The Roadmap is a remix of Michigan resources all in one place. Students review relative and absolute (street address) location. They then use a Michigan map and cardinal directions to describe the relative location of their local community. Using a map of the United States and cardinal directions, students identify a variety of ways to describe the relative location of Michigan. The lesson concludes with a brief discussion of how location influences the development of a state. This lesson serves as the launching point for subsequent lessons in both history and economics.

Important bodies of water include the Great Lakes, inland lakes, rivers and waterfalls. In a connection to science students briefly explore how glaciers helped to create some of these natural (physical) characteristics. The lesson uses multiple resources including informational text, legends and photographs.

The Roadmap is a remix of the Michigan Open Book, MC3 and GIANTS all in one place. This lesson expands upon the concept of region by having students invent ways to divide Michigan into regions. Students compare the Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula of Michigan and then explore other ways in which Michigan can be divided into regions based on common characteristics (e.g., the Thumb, the Fruit Belt). Finally students examine regions to which Michigan belongs. (e.g., Great Lakes Region, Midwest).

This Roadmap is a full year plan that covers the geography, economics, government and history of Michigan.

In third grade students learn about Michigan history. The Michigan eLibrary has compiled a number of websites suitable for children to learn more about our state. There is information on Michigan Native Americans, folklore, wildlife, birds, bugs, and much more.

Students learn about their home state by creating it using Mr. Nussbaum’s Map Builder 2. This site is great for creating just about any land map imaginable!

Students choose and research a state using online search sites, and then using an online template, log their research.  Research includes the geography, economy, and history of the state, in addition to other facts such as interesting places to visit and a comparison of their chosen state to their home state of Michigan.  Students write a draft of their report, a final typed version of their report,  and then create a google slide presentation using Slide Deck about their state.   Students will also draw a detailed map of their state showing a variety of geographical features (to be inserted in their presentation).

Students use a geographic lens to explore the state of Michigan. The chapter focuses around the five major themes of geography: movement, region, human/environment interaction, and location. Students explore the concept of “state” using a map of the United States. In studying location, students use cardinal directions, identify various ways to describe the relative location of Michigan, and begin to explore how location can influence the development of a state. When studying place, students identify and describe significant human and physical characteristics of Michigan using a variety of maps. Through literature, maps, informational text and other resources students also explore the concept of human/environment interaction as they learn about Michigan’s natural resources and how people have used, modified, and adapted to them. In studying movement, an emphasis is placed on the Great Lakes. Using shipping as a launching point, students explore how and why people, goods, jobs and ideas move within, into and out of Michigan. Finally, students apply the concept of region to the study of Michigan as they explore different ways Michigan can be divided into regions as well as the different regions to which Michigan belongs.

Students are introduced to air photos. They first view a neighborhood from a bird’s-eye view, a photo taken from a kite. They next compare two air photos of Shelby
Township, MI. The air photos show the land use change during the period from 1980 to 2010. The students compare, contrast, and use evidence from the air photos
to explore the changes.

What do you think makes Michigan special? You might be thinking that Michigan is special because it is your home. Maybe it is special because the people you care about live in Michigan. These are wonderful reasons. This resource will help you learn about many other ways that Michigan is special.

UMCDC 3rd Grade MiOpenBook SS Chapter 1 Section 7 "How can Michigan be Divided into Regions" (20-21)