Introduction: In this lesson, we will be exploring the geography of South America and the surrounding regions. We will be using political-physical maps to locate and identify various features such as the Amazon River, Amazon Rainforest, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Panama Canal, Andes Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, and Atacama Desert.

Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction to political-physical maps and their uses 2. Discussion of the various features we will be locating on the map 3. Demonstration of how to read and interpret a political-physical map 4. Group activity where students work together to locate and label the features on their own maps 5. Class discussion and review of the locations and characteristics of each feature

Questioning: 1. What is a political-physical map and how is it different from other types of maps? 2. Why is it important to know the location of these features? 3. What are some of the characteristics of the Amazon Rainforest and why is it important to the world? 4. How does the Panama Canal impact global trade and transportation?

Assessment: Students will be assessed on their ability to locate and label the features on their own maps. They will also be assessed on their participation in class discussions and their ability to answer questions about the various features.

Differentiation: For students who may struggle with map reading, provide them with a simplified map or a map with fewer features to locate. For students who may need an extra challenge, provide them with additional features to locate or ask them to research and present on one of the features.

Plenary: To wrap up the lesson, have students share one interesting fact they learned about one of the features we located on the map. This can be done in a class discussion or through a written reflection.

Resources: 1. Video: “The Amazon Rainforest” by National Geographic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua7ivcDvMes) 2. Worksheet: “Locating Features on a Political-Physical Map” (https://www.education.com/download/worksheet/174834/locating-features-on-a-political-physical-map.pdf) 3. Video: “The Panama Canal” by History Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw5J0x1DZD8)