4FN7 – Geography – North America: North and Central Mexico

How do FreeNode lessons work?

FreeNodes are instructor-led schooling lessons with a unique approach, granting you the freedom to independently teach using a personalized lesson plan. This autonomy enables you to tailor your lessons to suit students’ individual needs, learning styles, and interests.

To use a FreeNode, read the provided class outline & follow the formatting provided for each class. Make sure to touch on the Theocratic Connection in each class. Follow the outline closely so it is aligned with our main at-home curriculum.

How Do I Use the FreeNode?

Read this lesson plan before class to familiarize yourself with the ideas and concepts you’ll be teaching the students. You may print this page out if you need to use it as a reference point during live classes.

This lesson is a guide, but feel free to expand on the content or decrease/increase what you teach depending on the learning levels of the students in your class or the amount of time you have to cover the material.

Can I show videos in FN classes?

Yes, feel free to include additional material to supplement the class lesson material. Videos, Physical Objects, Games, Activities, etc. are okay to share in live classes.

Videos should have no advertisements or logos and should be viewed by you before showing them to the students to ensure no offensive or questionable content is included.

The video should make up only 1-3 minutes of the live class and should not take the place of instructor-led instruction. Videos should be supplementary only.

How do bookmarks work?

Bookmarks help you keep track of lessons you’re going to teach in future live classes. The bookmarks you see are for all your bookmarked lessons across all grades.

You can bookmark a lesson by visiting the lesson you want to bookmark and clicking the “bookmark” button in the bookmark section.

You can remove a single bookmark by visiting a lesson you’ve bookmarked and clicking the “bookmark” button again to unbookmark it.

You can clear all of your bookmarks by clicking the “clear all bookmarks” button. Be careful, this will erase all of your bookmarks.

Class Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Explore the geographical features, climates, and cultures of North and Central Mexico.
Understand the significance of the physical landscapes and cultural diversity in these regions.

Materials:

Whiteboard
Visual aids (map displaying North and Central Mexico, images depicting landscapes and cultural landmarks in North and Central Mexico)

Introduction (2 minutes):

Review Mexico’s geographical location and its division into regions.
Introduce the focus of the lesson: to examine the physical features, climates, and cultural aspects of Northern and Central Mexico.

Theocratic Connections:

Discuss significant theocratic events and the advancement of the good news in this region.

Activity 1 – Northern Mexico (8 minutes):

Describe the physical features of Northern Mexico, including mountains and desert climates.

Discuss the Chihuahua desert in northeastern Mexico, highlighting its coverage across multiple states and extreme temperatures.
Explore the Sonoran desert in the northwestern part of Mexico, emphasizing its diverse vegetation and unique climate characteristics.

Introduce the Sierra Madre Occidental range as a prominent mountain range in Northern Mexico, providing a natural barrier between eastern and western regions. Discuss the significance of rivers like the Rio Grande (Río Bravo) in defining the border between Mexico and the United States.

Highlight popular Mexican dishes originating from Northern Mexico, such as nachos, quesadillas, and Carne Asada, reflecting the region’s culinary traditions.

Activity 2 – Central Mexico (8 minutes):

Define the Mexican Plateau and its coverage of over two-thirds of the country, including states like Hidalgo, Puebla, and Veracruz. Describe the physical features of Central Mexico, including mountains and gulf coastal plains. Discuss the temperate climate of Central Mexico, with average temperatures and annual rainfall.

Highlight major crops grown in Central Mexico, such as corn, coffee, avocados, beans, and alfalfa, and their significance to the region’s economy.

Explore historical and cultural sites in Central Mexico, including Chichen Itza, the Tulum Ruins, Castillo de Chapultepec, and the National Museum of Anthropology.

Discuss traditional foods of Central Mexico, such as tortas and mole, and their cultural importance to the region’s cuisine.

Conclusion (2 minutes):

Summarize key points discussed, including the physical features, climates, and cultural aspects of Northern and Central Mexico.
Emphasize the diversity and significance of these regions within Mexico’s broader landscape and cultural heritage.
Encourage students to continue exploring the geography of Mexico and its significance in the world.

Assessment:

Assess student understanding through participation in discussions, completion of reflection questions, and identification of key concepts presented.
Evaluate students’ comprehension of Northern and Central Mexico’s physical features, climates, and cultures through informal observation and discussion.