Level 4, Unit 6: The West

Below are links to various materials we've created to support students' work on the unit theme: From Desert to Tropics.

Unit Bibliography: This is a list of supplementary materials to help you to meet the needs of individual students in your classroom.
Classroom Activities: To extend instruction, here are some creative activities you can print and use in your classroom.
- Farmers and Growers (Language Arts/Social Studies)
- Hall of Fame (Art/Language Arts/Social Studies)
Theme Project Organizer: This is a worksheet you can print and distribute to students to help them track their work on the Theme Project.
Theme Project Links: Here are Internet resources for students to use while working on the Theme Project.

Here are links to Internet resources that can be used to support instruction of the “Think Like a Geographer” feature for this unit: How Has Arizona Avoided Water Shortages?

Arizona Department of Water Resources: The Arizona Department of Water Resources monitors the need and availability of water throughout the state. Select Arizona Water Information to learn more about water-related issues. An Interactive Map allows you to view the state in terms of water resources and demand.; http://www.adwr.state.az.us/

Arizona Water Issues: This site offers information on water-related issues in the state of Arizona, including water rights, water quality, conservation, and climate. Among the site's features is a profile on the Central Arizona Project, the network of tunnels, canals, and pumping stations that carries water from the Colorado River to Arizona. The site offers a brief history of the project and includes an aerial photograph of the canal. This site was created by the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Arizona.

Here are links to Internet resources that can be used to support instruction of the “Citizenship” feature for this unit: What Makes You Special?

Holidays: This site provides links for both students and teachers to excellent holiday pages on the Internet. Links include, but are not limited to, Chinese New Year and Kwanzaa. Also provided is a comprehensive index of links to Christmas traditions from around the world. This site is part of the Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators page.; http://www.discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/holidays.html

The KIDPROJ Multi-Cultural Calendar: Students can learn how kids from around the world are celebrating their country's holidays and festivals. Some entries contain recipes for holiday foods, historical background, significance of the holidays and the special ways in which these days are observed. The information on this site can be accessed by month, holiday, country or author. KIDPROJ, is part of KIDLINK, a grassroots project in which teachers and youth group leaders from 87 countries organize activities and projects for students and other kids. Site in several languages.