Design Topic: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 4 Designer: Ahna Mitchell

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Understanding by Design

Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: Virginia Indian Tribes and Rivers Grade Levels: 4th

Topic/Subject Areas: The Physical Geography and Native People of Virginia

Key Words: Virginia, geography, Native Americans, Indian, Chesapeake Bay, regions,
American Indians

Designed By: Ahna Louise Mitchell Time Frame: 2 Weeks

School District: Regent University School: Teacher Ed & IDS Dept.

Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):

This unit focuses on the understanding of the physical geography and the lives of
the native peoples, past and present, of Virginia. Students will learn about the five
regions of Virginia, the rivers that flow through and the Eastern Shore. The
student will also learn about the Native Americans who originated in Virginia.
They will learn how these people lived and prospered so well in their days. The
primary purpose of this unit is for students to understand how people lived in
their state and what things we now have because of what the Native people
discovered or developed back then.

Unit design status: X Completed template pages – stages 1, 2, 3

Completed blueprint for each performance task X Completed rubrics

Directions to students and teacher Materials and resources listed

x Suggested accommodations x Suggested extensions

Status: Initial draft (date: ___________) Revised draft (date: ____________)

Peer Reviewed Content Reviewed Field Tested Validated Anchored

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 1

Design Topic: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 4 Designer: Ahna Mitchell
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STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: The Physical Geography and Native People

Established Goals:
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between physical geography and the lives of the native
peoples, past and present, of Virginia by
a) locating Virginia and its bordering states on maps of the United States;
b) locating and describing Virginia’s Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and
Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau;
c) locating and identifying water features important to the early history of Virginia (Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake
Bay, James River, York River, Potomac River, Rappahannock River, and Lake Drummond and the Dismal
Swamp);
d) locating three American Indian language groups (the Algonquian, the Siouan, and the Iroquoian) on a map
of Virginia;
e) describing how American Indians related to the climate and their environment to secure food, clothing, and
shelter;
f) describing how archaeologists have recovered new material evidence at sites including Werowocomoco
and Jamestown; and
g) describing the lives of American Indians in Virginia today.

Understandings: Students will understand that… Essential Questions:

 Virginia’s physical geography and the lives of
native peoples are in close relationship, and this is
evident in archeological finds.
 Many Indian tribes founded Virginia, and their
impact on the land still show today.
Students will know:
 The location of Virginia is on the East Coast of the
United States.
 The states that border Virginia are Maryland, West
Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
 The bordering bodies of water of Virginia are the
Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay.
 The geographic regions have distinctive
characteristics.
 Virginia has five geographic regions.
 The Fall Line is the natural border between the
Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions.
 A plateau is an area of elevated land that is flat on
top.
 The Coastal Plain (Tidewater) is flat and located
near the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay, east
of the Fall Line.
 Piedmont (“at the foot of mountain”) is rolling hills
west of the Fall Line.
 The Blue Ridge Mountains are old, rounded
mountains, part of the Appalachian mountain
system, located between the Piedmont and Valley
and Ridge regions, and is the source of many
rivers.
 The Valley and Ridge includes the Great Valley of
Virginia and other valleys separated by ridges and
is located west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
 The Appalachian Plateau is in Southwest Virginia
and is only a small part of the plateau located in
Virginia.
 Many early Virginia cities developed along the Fall
Line, the natural border between the Coastal Plain
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
 How do the bordering waters and states influence,
Virginia?
 How do the multiple geographic regions of Virginia
affect its physical geography?
 Why were early Virginia cities developed along the
Fall Line instead of more inland?
 Why were there only three major Indian groups in
Virginia?
 How has the climate changed from when the
Indians lived solely on the land today?
Students will be able to:
 Locate Virginia and its bordering states on maps of
the United States.
 Describe locations in relative terms.
 Locate and describe Virginia’s Coastal Plain
(Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains,
Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau.
 Locate and identify water features important to the
early history of Virginia.
 Locate three American Indian language groups on
a map of Virginia.
 Describe how American Indians related to the
climate and their environment to secure food,
clothing, and shelter.
 See the difference and change in Virginia’s Indian
cultures.
 Describe how archaeologists have recovered new
material evidence at sites.
 Describe the lives of American Indians in Virginia
today.
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Design Topic: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 4 Designer: Ahna Mitchell
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and Piedmont regions, where the land rises

sharply, and waterfalls prevent further travel on the
river.
 The four major rivers that flow into the Chesapeake
Bay are separated by peninsulas, an area of land
almost surrounded by water.
 The Chesapeake Bay separates the Eastern Shore
from the mainland of Virginia.
 The Atlantic Ocean provided transportation links
between Virginia and other places.
 The Chesapeake Bay provided a safe harbor and
was a source of food and transportation.
 The James River flows into the Chesapeake Bay,
and Richmond and Jamestown located along it.
 The York River flows into the Chesapeake Bay,
and Yorktown is located along it.
 The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay
and is in Alexandria.
 The Rappahannock River flows into the
Chesapeake Bay and is in Fredericksburg.
 Lake Drummond is in the Coastal Plain region and
is a shallow natural lake surrounded by the Dismal
Swamp.
 The Dismal Swamp is in the Coastal Plain region
and has a variety of wildlife.
 Each river was a source of food and provided a
pathway for exploration and settlement of Virginia.
 The Eastern Shore is a peninsula bordered by the
Chesapeake Bay to the west and the Atlantic
Ocean to the east.
 American Indians were the first people who lived in
Virginia.
 American Indians lived in all areas of the state.
 Christopher Columbus called the people he found
in the land he explored “Indians” because he
thought he was in the Indies (near China).
 American Indians have always been closely
connected to the land. They did not believe in land
ownership.
 The Algonquian languages were spoken primarily
in the Tidewater region; the Powhatan were part of
this group.
 The Siouan languages were spoken primarily in the
Piedmont region; the Monacan were part of this
group.
 The Iroquoian languages were spoken in
Southwestern Virginia and Southern Virginia near
what is today North Carolina; the Cherokee were a
part of this group.
 Many American Indians lived in towns situated
along rivers, which made for good farming, good
fishing, and easy travel.
 The climate in Virginia is relatively mild, with
distinct seasons resulting in a variety of vegetation.
 Forests, which have a variety of trees, cover most
of the land. Virginia’s American Indians are
referred to as Eastern Woodland Indians.
 Native peoples of the past farmed, hunted and
fished. They made homes, using natural resources.
They used animal skins for clothing.
 Archaeology is a way to help people understand
the past.
 Archaeologists study all kinds of material evidence

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 3

Design Topic: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 4 Designer: Ahna Mitchell
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left by people from the past.

 Jamestown became the first permanent English
settlement in North America.
 Archaeologists have discovered the site of the
original fort. The recovered artifacts give
archaeologists clues about the interactions of the
Indians, English, and Africans in early Virginia.
 The current state-recognized American Indian
tribes are in regions throughout Virginia.

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks:
 GRASPs Activity – Students will develop a
museum pamphlet that will display a chosen
Virginia river, including pictures, facts, and history
on what Indian tribe originated by the river and
some facts about their lives there.
Other Evidence:
 Five-Item Multiple-Choice Quiz
 Students will create a Venn-diagram showing the
similarities and differences between two specific
Virginia rivers.

 Students will act as journalists and write an article
about an Indian tribe (different from their GRASPS
activity) who lives along a Virginia river. The
student must highlight the location, the name of the
tribe, and the geographical attributes.
 Students will test on the different waterways in
Virginia and the Indian tribes that originated there.
 Students will complete a worksheet that shows the
waterways and students must label them.

 RAFT Activity – Students will group up and pretend  Students will complete worksheets that show the
to be Indian tribes. The tribes will bargain and trade similarities and differences of each Virginia Indian
their goods that are unique to each tribe. They tribe.
must show the differences that each tribe produces
by filling out a worksheet and drawing their crops.
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection:
 Students will add a new journal entry about the Virginia rivers and tribes throughout the unit.

 Students will fill out a checklist determining what they know, have learned, and what they are still struggling on.

 Students will start a KWL sheet at the beginning of each week and will add to it throughout the week. Then they
will give it to the teacher on Friday as their exit ticket.

STAGE 3 – LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Learning Activities:

1. KWL – Students will write down what they already know about the topic, what they want to learn, and what they have
learned. The student will receive this chart on each Monday and will turn it in on each Friday (Hook) (Rutherford, 2015).
2. Virginia Studies 2a-c – Students will learn about Virginia via PowerPoint and SmartBoard activities (instructional
strategies) (“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
3. Bordering States – Students will play a game on the computer that involves questions on the bordering states and
their characteristics (instructional strategies) (cooperative learning strategies) (“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
4. Geographic Regions – Students will locate and describe Virginia’s five geographic regions (“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
5. Rivers – Students will identify the Virginia river and a city located on that river. They will also shade and label the
Eastern Shore, noting its location (“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
6. Venn-Diagram - Students will compare and contrast two different regions of Virginia (instructional strategies)
(Rutherford, 2015).
7. Virginia Trekkers – Students will travel virtually across the regions of Virginia (‘Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
8. Journal/Writing – Students will add a new journal entry about the Virginia rivers and characteristics (Rutherford,
2015).
9. Jeopardy Regions – Students will review the regions of Virginia through a gameshow format (cooperative learning
strategies) (“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
10. Five-Item Multiple Choice Quiz – Students will quiz on the information they have learned so far.
11. KWL - Students will write down what they already know about the topic, what they want to learn, and what they have
learned. The student will receive this chart on each Monday and will turn it in on each Friday (instructional strategies)
(Rutherford, 2015).
12. Native Americans – Students will learn about the Indians that resided in Virginia and complete some questions based
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 4
Design Topic: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 4 Designer: Ahna Mitchell
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on the knowledge they learned (“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).

13. Early Inhabitants of Virginia – Students will cut out statements and match them with the associated Native American
location and adaptation to climate and environment (“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
14. Powhatan Indian Village – Students will discover what a Powhattan Indian village was like (“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
15. Venn-Diagram – Students will show the similarities and differences between two specific Indian Tribes (Each student
will have different tribes) (instructional strategies) (Rutherford, 2015).
16. RAFT Activity - Students will group up and pretend to be Indian tribes. The tribes will bargain and trade their goods
that are unique to each tribe. They must show the differences that each tribe produces by filling out a worksheet and
drawing their crops (cooperative learning strategies).
17. Museum Pamphlet - Students will develop a museum pamphlet that will display a chosen Virginia river, including
pictures, facts, and history on what Indian tribe originated by the river and some facts about their lives there (GRASPS)
(can be differentiated).
18. Crossword Puzzle – Students will assess their understanding of Virginia Indians along with Virginia Geography
(“Virginia Studies,” n.d.).
19. Journalists - Students will act as journalists and write an article about an Indian tribe (different from their GRASPS
activity) who lives along a Virginia river. The student must highlight the location, the name of the tribe, and the
geographical attributes in the article (can be differentiated).
20. Self-Check – Students will self-assess their knowledge on American Indians (Rutherford, 2015).

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 5

Design Topic: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 4 Designer: Ahna Mitchell
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Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1. (W) (H) (O) 2. (R) 3. (E) 4. (E) (O) 5. (T)

1. KWL 3. Bordering States 5. Rivers 7. Virginia Trekkers 9. Jeopardy Regions
2. Virginia Studies 2a-c 4. Geographic Regions 6. Venn-Diagram 8. Journal/Writing 10. Quiz

6. (W) (H) (O) 7. (R) 8. (E) (T) 9. (E) (T) (O) 10. (E) (T)
11. KWL 13. Early Inhabitants of 15. Venn-Diagram 17. Museum Pamphlet 19. Journalists
12. Native Americans Virginia 16. RAFT Activity 18. Crossword Puzzle 20. Self-Check
14. Powhatan Indian
Village

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

Design Topic: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 4 Designer: Ahna Mitchell
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References

Rutherford, P. (2015). Instruction for all students. Alexandria, VA: Just ASK.

Virginia Studies. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://star.spsk12.net/socialscience/ss_vs4.htm.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

Design Topic: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples Subject: Virginia Studies Grade: 4 Designer: Ahna Mitchell
Content
Exemplar
- Each river and tribe
section in the pamphlet
have a clear title with a
clear beginning, middle,
and end.
- One river is paired with
Writing/Organization its adjacent tribe and is
organized with the river
first then the tribe directly
under the river.
- All of the information is
well-organized overall in
the pamphlet.
- No spelling or grammar
errors.
- All fonts are clear.
Spelling/Grammar
- No errors in sentence
structure, capitalization,
and punctuation are correct.
- There are three (3) rivers
and three (3) associated
tribes with accurate facts
Content/Accuracy and concepts about each.
- Two (2) sources are used
accurately and cited with
no spelling errors.
- The pamphlet has
exceptionally attractive
formatting.
Graphics/Pictures
- Graphics go well with the
text, and there is a good
mix of text and graphics.
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
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Proficient Developing
- Almost all sections
have titles with a
beginning, middle, and - Many sections do not
end. have titles and are not
- Only some of the clear.
rivers and tribes are - The rivers and tribes are
accurately paired and not paired or organized
organized appropriately. appropriately.
- The organization of the - There is no organization
pamphlet is slightly in the pamphlet.
rugged and not
completely organized.
- Minor spelling or - Many spelling and
grammar errors. grammar errors.
- Most fonts are clear. - Fonts are not clear.
- Minor errors in - Many errors in sentence
sentence structure, structure, capitalization,
capitalization, and and punctuation.
punctuation.
- There are fewer than
- There are at least three
three (3) rivers and three
(3) rivers and three (3)
(3) associated tribes with
associated tribes, with
fewer than 80% of the
more than 80% of the
facts being clear or
facts clear and accurate.
accurate.
-At least two (2) sources
- One (1) source used,
are used and cited
and the source is not
accurately with minor
cited accurately.
spelling errors.
- The pamphlet is not
- The pamphlet is
attractive looking, and its
attractive but has minor
format is not pleasing to
formatting errors.
the eye.
-Graphics are related to
- Graphics are randomly
the topic, but better
chosen and do not relate
graphics could be used.
to the topic at all.