Caldwell+County

__The Geography of North Carolina and Caldwell County__

//Lesson//: In order to introduce to 8th graders the geography of North Carolina, we will take a closer look at what the geographic landscape of Caldwell County looks like. With Caldwell County being on the border of the Mountain and Piedmont regions, it has characteristics of both territories. Students will be introduced to the three regions and the characteristics of each. Following a brief summary, the students will be introduced to to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Pisgah National Forest. We will discuss the importance of nationally protected lands and how the idea of land protection started in the United States. We will determine that Caldwell county is home to mountains, forests, and even bodies of water.

//Activity//: Students will be asked to research the landscape of Caldwell county. They will be given a map of all of the North Carolina counties. Students will be asked to divide the map into the three different regions and illustrate the differences in each area. Students will also have to highlight Caldwell county to see its location on a broader scale. Following, students will be asked to create a large map of Caldwell county. The exact county lines are not necessary, but they should be as accurate as possible. Students will then illustrate the geographic representation of Caldwell county on their maps. They will be asked to include the different landforms we discussed during lecture, including the bodies of water, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest.

//Assessment//: Students will be assessed based on overall presentation of the map and on accuracy of information. I will not expect exact locations of each area, but they should be generally in the correct area.

-Jesse G.