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Website
US Geological Survey

U.s. Geological Survey: 27 Ideas for Teaching With Topographic Maps

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
A collection of twenty-seven activities that can be done with topographic maps, for elementary up to university level students. Includes many accompanying resources.
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Graphic
University of Texas at Austin

The Perry Castaneda Library Map Collection

For Students 9th - 10th
This collection contains more than 250,000 maps covering all areas of the world, and ranging from political and shaded relief maps to the detailed and the historical. Select from a region of the world or an area of highlighted interest.
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Lesson Plan
Library of Virginia

Virginia Memory: My County Tis of Thee: Counties of Virginia

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan in how to use historical maps to identify Virginia's counties and learn the political geography of Virginia.
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Unit Plan
C3 Teachers

C3 Teachers: Inquiries: Geography

For Teachers 3rd
A learning module on world geography. It includes several supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance task. Students investigate where their community is located, where...
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Unit Plan
C3 Teachers

C3 Teachers: Inquiries: Maps and Geography

For Teachers 1st
A comprehensive learning module on maps that includes three supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance task. Students learn about map symbols, cardinal directions, and...
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Activity
Other

Edte.ch: Maths Maps

For Students 1st - 8th
Maths Maps is a collaborative project where participants use Google maps to choose a location within one of the cities highlighted, then create a Math problem about the site. The problems are marked on the map with various colors...
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Graphic
Other

California State University: Topographic Map Symbols

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Click on any of the geographical terms on this website to see examples that illustrate the symbols commonly used on maps. Includes boundaries, building symbols, caves, mines, elevation symbols, coastal features, and more.
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Lesson Plan
The Newberry Library

Newberry Library: Historic Maps in K 12 Classrooms

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Great resource for teachers of geography and American history for all levels. You will find lesson plans based on the use of maps for all ages.
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Unit Plan
US Navy

Navigation

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
[Archived Content] Interactive site where students can learn about navigation techniques through various learning activities.
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Activity
National Geographic

National Geographic: Comparing Historical Maps

For Students 3rd - 8th
Consider the changes that occur in towns, cities, countries through viewing maps from hundreds of years ago and modern day.
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Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: Mapping It Out

For Teachers 4th
Learn about Utah's environments, temperature, elevation, and rainfall.
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Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: Learning to Read a Map

For Teachers 1st
Identify the map and globe symbols.
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Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: Welcome to My World!

For Teachers 2nd
Understand and use basic map concepts and skills.
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Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Wisconsin Education: Into the Map

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this learning module, students will explore the world of geography by creating and analyzing maps.
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Activity
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Lost in Greasy World

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Children use spatial skills to put together a map that has been broken up into pieces. This activity will help them understand spatial sense and practice using a map.
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Kids Afterschool Adventure!: Operation: Lost and Found Activity Plan

For Students 1st - 3rd
Gorillas, groceries, pirate treasure, and aardvark homes: these are just a few of the things children will search for and find in this week's Afterschool Adventure, Lost and Found. Children will use position words like above, below, and...
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Teachers: Local History: Mapping My Spot in History

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Through interpreting and investigating historical maps, students gain new perspective not only of their local communities but also of their own homes. Student activities include collecting data about their homes, reporting on the...
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Lesson Plan
HotChalk

Hot Chalk: Lesson Plans Page: Birdseye View, Mapping

For Teachers K - 1st
Lesson that helps students understand that maps show a "birds-eye view" of a place. Students stand above a teacher-made model and discuss how the objects in the model looked from above. Then students draw objects from a birds-eye view,...
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Website
Math Science Nucleus

What Is a Map?

For Students 3rd - 5th
Do you want to know what a map is? If you look here, you will find why we have them and their uses.
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Lesson Plan
Harvard University

Harvard University: Maps and Mapping

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site is provided for by Harvard University. Students follow a map on a scavenger hunt, create a map of their classroom and their town, learn how to read topographic maps, and discover latitude and longitude in these inquiry activities.
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Website
Other

Richard Phillips: Making Maps Easy to Read

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This geography research project surveys factors that make maps easy to read and to use.
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Unit Plan
US Geological Survey

Usgs: Finding Your Way With Map and Compass

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This resource has a topographic map that tells you where things are and how to get to them. Use this site to help you use a map and compass to determine your location.
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PPT
Tom Richey

Tom Richey: Power Point: Geography of Ancient Egypt

For Students 9th - 10th
Thirteen-slide PowerPoint presentation on the geography of Ancient Egypt. Slides contain photos, maps and instructional information. [Requires download.]
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Unit Plan
Enchanted Learning

Enchanted Learning: Map Reading Activity #1

For Students 3rd - 5th
At this site from Enchanted Learning, students can use this printable worksheet and then follow the directions given and practice their map reading skills.