Geographic Alliance of Iowa logo + banner

Lesson Plans for Grades 3-5

This lesson was created by Kim Daughetee (Dubuque School District) and Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from fifth to seventh grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will learn about the natural resources available in different parts of the world.

This lesson was created by Todd Wernimont (Dubuque School District) for fifth grade students. Throughout this lesson plan, students will be able to organize the seven continents by certain criteria.

This lesson was created by Erin Boydston for students from third to fifth grade. During this lesson plan, students will use photographs to compare the cultural environment of Native Americans.

This lesson was created by Carmen Besler, Tammy Van Cleve, Molly Baumhover, and Amy Steffensmeier (Dubuque School District) for students from second to third grade. This lesson plan allows students to become aware of the various cultures in their community.

This lesson was created by Dr. Kay Weller (University of Northern Iowa) for students from fourth grade and up. This lesson plan will teach students to understand how diversity and one's own experiences can affect decision making.

This lesson, created by Julie Aamody of Lake Mils, Iowa, takes fourth grade students on a journey into the schools of the past. Students will explore the differences between an old country school house and their school now. 

This lesson was created by Angela Groene for fifth grade students. During this lesson plan, students will strengthen their skills in plotting points on a map using longitude and latitude in two different activities.

This lesson was created by Mary Sue Ellinger for students from fourth to seventh grade. This lesson allows students to understand some basis of India's culture, specifically how Gandhi's story impacted India.

This lesson plan was created by Michelle Griffen (Riverside CSD) for students in 4th grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will understand how geographic location determines whether people are under local, state, or national authority.

This lesson was created by Susan Wernimont, Jayne Meyer, Carl Meyers, and Beth Jarding (Dubuque School District) for students from first to fifth grade. This lesson plan will allow students to learn how to use tools to make maps and analyze them.

This lesson was created by Phyllis Nuehring for students from kindergarten to fifth grade. In this lesson plan, students will gain knowlege that individuals may be different on the outside but similar on the inside by using a demonstration.

This lesson was created by Carmen Besler (Dubuque School District), Jayne Meyer (Mt. Vernon School District), Jodi Russell (Mt. Vernon School District), and Marlene Weber (Dubuque School District) for students from third to fifth grade. During this lesson plan, students will learn to understand how to use a GPS to find a location based on latitude and longitude.

This lesson was created by Kathy Sunstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from fifth to twelfth grade. This lesson plan allows students to utilize and understand its connection with culture.

This lesson was created by Kristi Watson (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from third to fourth grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will understand the importance of biodegradable materials and the effects on our environment.

This lesson plan was created by Carrie Taylor (Highland Elementary, Waterloo CSD) for 3rd grade Talented/Gifted students. In this lesson plan, students will observe changes that occured when Highland Elementary was built, and complete a OSAE- observation, speculation, analysis, evaluation.

This lesson plan was created by Julie Tremmel (Sigourney CSD) for students in fifth grade and was supported by the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC). During this lesson plan, students will learn about the Ioway Indians and others who lived and thrived here while considering the influence of geography on them and all of us who have followed. 

This lesson plan was created by Connie Burns (Exira CSD) for students in the 3rd grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will know the basics of longitude and latitude and be able to use them to find the locations of places on maps. 

This lesson was created by Deb Tulley (Calamus-Wheatland School District) for fifth grade students. Throughout this lesson plan, students will be able to describe the historical development of a region and describe ways people interact with physical environment.

This lesson, created by Angie Boehmer of Lake Mills Elementary School, allows fifth grades students a deeper look into their hometown. Students will crete a map that includes local landmarks and buisiness, and at the end of the lesson, will have the opportunity to go on a field walk to view the places they have incldued. This lesson can easily be adapted for any town! 

This lesson was created by Catharine Freeman for students from third to fifth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will learn about streams as natural resources.

This lesson plan was created by Lynn Brigham (St. Ansgar CSD) for students in the fifth grade and was supported by the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC). By completing this lesson plan, students will learn vocabulary, read a book, research events, and complete a timeline all about Lewis and Clark. 

This lesson was created by Dawn Brown (Geographic Alliance of Iowa) for students from fifth to twelfth grade. This lesson plan allows students to identify firsthand traditional Bangladeshi male attire.

This lesson plan was created by Linda Vanden Bosch (Clarinda Middle School, Clarinda CSD) for students in the 5th grade. In this lesson plan, students will locate the locations of historical events throughout U.S. History from 1400 to 1865 and transfer that information to their own blown-up outline map and classroom wall-size map.

This lesson was created by Beth Miller (Davenport Community School District) for students from fourth to eighth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will understand how locating countries in the news provides a context for studying current events and for seeing the earth as an integrated system of regions.

This lesson plan was created by Jill Brockman (Marshalltown CSD) for students in the third grade and was supported by the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC). In this lesson plan, students will discover past and present Marshalltown landmarks, use Google Maps, and write an opinion paper about the locations of selected landmarks. 

This lesson was created by Amy Morgan (Harmony High School) for students from fifth to twelfth grade but can be easily adapted to grades 1-4. As they complete this lesson plan, students will make a personal connection to the five themes of geography.

This lesson was created by Jane Watson (Starmont Schools) for students from fourth to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will learn about Bangladesh lifestyles.

This lesson plan was created by Leah Allen (Kingsley Elementary, Waterloo CSD) for students in the 5th grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will be able to label and locate on a U.S. map various Native American groups and understand the relationship/effect of geography and climate on people. 

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from fifth to eighth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will understand Nigerian culture through literature, particularly folktales.

This lesson was created by Andrea Liljegren for students from fourth to seventh grade. During this lesson plan, students will demonstrate their knowledge of geographic themes and local agriculture.

This lesson was created by Jane Watson (Starmont Schools) for students from kindergarten to sixth grade. This lesson plan allows students to identify environmental issues and how they compare in different countries.

This lesson plan was created by Deloris Ryan (South Tama Elementary School) for students in fourth grade and was supported by the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC). This lesson plan introduces students to the culture of the Southeast region of the United States.

This lesson was created by Dr. Kay Weller (University of Northern Iowa) for students from third to fifth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will understand how people in history used various materials to portray a message.

This lesson was created by Eric Pettit (Harmony Community School District) for fifth grade students. During this lesson plan, students identify Iowa's state capitol, trace its movements, and recognize reasons why it moved.

The Thirteen Colonies, created by Mike Dugger of Lake Mills, Iowa, introduces students from third grade to fifth grade to the development and the similarities and differences between The Thirteen Original Colonies. Students will then aplly the different aspects of communities they have learned to their community today.

This lesson plan was created by Jennifer Hardee (Essex Elementary, Essex CSD) for students in the 3rd grade. In this lesson plan, students will use relative location, absolute location, and Google Earth to locate and record the places that their Flat Stanley visits.

This lesson plan was created by Lara Earnest (Lou Henry Elementary, Waterloo CSD) for students in the 4th grade. In this lesson, students will learn how to correctly locate and define U.S. landforms using geographic resources. 

This lesson plan was created by Maegan Swick (Kingsley Elementary, Waterloo CSD) for students in the 3rd grade. In this lesson plan, students will use Google Earth as a tool to make assumptions and tell what they notice about a variety of communties in the United States. 

This lesson was created by Julia Swallow for students from fifth to seventh grade. During this lesson plan, studnets will analyze data on countries to compare the hunger needs and their causes in order to discuss causes involved with other students and debate possible solutions.