Ganándose la vida en Texas

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  Create a graphic organizer describing the economic activities of each Texas geographic region. Write a summary statement that explains how geographic factors influence the location of the economic activities in each region. (4.7A; 4.12B; 4.21B; 4.22D) 4I; 5B
  

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  Los factores geográficos influyen la ubicación de las actividades económicas.
  

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  ¿Cómo se ganan la vida las personas de las diferentes regiones de Texas?
  
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  ¿De qué manera los factores geográficos influyen la ubicación de las actividades económicas en Texas?
  

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  actividades económicas
  
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  datos geográficos
  
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  distribución de la población
  
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  recursos naturales
  

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  patrones de asentamiento
  
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  factores geográficos
  
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  distribución
  
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  agricultura
  

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  patrones de trabajo
  
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  clima
  
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  transportación
  

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  Refer to the Notes for Teacher section for materials.
  

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  Handout: Economics (1 per student)
  
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  Handout: Texas Cities (1 per student)
  
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  Teacher Resource: Texas Cities KEY
  
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  Handout: Texas Industries (1 per student)
  
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  Teacher Resource: Texas Industries KEY
  
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  Handout: Economic Activities (1 per student)
  
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  Handout: Poster Rubric KEY (1 per student)
  
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  Handout: Application (1 per student)
  

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  Possible optional web resources
  

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  Texas Department of Agriculture: www.agr.state.tx.us/
  
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  Texas Workforce Commission: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/
  
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  Texas Workforce Commission: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/customers/jsemp/job-search.html
  
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  City Population: http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Texas.html#Stadt_alpha
  
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  Governor’s office: http://governor.state.tx.us/ecodev/business_research/maproom/
  
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  Tour Texas: http://www.tourtexas.com/texas_maps_regions.cfm
  
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  Texas Almanac: http://www.texasalmanac.com
  
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  Texas State Historical Association: http://www.tshaonline.org
  
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  Texas Parks and Wildlife: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/about_texas/regions/
  
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  Texas Handbook Online: www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online
  
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  Teaching Texas: www.teachingtexas.org
  

1. 
   Become familiar with the content and procedures for this lesson.
   
2. 
   Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
   
3. 
   Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials to support the learning in this lesson.
   
4. 
   Gather economic and geographic information about the region your school district is located in. The websites above can be helpful, but investigate other sources as well, including local government offices and museums.
   
5. 
   Review the information provided in the handouts. Add information related to the local economy, and adjust information based on current data and events.
   
6. 
   Preview materials and websites according to district guidelines.
   
7. 
   Display vocabulary words on a “word wall” to be referred to throughout the lesson.
   
8. 
   Print and prepare handouts and other materials for the lesson.
   

1. 
   Organize students into pairs and provide each student with the Handout: Economics.
   

2. 
   Students brainstorm what they think the word economics means to them, recording their ideas on the Handout: Economics. (Responses can include words and pictures.)
   

3. 
   Allow 2-3 minutes for students to discuss, brainstorm, and record ideas.
   

4. 
   Each pair shares one characteristic from their list (no repeats) that the teacher scribes to an anchor chart. Students can add/delete/adjust information on their handouts.
   

5. 
   Facilitate a brief discussion of the answers provided. . Students provide reasons (evidence) for their thinking. Teacher probes with questions and encourages other responses as needed, discussing the information provided.
   

6. 
   Return to this anchor chart throughout the lesson, reviewing and adjusting information for accuracy.
   

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  chart paper
  

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  Handout: Economics (1 per student)
  

Economics – Characteristics that have to do with the production, development, and management of material wealth of a country, household, or business enterprise.

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  Examples – Money, trade, technology, labor system, terms that have to do with economic systems (free enterprise, socialism) agriculture, making a living, different types of jobs etc.
  

1. 
   Students continue to work in pairs.
   

2. 
   Distribute to each student the Handout: Texas Cities.
   

3. 
   Student pairs work together to research the cities shown using their textbook, classroom materials, current economic data, and other resources.
   

4. 
   Students label the major cities in Texas and record at least one general fact about each city and one fact related to economics.
   

5. 
   Students switch partners and share their information, adding to and adjusting their handouts based on new information from their partners.
   

6. 
   Facilitate a discussion using the Regions of Texas map from Lesson 1 as an anchor chart. Teacher adds the major cities to the map as students share information from their handouts.
   

7. 
   Lead students in a study of information on the population of cities of Texas.
   

8. 
   Students add symbols to their Handout: Texas Cities map (and to its legend) to provide information on the size of selected cities.
   

9. 
   Students draw in the regions of Texas on the map of Texas on their handouts and add geographic information regarding the city to the facts listed.
   

10. 
    Continuing the discussion, students speculate on the reasons for the location and growth of major Texas cities. (Encourage speculative discussion of factors such as climate, proximity to natural resources and labor pools, transportation routes, etc.)
    

11. 
    Teacher adds information to the class anchor chart.
    

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  current data about Texas cities http://txsdc.utsa.edu/
  
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  information on the population of cities of Texas http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Texas.html#Stadt_alpha
  
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  Regions of Texas Map from Lesson 1
  
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  map pencils
  

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  Handout: Texas Cities (1 per student)
  
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  Teacher Resource: Texas Cities KEY
  

Students gain knowledge about the location of cities in Texas.

Adjust the information and descriptions on the handout to reflect available resources, current conditions, local economy, etc. Add other industries, especially related to the local economy, as needed.

1. 
   Partner A uses complete sentences and academic language to summarize information regarding one of the major cities of Texas to their partner.
   

2. 
   Partner B uses complete sentences and academic language to summarize information regarding a different city of Texas.
   

3. 
   Repeat as time allows to provide an opportunity for students to verbalize what they have learned about several cities in Texas.
   

1. 
   Provide students with the Handout: Texas Industries.
   

2. 
   Students research a variety of materials and data about economic activities in Texas to deduce different ways people earn a living in Texas. (One source is the Texas Workforce Commission website, but hard copy want ads and other resources may be used. The Governor’s office site provides many maps showing various aspects of the Texas economy.)
   

3. 
   Students analyze information and data regarding the Texas economy to make inferences about how people earn a living in different parts of the state.
   

4. 
   Facilitate a discussion encouraging students to put together the information they have regarding cities, natural resources, human characteristics, economic activities, etc. Students draw conclusions about the influence various factors (including geographic factors) have on economic activity. Teacher adds appropriate information to the class anchor chart.
   

5. 
   Include in the discussion the Key Understanding and Guiding Questions for the lesson.
   

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  Geographic factors influence the location of the economic activities.
  

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  How do people in different regions of Texas earn their living?
  
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  How do geographic factors influence the location of economic activities in Texas?
  

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  want ads from around the state (optional)
  

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  Handout: Texas Industries (1 per student)
  
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  Teacher Resource: Texas Industries KEY
  

Students gain knowledge major industries of Texas.

1. 
   Students complete the Handout: Economic Activities using the information gathered in earlier activities.
   

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  Handout: Economic Activities (1 per student)
  
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  Handout: Economic Activities Rubric (1 per student)
  

1. 
   Regroup students into pairs.
   

2. 
   Provide a variety of data and materials on industries in the local region/area. (data charts, graphs, etc.)
   

3. 
   Using materials specific to the local region, students delve more deeply into the population and economic activities of the region, examining the region where they live, its physical characteristics, and information on how people earn a living.
   

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  data and research materials on industries in the local region
  

Provide an opportunity for students to delve more deeply into ways people earn a living in the local area/region and understand why.

1. 
   Student pairs create a poster advertising a job in an industry in the local region.
   

2. 
   Students use the Handout: Poster Rubric KEY to complete the poster and then evaluate their work.
   

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  Handout: Poster Rubric KEY (1 per student)
  

1. 
   Display the posters from the Explain section and allow students to rotate through the posters.
   

2. 
   Distribute the Handout: Application.
   

3. 
   Students use information they gathered during the Explore activities to reflect on and then describe an industry in Texas where they would like to work. (Answers will vary but should be based on the information gathered during the Explore activities, use academic language, and be supported by evidence.)
   

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  Handout: Application (1 per student)
  

• 
  Create a graphic organizer describing the economic activities of each Texas geographic region. Write a summary statement that explains how geographic factors influence the location of the economic activities in each region. (4.7A; 4.12B; 4.21B; 4.22D)