The Granite State: Lesson # 7

Katie Sharpe

Duration: 45 Minutes
Social Sciences: Geography, Economics
Concepts: Maps, States (New Hampshire), Natural Resources, Granite
Vocabulary:
1. Granite- a very hard type of rock used in buildings and monuments
2. Boulder- a large rock
3. Specialization- made or used for one particular purpose, job, or place.
Skills: Locating and labeling landforms such as mountains and cities within a US State on a
map. Decoding and applying the content of a map key.
Goals of Lesson: Understand how natural resources have a direct and indirect impact on the
environments and living things in this world.
Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
1. Students will be able to locate and label the capital (Concord) and the White Mountains
accurately on a map of New Hampshire.
2. Students will be able to describe how granite affects the people who live in and around
New Hampshire.
Standards:
The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions 7.2.3: Identify the physical characteristics of
places and regions.
The Human Characteristics of Places and Regions 7.3.3: Location factors in the spatial
distribution of economic activities (e.g., market, transportation, workers, materials)
Economic Interdependence 6.4.3: Define specialization and the concept of division of labor.
Explain why goods, services and resources come from all over the nation and the world.
NCSS Themes:
NCSS.1.8 THEME EIGHT -- Science, Technology and Society: Social Studies teachers should
possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the
appropriate school level for the study of Science, Technology and Society. Teachers of social
studies at all school levels should provide developmentally appropriate experiences as they guide
learners in the study of science and technology.

NCSS.1.8.b ...provide opportunities for learners to make judgements about how science
and technology have transformed the physical world and human society and our
understanding of time, space, place, and human-environment interactions
Anticipatory Set:
*Teacher talk* Yesterday we learned all about Rhode Island. Today we are going to
continue learning about another New England State, New Hampshire.
A map of New Hampshire on the smartboard will be projected to the class and each
student will have this map on their desk as well. The teacher will point out the Key and how to
read and apply that to the map. A student will be asked to find the capital of New Hampshire and
the rest of the class will give thumbs up or down to agree or disagree. This will be repeated for
locating the White Mountains on the map as well. Students will then label their maps to match
the one projected on the board. The teacher will also ask the class to make observations about the
different aspects and objects on the map they observe and engage in a discussion about it.
A Youtube video of footage from 1929 will play of The Old Man of the Mountain and
students will be asked what they see. After some discussion and thumbs up and down about
student observations the teacher will explain this is the symbol of New Hampshire and then play
the second Youtube video.
First: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRJuA8JJXqA
Second: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n92KjA7fn30
Procedures:
1. Teacher will introduce the Granite State Scavenger Hunt activity to the class. Each
table has a station with information about different aspects of how and why New
Hampshire is known as the granite state. Such as the geography, people/ inventions, and
production.
2. The teacher will explain each station briefly to the entire class.
3. At the geography station you will see a big blank map with the cities of New Hampshire
labeled. There is a data sheet of which cities contain granite as well as how much granite.
Place a granite rock on each city listed on the map and then answer the questions in your
scavenger hunt worksheet. There will also be a sample of a granite countertop provided
by a local company for students to observe.
4. At the people station you will read as a group about each person who played a key role in
the discovery and production of granite. As well as how they adapted a safer way to work
with granite once the demand grew for it. Once youre done find the questions on each
person in your scavenger hunt worksheet to complete.
5. At the production station students will read about some of the different ways granite is
used then match the description to a picture of the task and job.

6. Each group will begin with the station at their table and then rotate every 8 minutes. The
teacher will set a timer and remind the class when to switch.
7. The teacher will observe and walk around the classroom during this activity to provide
guidance when needed. For the students who need some more guidance, their scavenger
hunt worksheets will contain clues and their readings will have key words and ideas
highlighted to help them fill out their worksheet. The students who need more of a
challenge will have some questions and fill in the blanks on their worksheet that require
some HOTS.
8. Students will be asked to label the capital and White Mountains on a blank map of New
Hampshire and respond to two questions:
1. Why is New Hampshires nickname the Granite State? Provide at least two
examples.
2.How does Granite affect the people who live in and around New Hampshire?
Differentiation:
ELL students will have the option of the readings and worksheet content being in their
native language during the scavenger hunt. As well as the summative assessment being in
English and their native language.
Extension- During the summative assessment students will be asked to label the state, capital,
White Mountains, and anything else they can remember about the geography of New Hampshire.
The first short answer question will ask them to provide three-four examples.
Enrichment- During the summative assessment students will have a key to reference containing;
New Hampshire, Concord, and The White Mountains. For the second short answer question
students will be asked, Why is granite so important to New Hampshires economy?
Closure:
As a class the teacher will show students the Swenson Granite website and will read key
facts as well as asking the class what questions they have and what more would they like to learn
about. This will prompt further discussion about the importance of granite to New Hampshire
and how the production has expanded today. http://www.swensongranite.com/about/history.php
Students will be asked to label the capital and White Mountains on a blank map of New
Hampshire and respond to two questions:
1. Why is New Hampshires nickname the Granite State? Provide at least two
examples.
2.How does Granite affect the people who live in and around New Hampshire?
Formative/Summative Assessment:

Formative Assessment: During the anticipatory set the teacher will observe who gives thumbs up
and down for agreeing with the capital and White Mountain locations on the maps. During the
scavenger hunt activity the teacher will be walking around to observe discussions and group
reading at each station as well as if students are writing down the correct information.
Summative Assessment: At the end of this lesson students will be asked to label the capital and
White Mountains on a blank map of New Hampshire. As well as answering two short answer
questions using the knowledge they just learned during the scavenger hunt. The essay questions
include, Why is New Hampshires nickname the Granite State? Provide at least two examples.
How does Granite affect the people who live in and around New Hampshire?
Materials/Equipment:
A. STUDENT MATERIALS/ READING RESOURCES:
a. Shannon, Terry Miller. New Hampshire. (2002). Childrens Press.
b. Blank map of New Hampshire
c. Scavenger Hunt Worksheet
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cp9vHWnhibMSvXmnC3pamx8D5utEobE
b5gTQYxYd8do/edit?usp=sharing
d. http://www.visitnh.gov/student/history.html
e. http://www.swensongranite.com/about/history.php
f. Assessment WS
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13_A87wYc7UCm8rb_I3u4MUMk5Ki_saC
K0yDkDq4lLs0/edit?usp=sharing
B. TEACHER MATERIALS/RESOURCES FOR LESSON DESIGN:
a. A Rock-Solid Legacy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 29, 2015, from
http://www.swensongranite.com/about/history.php

b. Do you know why New Hampshire is called the Granite State? (n.d.). Retrieved
December 29, 2015, from http://nhadulted.org/grants/E17/Granite State/reading.pdf

c. Shannon, Terry Miller. New Hampshire. (2002). Childrens Press.

d. The Colonies | New Hampshire. (n.d.). Retrieved December 29, 2015, from
http://www.smplanet.com/teaching/colonialamerica/colonies/newhampshire
e. New Hampshire Student Resource Guide: History. (n.d.). Retrieved December 29,
2015, from http://www.visitnh.gov/student/history.html

C. TEACHER NOTE SHEET

a. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GbjnaliQOxXOO4pAnYX1r6_JTlnncpCA-50iNRW8Pk/edit?usp=sharing
Technology:

Smartboard for interaction with the maps of New Hampshire

Videos
First: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRJuA8JJXqA
Second: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n92KjA7fn30
Interactive Website
http://www.swensongranite.com/about/history.php
Reflection on Planning:
I began planning by reading many sources about New Hampshire to develop my
background knowledge on the states history in becoming a colony. I then decided which aspect

about the state was most important and interesting to fourth graders that I could implement into a
lesson while meeting the PA standards. I chose labeling the captial and White Mountains of New
Hampshire to keep the students practicing the skill of reading and labeling maps during this unit.
Next I thought it would be beneficial for students to learn why New Hampshire is called, The
Granite State and then to challenge them to use HOTS to connect a states natural resources to
its economy, jobs, trade, etc. I believe I appeal to all different types of learners during the
Scavenger Hunt activity. I choose to close the lesson with the students exploring the Swenson
Website to give them some freedom and choice in their education. Im concerned with how
beneficial that would be during lesson implementation. I think the Youtube videos of the states
symbol, The Man of the Mountain will be successful in getting students interested in the state. As
well as the scavenger hunt to help students work together and retain the information about The
Granite State.
Current Event
Levy of minimum floor price on granite imports unreasonable. (2013, September 9). Retrieved
January 4, 2016, from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-0909/news/41903480_1_granite-industry-granite-slabs-imports

A. Nation or area of the world involved: India

B. This article relates to The Granite State Scavenger Hunt because students can see how Granite
production started and how it has expanded to India today. This article addresses the fact that
India is currently the largest producer of granite. There is an All India Granites and Stones
Association (AIGSA) and its president addresses a minimum floor price on granite is a major
concern. They state that the granite industry is a major source of foreign exchange earnings.
These concepts could be explained and discussed with the class by doing a compare/contrast of
granite production now and then.