4th Grade United States Studies

Unit 3: Human Geography in the United States

SS040307
Lesson 7

Lesson 7: Modifying the Environment in the United States

Big Ideas of the Lesson

When people use natural resources for human activities like farming, mining, lumbering, and
manufacturing, they modify (or change) the environment.
Changes to the environment have positive and negative effects.
Environmental issues relating to changes in the environment include irrigation of desert areas,
urban growth, construction of dams, open pit mining, and clear cutting of forests.

Lesson Abstract:
In this lesson students explore how people have modified the environment in the United States. In
particular, students study how the utilization of natural resources such as fertile soil, trees, water,
minerals, and fossil fuels results in the modification of the environment. Students begin with a
review of ways people have modified the environment of Michigan. Next, they gather evidence of
modification in the United States by re-examining maps and other resources from previous
lessons. Using a short case study of Las Vegas and Hoover Dam, students gather further
evidence as they examine concepts such as irrigation of desert land, urban sprawl, and dams.
After working in small groups to research and report on specific examples of modification (such as
the filling in of wetlands, strip mining, off shore drilling), students engage in a class discussion
about the positive and negative effects of these human activities to answer the question, Is it
worth it?
Content Expectations
4- G1.0.3:
Identify and describe the characteristics and purposes (e.g., measure distance,
determine relative location, classify a region) of a variety of geographic tools and
technologies (e.g., globe, map, satellite image).
4 - G1.0.4: Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures to answer
geographic questions about the United States.
4 - G5.0.1: Assess the positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical
environment of the United States.
Key Concepts
human/environment interaction
modification of the environment
resource use
Instructional Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Desktop U.S. Maps
Overhead projector or Document Camera/Projector
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org

Page 1 of 7
November 24, 2008

4th Grade United States Studies

Unit 3: Human Geography in the United States

SS040307
Lesson 7

Student journal or notebook

Student Resource
About Wetlands. National Wetlands Research Center. 21 November 2008
<http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wetlands.htm>.
The Debate over Clear Cutting of Forests. Mongabay. 21 November 2008
<http://www.mongabay.com/external/sierra_nevada_clearing-cutting.htm>.
Dredging Issue: Coastal Wetlands and Sediments of the San Francisco Bay System. 21 November
2008 <http://marine.usgs.gov/fact-sheets/SFwetlands/sfwetlands.html>.
Facts about Hoover Dam. U.S. Department of the Interior. 21 November 2008
<http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/educate/kidfacts.html>.
Industrial Agriculture and Water Pollution. Sustainable Table. 21 November 2008
<http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/waterpollution/>.
Off-shore Drilling. Wikipedia. 21 November 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offshore_drilling>.
The Price of Strip Mining. Time/CNN. 21 November 2008
<http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,904921,00.html>.
Pros and Cons of Coal Burning Power Plants PowerPoint Created by Students. 21 November
2008 <www.eng.fsu.edu/~kuhnal/COAL.ppt>.
Van Allsburg, Chris. Just A Dream. NY: Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
Teacher Resource
Camping on the South Rim. LA Times. 21 November 2008 <http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trwwesterncanyons-pg,0,6099700.photogallery?index=2>.
Earthshots: Satellite Images of Environmental Change. U.S. Department of the Interior. 21
November 2008 <http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/earthshots/slow/tableofcontents>.
Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 3, Lesson 7).Teacher-made material. Michigan
Citizenship Collaborative, 2008.
Grand Canyon. 21 November 2008 <http://www.silverspurtours.com/gfx/grand-canyon-village.jpg>.
Grand Canyon South Rim Village Map. About.com. 21 November 2008
<http://gocalifornia.about.com/library/weekly/n_az_gc_map_vlg.htm>.
History of Las Vegas photos. Early Vegas. 21 November 2008
<http://www.earlyvegas.com/early_downtown_vegas.html>.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org

Page 2 of 7
November 24, 2008

4th Grade United States Studies

Unit 3: Human Geography in the United States

SS040307
Lesson 7

Lake Mead Photos. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 21 November 2008

<http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/nebraska/Lake-Mead-2007.html>.
Metropolitan Areas of the United States Map. University of Texas. 21 November 2008
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/us_metro_area_99.pdf>.
One Planet Many People: Atlas of our Changing Environment. United Nations Environment
Programme. 21 November 2008
<http://na.unep.net/OnePlanetManyPeople/index.php>.
Lesson Sequence
1. Review the term adapting to the environment. Then write the following term on an overhead
transparency or board: modifying the environment. Explain that geographers often study the
ways in which people change, or modify, the environment. Discuss how these terms are
different.
2. Review the book Just a Dream from Lesson 1 by re-examining the illustrations. As students
view each illustration, ask them to identify ways in which the environment has been modified.
Note that the following are illustrated in the book:
The land was covered by mountains of trash.
Many trees had been cut down.
Factories with huge smokestacks had been built. These polluted the air.
A hotel had been built on Mount Everest.
People had overfished the Earths waters.
The land had been covered with roads and cars and trucks were everywhere.
Smog had filled Grand Canyon.
3. Remind students that the book Just a Dream was about a possible future, then pose the
following question: To what extent have some of the things illustrated in the book happened
already?
4. Divide students into pairs and give each pair a set of the timeline cards depicting the
Environmental History of Michigan located in the Supplemental Materials. Explain that pairs
should place the cards in the correct chronological order and then list three ways the
environment of Michigan was changed, or modified, by people. Note that the correct sequence
for the timecards has also been included in the Supplemental Materials. Give pairs time to work
and then have them share lists in the large group. Note that changes include the following:
Animal populations were reduced
Forests were cleared for farming
Farming resulted in soil erosion
Forests were lost to lumbering
Factory waste polluted rivers
Land was used up as cities grew.
Sewage was dumped in rivers.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org

Page 3 of 7
November 24, 2008

4th Grade United States Studies

Unit 3: Human Geography in the United States

SS040307
Lesson 7

Manufacturing resulted in air pollution

The Great Lakes were polluted.

5. Explain that attempts were made in Michigan to reverse or minimize some of these changes to
the environment. For example, trees were planted, there was improved sewage control, laws
were passed to limit factory emission and protect the Great Lakes.
6. Explain that the human activities that led to environmental changes often had positive
economic consequences. For example, farming and lumbering helped Michigan grow and
develop. Cities provided places for people to live and find jobs. Explain that people often have
to balance environmental concerns with economic concerns. Explain that this lesson will help
students better understand that balancing act.
7. Make and display an overhead transparency of the Grand Canyon South Rim Village Map and
Photographs included in the Supplemental Materials. Remind students that they analyzed this
map in the previous unit when they were exploring the connection between physical
characteristics and human characteristics. Pose the following question and ask students to
write an answer in their social studies journal: According to this map and the two photographs,
how has the environment of the Grand Canyon area been modified, or changed? Give students
time to think and write and then have them share their answers.
8. Make and display an overhead transparency of the Metropolitan Areas map located in the
Supplemental Materials. Remind students that they analyzed this map in a previous lesson on
special purpose maps. Pose the following question: How do you think the environment has
been changed by the growth of cities and the development of metropolitan areas? Make a list
of student responses. Note that possible answers include the following:
Areas of forest were cleared.
Open lands were covered with roads and buildings.
Wetlands were filled.
Animal populations were reduced and plants were eliminated.
Rivers and lakes were polluted.
9. Make and display an overhead transparency of the Photographs of Las Vegas located in the
Supplemental Materials. Explain that Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing areas of the
United States. Explain that historians often use historic photographs like these to study how
places have been changed by people. Ask students to analyze the photographs in terms of
evidence for changes in the desert environment of Las Vegas resulting from the growth of the
city.
10. Make and display an overhead transparency of the Satellite Photographs of Las Vegas
located in the Supplemental Materials. Explain that geographers often make use of satellite
photographs like these to study how places have been changed. Share the following and
discuss the changes evident in the photographs:

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum

www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org

Page 4 of 7
November 24, 2008

4th Grade United States Studies

Unit 3: Human Geography in the United States

SS040307
Lesson 7

Since the early 1970s, the growth of Las Vegas, which is located in the desert in
Nevada, has been remarkable.
In the 1950s there were just over 24,000 people living there. Now the population is
over one million, not including tourists. It is estimated that the population may double
by 2015.
The satellite images show how the city has spread in all directions.
The city has displaced the few areas of vegetation and replaced the natural desert
with housing and irrigated golf courses

11. Explain that since Las Vegas is in a desert area, water has been a problem. Since it has grown
so rapidly people must have found a way to solve this water problem. Pose the following
question to students: How do you think the water problem was solved? Ask students to write an
answer in their social studies journal. Give students time to write and then have them share
their ideas in the large group.
12. Make and display an overhead transparency of the Photographs of Hoover Dam and Lake
Mead located in the Supplemental Materials and share the following information:
Hoover Dam, one of the largest dams in the world, was completed in 1936 on the
Colorado River.
It was built to control the river, to provide irrigation water for farmlands nearby, and to
provide a supply of water of communities in Nevada and California.
Above the dam, Lake Mead was created. This human-made lake, or reservoir, now
supplies 85% of the water used in Las Vegas and the majority of the water used to
irrigate farms in the Imperial Valley of California.
The electricity generated at Hoover Dam provides power to over 1.3 million people.
Note that a fact sheet about Hoover Dam designed for students can be found at the
following website: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/educate/kidfacts.html
13. Draw students attention to the photograph of Lake Mead again. Point out the difference in color
in the rock walls along Lake Mead. Ask students what they think causes the color change.
Discuss student answers. Then, explain that a recent drought plus the huge amounts of water
needed in Las Vegas have resulted in a lowering of the water levels of Lake Mead. Explain that
the construction of Hoover Dam caused changes in the environment by creating Lake Mead.
Once again humans are changing the environment of the area by drawing vast amounts of
water from Lake Mead.
14. Pose the following question: Based on what you have learned about Hoover Dam, what are
some of the positive consequences of building dams. Discuss student answers and then share
the following:
Generating of electricity
Recreational purposes (creation of lakes)
Supply of water for humans
Irrigation of agricultural lands
Flood control
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org

Page 5 of 7
November 24, 2008

4th Grade United States Studies

Unit 3: Human Geography in the United States

SS040307
Lesson 7

Tourism

15. Pose the following question: What do you think might be some negative consequences of
building dams? Discuss student answers and then share the following:
Archaeological and historical places might be covered by water after dams are
created.
The temperature of the river might change. This could affect fish and water plants.
The dam might become a barrier to the movement of fish populations.
There could be changes in water quality.
There might be some climate changes as the dam changes the amount of
precipitation in the air and perhaps air temperatures.
Dams might result in people having to move.
16. As a supplemental activity, use all or part of the North America PowerPoint showing satellite
images of environmental changes which can be downloaded at the following website: One
Planet Many People: Atlas of our Changing Environment. United Nations Environment
Programme. 21 November 2008 <http://na.unep.net/OnePlanetManyPeople/index.php>. The
PowerPoint includes the photographs of Las Vegas and several other examples of change.
17. Place students in small groups and assign each group to one of the following human activities
that have resulted in changes to the environment in the U.S:
Use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture
Clear cutting of forests
Power generation by coal burning power plants
Strip mining
Filling in wetlands
Offshore drilling for oil
Give each group a copy of the Gathering Information chart located in the Supplemental
Materials. Explain that groups should research their assigned topic and summarize what they
have found on the chart.
18. Give groups time to conduct research. Note that the Student Resources include useful
websites for the various topics. When groups have completed the summary charts have them
design a short presentation on their assigned topic. Have each group give their presentation.
19. As a summary activity, have students engage in a class discussion about the positive and
negative effects of the human activities studied in this lesson by focusing on the question, Is
it worth it?

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum

www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org

Page 6 of 7
November 24, 2008

4th Grade United States Studies

Unit 3: Human Geography in the United States

SS040307
Lesson 7

Assessment
The group research project in Steps 17 and 18 could be used as an assessment, as well as
individual participation in the group discussion from Step 19. In addition, students could create a
graphic organizer such as web illustrating how people have changed the environment of the United
States and the positive and negative consequences of the changes.

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum

www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org

Page 7 of 7
November 24, 2008