
Primary Sources Used	2018.056.016
Resources Needed	Computer and Projector Images (attached) Worksheet (attached) – 1 per student Plain map of your city (pull this up on Google Maps) – depending on the size of your city, you may want to focus on the neighborhood around the school or one that the students will be familiar with Blank white paper – the larger the better as students will be sharing in groups Markers, Colored Penciled, or Crayons
Standard	SS.6.3: Sources SS.6.16: Geography SS.6.17: Geography SS.6.23: History (Compare Iowa)
Lesson Target	Students will be better able to gather information from primary sources, name natural resources located across Iowa, and utilize geographic representations.
Lesson Themes	Environments, Types of Business and Industries

Lesson Procedure

Step	Procedure	Time	Differentiation plan / Additional Information
1	Project image of the map of Australia on the board, making sure your students can clearly see the image and ask them the following questions. Have them write notes on the table of their worksheet. What is this a picture of? PA1: Map, Australia, etc. What can you in this map of Australia? PA: Cows, Water, People, Animals, etc. Are there any natural resources2 in this image? PA: Water, Fertile Land, Metal, etc.3 Based on what you can see on the map, what kinds of businesses do you think exist in Australia? PA: Farms, Mining, etc.	4 minutes	PA = Possible Answers (guide your students towards these answers if needed) This lesson assumes that student already know what natural resources are. Direct students’ attention to the key if needed.
2	Repeat Step 1 for the map of southern Africa. Natural Resources to Note: metals, minerals, coal, little farming, ocean water	4 minutes
3	Repeat Step 1 for the map of Berlin. Natural Resources to Note: river water, trees, fertile land (farming)	4 minutes	Germany is very similar to Iowa in terms of climate and natural resources.
4	Repeat Step 1 for the map of Dubuque. Natural Resources to Note: river water, trees, fertile land (farming)	4 minutes
5	Ask your students to compare their notes on each map with a partner and have a couple students share what they discussed.	4 minutes	You could also discuss the similarities and differences as a whole class.
6	As a whole class, discuss what a map depicting natural resources of your city would like today. Students can add these notes to the Iowa column on their paper.	5 minutes	Common natural resources for Iowa cities are wind, water, and fertile land.
7	Display a map of your city (or a neighborhood) using the projector. Put students in groups of 3 or 4 and give each group a large piece of paper. Instruct them that they will now create a map of your city that includes the items you just discussed. Emphasize that they must include at least 2 natural resources. Students should use color in their map and labels as needed.	25 minutes	You could also have kids do this alone or with partners.

Assessment
Formative Assessment (How will you use the formative assessments to monitor and inform instruction?)	Students need to understand how natural resources are depicted on maps to create their own. Use your judgement on how to deliver this part of the lesson, a game of I Spy could help students if they are not finding items are their own., Monitor students as they create their own maps to ensure they are headed in the right direction. Your students may need more time to finish their maps.
Summative Assessment (How does the lesson connect to planned summative assessment(s)?)	Quality of the maps created by the students can be used to assess their understanding. If at least 2 natural resources are accurately depicted, then this lesson was a success.

Author Information
Author	Shelby Nelsen	Created	09/27/2023 - 17:01	Last Edited	03/23/2024 - 06:51
Reviewer: N/A
Lesson Plan Development Notes: developed by a museum educator

Map

2018.056.016 [Map]