Curated OER
Mapping Our Home
Students explore how communities participate in census counting. In this census lesson, students recognize the absolute and relative location of a state and understand ideas about civic life and government.
Curated OER
Concept Map
A blank concept map graphic organizer helps learners get their information, thoughts, and ideas organized. One initial concept splits into three sub-topics, which then provide a larger section for more details.
Education Outside
Nature's Treasure Map
Youngsters construct a map of treasures that they find along a nature trail as they hike. They also make sketches and create place names of some of the spots along the trail. Once back in class, pupils use their treasure maps to help...
Curated OER
What You Can Learn From a Map
Pupils investigate the use of road maps, shadeded relief maps, and topographic maps.
Curated OER
Introduction to Maps
Young scholars investigate a variety of maps to explain what each one is used for.
Curated OER
From Restriction Maps to Cladograms
Biology aces analyze restriction maps to determine the relationships among different primate species and then complete a cladogram. Preface this lesson with an explanation of how restriction enzymes are used to create the DNA maps....
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Things That Stick Out Or: How To Find Your Way Around on a Map
Students explain the meaning of and recognize the map outlines of a peninsula, an isthmus, and a cape.
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Map Scale
Young scholars investigate the purpose of map scale and how it is used to measure the distance and the size of objects.
Curated OER
The Mind Map
Learners form a mental map of their residence in relation to school and recreate it on paper showing distance, direction, location and symbols. This lesson is designed to introduce students to geographic thinking.
Curated OER
Cartographer on Assignment: Creating a Physical Map of Africa
Students use geographic information to make an outline map of Africa, then demonstrate their understanding of the physical landscape of Africa by using a variety of materials to create a physical map of Africa
Curated OER
Exploring Maps: Lesson 2 Guide: Navigation
Students explore and examine how maps have been used in navigation. They research how travelers collected observations to keep track of their positions and plotted information on maps. Each student then makes a Mercator projection...
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Mapping Ancient Coastlines
Most of this lesson plan is spent working on the "Bathymetry Worksheet." It includes a graph of the changes in sea level over the past 150,000 years and a bathymetric map of changes in an imaginary coastline over time. Participants...
Curated OER
Story Map for Bud, Not Buddy
Why should your class complete a story map? After reading Bud, Not Buddy, divide your class into pairs or small groups to complete the included worksheet. They list the main characters, the conflict, main plot events, the resolution, and...
Curated OER
Mapping a Site Using a Coordinate Plane
Learners map their playground as if it were an archeological site. They locate objects on the playground and determine their location using coordinate points. A related lesson is Coordinate Grid: Mapping an Archeological Site.
Curated OER
Mapping the Prairie
Fifth graders study maps of the Chicago area looking at defining characteristics and place names. They investigate settlement patterns by looking at the maps.
Austin Independent School District
Social Studies Strategies: Concept of a Definition Map
Model for your class members how to use a definition map to make connections between new words and prior knowledge. Although the strategy is designed for social studies classes, the approach can be use at any grade level and in any...
Curated OER
The Road Map & the Middle East
Will walls help? Read to learn how Prime Minister Ariel Sharon proposes to build walls around Isreal in hopes of isolation from Palestine. Complete an online Webquest, analyze maps, listen to audio clips, answer discussion questions, and...
Curated OER
Isoseismal Maps
Students examine the difference between magnitude and intensity in earthquakes. They complete map work and write a first hand account of a person living in each level of intensity on the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Curated OER
Let Me Tell You About...
Students comprehend the differences between flat maps and relief or topographical maps. They recognize how forces such as earthquakes, volcanoes, water, and wind-as well as human actions--have altered the Earth's surface. Students work...
Curated OER
Connecting Cartography to Society
Older high schoolers use maps to study changes in society like migration, population loss, and economic shifts, and then connect events from historical events to present day mapping of their region (The resource focuses on Canada, but...
Curated OER
What's the Big Deal?
Learners listen to a passage (suggested reading: "Do a Cat's Eyes Glow?") and create a map of what they hear. They use the map to write a summary. Then, they read their own passages and independently map and summarize it the same way....
Curated OER
The Vietnam War: Geopolitical map and US Involvement
Students identify the important geographic and political locations on a map of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. They draw and label 19 items of geographic and political importance. Students are introduced to the Vietnam War through power...
Curated OER
The Crash Scene
Fifth graders explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this engineering lesson plan, 5th graders identify the differences between latitude and longitude and practice locating precise points on a globe or map. Students...