Teach Engineering
What is GIS?
Is GIS the real manifestation of Harry Potter's Marauders Map? Introduce your class to the history of geographic information systems (GIS), the technology that allows for easy use of spatial information, with a resource that teaches...
Curated OER
Cartography
Learners follow directions to draw a map of an island. They complete the island map adding their own details using symbols and a legend.
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FUN WITH MAPS
Second graders receive a general overview about how maps are made and used, how specific information can be derived from them, and how a student can gain personal information about their surroundings from examining them.
Curated OER
How Do Cartographers Find Points on a Map?
Ninth graders describe latitude and longitude and how they may be useful to find things on a map. In this cartography lesson students divide into groups and devise a coordinate system that can be used to communicate a position.
Teach Engineering
Projections and Coordinates: Turning a 3D Earth into Flatlands
Introduce your class to map projections and coordinates, the basics for the work done in a GIS, with an activity that uses Google Earth to challenge learners to think about the earth's shape.
Curated OER
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Map for Me: An Original Story
Students read Blackbeard and brainstorm their knowledge of maps. In this language arts and geography lesson, students use landmarks on their playground to review north, south, east and west and discuss the compass rose. Students read...
Curated OER
Mapping Roxaboxen
Fourth graders read Roxaboxen and draw a map of the Roxaboxen community. In this language arts and geography lesson, 4th graders use specifications given, adding features to the map as described in the book and creating a legend.
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Regions of Utah - Mapping
Fourth graders draw a rudimentary map of the state of Utah, dividing it into the three regions: the Great Basin, the Colorado Plateau, and the Rocky Mountain Region.
Edgate
Great Grids
Learners use grid boxes as a measurement tool and discover how grids are used for mapmaking and scaling down an area. They begin by attempting to draw a model shape drawn by the teacher by using the gridding process. At the conclusion of...
Curated OER
Mapping My World
Students are introduced to simple maps and view a map of a classroom and compare distances of items shown.
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Maps in Kindergarten: Rosie’s Walk
Students are read, Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins. In this sequencing lesson, students discover the importance of knowing how to create a map and read it. They listen to the story and complete various map making activities.
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Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Students watch a portion of "The Wizard of Oz" and discuss how a map could be useful to Dorothy. They identify key components of maps and design a map of their classroom, including a key.
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CLASSROOM MAPS
Students do a blind tour of their school by responding to verbal commands. They look and discuss various maps in the classroom. They locate the direction of the sunrise and discuss the compass directions of North, South, East, and West.
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Mapmaking
Students examine the craft of cartography and how the Lewis and Clark expedition created and used maps. They analyze maps, read a handout, create a map, participate in a mini expedition and map out a route based on travel directions,...
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Map Making
Students use a tennis ball and paper to construct a student-made globe. They sketch in continents and major map features and then compare a flat map to a globe.
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Cartography
Students research about cartography and how to be a cartographer. In this math lesson plan, students draw a map of their classroom. They use a robot to explore navigation using a compass rose.
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Exploring with Cartography
Students are introduced to the topic of cartography. Using the internet, they research the paths and goals of early explorers. They create a PowerPoint presentation of the information they collected. They also develop a...
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Silk Roads Big Map
Students create an oversized map from Europe to East Asia. They include information such as Silk Roads, geographical features, major cities and cultural information on their map.
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Life in Old Babylonia: The Importance of Trade
Students read maps and artifacts for information indicating the existence of a trade network in Old Babylonia and beyond. They list goods imported to and exported from Babylonia. They indicate trading centers on a map of ancient...
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Schoolyard Geology
Discover that maps show information about an area and that they have common features like scales and legends. View an aerial map of your school and find features on the map such as the playground, roads, and trees. Trace the outline of...
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GIS Mapping: Special Instructions for Using Digital Orthophotos
Students practice cartography using GIS technology. They create a map of Austin using GIS and aerial photos.
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Reading Maps Critically
Students discover that maps represent different values of the cultures who make them. Using the internet, they research the role of a cartographer and how their culture affects them. In groups, they are given examples of maps in which...
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Let's Make a Map
Second graders draw maps of their playground, noting objects such as trees and play equipment. Working in groups, they make maps of different parts of the school and assemble them into a schoolwide map. They make maps on a field trip to...
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Charting Neptune's Realm: Profiles
Students identify and describe the importance of nautical profiles in early navigation. They draw a profile of a street or mall and explore the effectiveness of different types of directions.