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Standard 2 : Places and Regions
Cluster Standards

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Visit the specific benchmark webpage to find related instructional resources.

  • SS.3.G.2.1 : Label the countries and commonwealths in North America (Canada, United States, Mexico) and in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica).
  • SS.3.G.2.2 : Identify the five regions of the United States.
  • SS.3.G.2.3 : Label the states in each of the five regions of the United States.
  • SS.3.G.2.4 : Describe the physical features of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
  • SS.3.G.2.5 : Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
  • SS.3.G.2.6 : Investigate how people perceive places and regions differently by conducting interviews, mental mapping, and studying news, poems, legends, and songs about a region or area.
Cluster Information
Number:
SS.3.G.2
Title:
Places and Regions
Type:
Standard
Subject:
Social Studies
Grade:
3
Strand
Geography
Cluster Access Points

This cluster includes the following Access Points.

  • SS.3.G.2.AP.1 : Recognize North America as Canada, the United States, and Mexico on a map.
  • SS.3.G.2.AP.2 : Recognize north, south, east, and west as they relate to the regions of the United States.
  • SS.3.G.2.AP.3 : Recognize selected states in each of the five regions of the United States.
  • SS.3.G.2.AP.4 : Recognize major physical features of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
  • SS.3.G.2.AP.5 : Recognize major natural and man-made landmarks of the United States.
  • SS.3.G.2.AP.6 : Identify how people view places and regions differently by asking questions about a region.
Cluster Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorials
Lesson Plans
  • Part 2: Symbols That Represent Florida: This lesson will allow the students to recognize the symbols, people, and documents that represent Florida while analyzing primary and secondary sources. The students will explain how people perceive Florida based on the lyrics of the Swanee River, the Florida state song, and participate in turn-and-talk discussions about the meaning of the song. The students will conclude the lesson by writing an opinion paragraph about what symbol best represents Florida.

  • Florida's Road to Statehood: In this lesson plan, students will read a passage and discuss the history of Florida becoming a state, completing a timeline of important events. The social studies curriculum contains a unit on the five regions of the United States, and the states in each region are briefly discussed. This lesson will go more in-depth about Florida when discussing the southeast region.

  • Landmarks: Natural or Man-Made: In this lesson plan, students will be introduced to natural and man-made landmarks. Students will use an interactive notebook that pairs with the teacher’s presentation. Students will write in the interactive notebook while the teacher discusses and shows examples of natural and man-made landmarks that are located in the United States. Teacher will also review landmarks that are symbols which represent the United States.

  • Regions of the United States: In this lesson plan, students will be introduced to the five regions of the United States. Students will make connections between the five regions and the origin of symbols, individuals, and events that represent the United States of America. 

  • Mapping Features of the U.S.A: In this lesson, students will label different geographic features, as well as natural and man-made landmarks and symbols around the United States.

  • The Great Landmark Debate: The purpose of this lesson is for the students to recognize Mount Rushmore and the Washington Monument as man-made landmarks that are symbols of the United States. The students will write an opinion piece about which landmark, Mount Rushmore or the Washington Monument, most represents the United States.

  • Rocking through the Regions (of the United States): Rocking through the Regions (of the United States) is a 27-day third grade research project on the five regions of the United States and the states that are located within the regions. Students will begin by writing letters to states" Departments of Tourism requesting information about their state. Then, students will work in groups to use the information received along with other print and digital resources they locate to gather information about their region. Once all information is gathered, students will begin writing an informative report and publish their report in an engaging presentation. By the end of this unit, students will be able to identify all five regions on a blank map of the United States and label all 50 states.

  • Landmark Central Idea: In this lesson, students will use relevant details to determine the central idea of informational text about landmarks. Students will work in small groups to read an informational text about landmarks, fill out a graphic organizer, and then create a poster in the shape of the landmark they read about. Students will present their landmark posters to the class.

  • The Physical Features and Natural Resources of the Everglades- Let's Protect It!: This lesson will allow the students to describe how citizens demonstrate civility, cooperation, volunteerism, and other civic virtues to protect one of the unique physical features on Earth, the Everglades, and the natural resources found there.