Georgia SS4G1.a
The Standard
Locate major physical features of the United States: the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Great Plains, the Continental Divide, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes.
Georgia Standards of Excellence for Social Studies · Locate important physical and man-made features in the United States.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students find six major land and water features on a United States map. They use direction, region, and nearby states or borders to describe each location.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students accurately label all six features on a blank outline map. They can describe relative locations, such as west of the Mississippi River or along the eastern coast.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may confuse the Great Plains with the Atlantic Coastal Plain or treat the Continental Divide as a state border. They may misplace the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, or Mississippi River.
How to Assess It
- Give students a blank United States map. Ask them to label the six features and write one accurate location clue for any two.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
On blank outline maps, students place colored clay, yarn, and labels to model and name all six required physical features.
Write three location clues that identify one feature without naming it, then trade clues with a partner and justify the answer.
Play a map relay where teams draw a feature card, point to its location, and earn a point for an accurate description.
Use a weather map to discuss how the Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, plains, and mountain divide can affect storms and temperatures.
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Printable SS4G1.a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to SS4G1.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- SS3G1.a
Locate major rivers of the United States of America: Mississippi, Ohio, Rio Grande, Colorado, Hudson, and St. Lawrence.
- SS4G1
Locate important physical and man-made features in the United States.
- SS4G1.b
Locate major man-made features of the United States: New York City, NY; Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, D.C.; Gettysburg, PA; and the Erie Canal.
- SS3G1
Locate major topographical features on a physical map of the United States.
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