7th Grade Social Studies Unit 1

Big Idea:

Describe the major regions and sub-regions, while accurately locating major cities and rivers of Texas.

Student Expectations:

Priority TEKS

7.1(A) [Readiness] identify the major eras in Texas history, describe their defining characteristics, and explain why historians divide the past into eras, including Natural Texas and its People; Age of Contact; Spanish Colonial; Mexican National; Revolution and Republic; Early Statehood; Texas in the Civil War and Reconstruction; Cotton, Cattle, and Railroads; Age of Oil; Texas in the Great Depression and World War II; Civil Rights and Conservatism; and Contemporary Texas;

7.9(A) [Supporting] locate the Mountains and Basins, Great Plains, North Central Plains, and Coastal Plains regions and places of importance in Texas during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries such as major cities, rivers, natural and historic landmarks, political and cultural regions, and local points of interest;

Focus TEKS

7.8(B) [Supporting] analyze and interpret geographic distributions and patterns in Texas during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

7.9(B) [Readiness] compare places and regions of Texas in terms of physical and human characteristics;

7.10(A) [Readiness] identify ways in which Texans have adapted to and modified the environment and analyze the positive and negative consequences of the modifications

Ongoing TEKS

7.8(A) [Supporting] create and interpret thematic maps, graphs, charts, models, and databases representing various aspects of Texas during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries;

7.21(A) [Process] differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as computer software, databases, media and news services, biographies, interviews, and artifacts to acquire information about Texas

7.21(B) [Process] analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions;

7.21(C) [Process] organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps

7.22(A) [Process] use social studies terminology correctly

7.22(C) [Process] transfer information from one medium to another, including written to visual and statistical to written or visual, using computer software as appropriate;

7.22(D) [Process] create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information.

Student Learning Targets:

• I will locate major regions, subregions, rivers, and cities on a Texas map.
• I will know and define key geographical terms.
• I will identify and correctly use the 5 Themes of Geography.
• I will compare the regions of Texas.
• I will write about why people would want to visit Texas.

Essential Questions:

• What are the geographical differences of the major regions in Texas?

Extra Information:

Adopted Textbook: Texas History - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

District Grading Policy

Texas Gateway Online Resource Center