What Has Had the Larger Impact: The North Dakota Landscape Impacting Humans, or Humans Impacting the Landscape?

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This inquiry explores how the landscape of North Dakota determines how we live on the land through the investigation of the compelling question “what has had the larger impact: the North Dakota landscape impacting humans, or humans impacting the landscape?” The importance of understanding the landscape in this inquiry is twofold: (1) students should be able to understand the significant physical geographic features that influenced the state’s modern economy and (2) how people living on the land change and shape it to meet their needs. While progressing through the inquiry, students will analyze the geography of the state and speculate future scenarios.

This inquiry is expected to take one class period; however, teachers are encouraged to adapt the inquiry to meet the needs and interests of their students and the amount of time they have available.

Inquiry Design Model (IDM) Blueprint™
Compelling Question
What has had the larger impact: the North Dakota landscape impacting humans, or humans impacting the landscape?
Standards and Practices
ND.6_12.1.1 Identify three landscape regions of North Dakota and describe major features of each.
Staging the Question
Make a list of significant geographic features that have influenced how people live on the land in North Dakota.
Supporting Question 1
Supporting Question 2
Supporting Question 3
What are the Red River Valley, Drift Prairie, and the Missouri Plateau?
What were Lake Agassiz and the Wisconsin Glaciers and what impact did they have on the topography of North Dakota?
Is the landscape and climate of North Dakota permanent or changeable?
Formative Performance Task
Formative Performance Task
Formative Performance Task
Create a map of the three major geographic regions of North Dakota along with the major physical features, soil types, and waterways.
Create a map of North Dakota during the Great Ice Age.
Write a summary describing how the landscape and climate have impacted humans and vice versa.
Featured Sources
Featured Sources
Featured Sources
  • The Natural World (Document Set)
Summative Performance Task
Argument
How does the geography, geology, climate, and natural resources of the landscape impact the development of the modern North Dakota economy? How will environmental changes and new technologies continue to affect North Dakota’s economy? How has human innovation and changes impacted the landscape and economy? Construct an argument that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical sources while acknowledging competing views. Have a class debate regarding which has the largest impact on the other; the landscape or humans? 
Extension
Invite a geographer or geologist to speak to the class about careers in the field, education needed, and what the work is like.
Taking Informed Action

Understand: Identify a geographic feature found in North Dakota that has had an impact or been important to your daily life. Outline the significance (social, political, and/or economic) of that feature. How did it influence your life? Will it continue to be important in the future?

Assess: Determine the consequences of the feature identified.

Act: Take the poster you created to present to your class and use your research to create a documentary. Present the documentary to your community during a history fair.