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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Christopher Columbus: The Man, the Myth, the Legend

For Teachers K
Learn more about maps by examining Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World. Kindergartners will learn about basic map skills and how to identify the compass rose, oceans, and land masses. They will also discover the purpose of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geography of Africa

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars examine the geography of Africa and understand its diverse ethnicity. In this African geography lesson, students create a mental map of Africa. Young scholars label the maps and list the languages of Africa. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food on the Map

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students work together to examine the tastiest towns in the United States. After discovering the names of the equipment, they identify the seven continents. They take a survey and locate the cities and states of the foods mentioned.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

People Change the Landscape

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars examine ways in which humans have brought change to the natural environment. In this ecology and literacy instructional activity, students listen to the book Island Boy by Barbara Cooney. Young scholars observe and define...
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Mapmaking

For Teachers 6th - 10th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plotting a Hurricane Using Latitude and Longitude

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners define and use "absolute location," latitude, and longitude. They locate on a map or globe the Earth's poles, circles, tropics, and beginning points of measurements for latitude and longitude.
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Perfect Postcards: Illinois

For Teachers 4th Standards
Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson plan on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where We Live

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students forecast future population growth of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In this U.S. Census lesson plan, students explain the factors that influence population density on the U.S. Virgin Islands, including geography and economic activity.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drake's West Indian Voyage 1588-1589

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars investigate several maps detailing Sir Francis Drake's voyages.  In this geography instructional activity, students practice reading maps and locating the precise locations of where Sir Francis Drake visited.  Young...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Global Grid System-World Map Activity

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students demonstrate how to use the global grid system. In this map skills lesson, students use a world map to locate various locations. Students identify locations based on the global grid system. Students complete a worksheet as an...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Maps as Models of Earth

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders use different types of maps to find locations and surface features.  In this map-reading lesson students use a compass to find direction.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Potato Mountain": Reading/Understanding Topographic Maps

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate how to read topographic maps.  In this map reading lesson plan students complete a topographic map activity. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Globe Skills Lesson 1 Some Early American Cultures

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students apply their knowledge of geography. In this geography skills activity, students read brief selections regarding early Americans. Students respond to the questions included in the self-guided map skills activity.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science Inquiry Lesson: Mapping Project

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students explore the methods of creating maps. They create a map of Animas River Park using a compass and measuring tape, develop a single map from the team map sections, and devise another map of the Animas River Park using a GPS unit.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning About Maps

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Learners investigate the many uses and features of maps and globes and locate where they live on both. In this map lesson, student play a travel game and create their own maps to explore states, continents, countries, and islands.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

European Union Map Quest

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders identify countries of the European Union. They locate countries of Europe on a map and pair with a student to complete a blank map of Europe. They label each country and complete worksheets for the European Union. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Holocaust Map Studies

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students analyze maps and answer discussion questions related to WWI. In this geography lesson, students analyze historic maps to determine causes and effects of WWI in Europe. Students read testimonies of Holocaust survivors and label...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

United States Map - Lesson 11

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore lakes of the United States. For this geography lesson, students identify noteworthy lakes on a map of the United States.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Traveling Cat Flown Home to Family

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students locate Wisconsin and Belgium on a world map, then read a news article about a cat that stowed away on ship from the U.S. to Europe. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with map and vocabulary...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bank Loans Money to Start Businesses

For Teachers 4th - 6th
After locating Latin American countries on a world map, children read about how microbanks are loaning money to help start small businesses. Involving both current events and economics, the teacher introduces the article with a map...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning about Maps and Colors

For Teachers 1st
First graders discuss "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and his drawings. In this neighborhood geography activity, 1st graders learn to detect and classify places on a map including their home. Students recognize their address as a specific...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geography Journey

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the geographic features that define places and regions and answer questions about the state of California. They discuss the components of a map legend and answer worksheet questions using a map of California as a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Read a Map ... It's a Snap!

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students are introduced to map and globe skills. They use grids and are able to construct their own simple maps of familiar places. Students are able to define a map, globe, and symbol and use the direction words north, south, east,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Westward Expansion : Mapping

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders travel along exploring the expeditions of John F. Fremont. In this Westward expansion lesson, 5th graders gain understanding of the events that shaped the west through the use of maps. Students use mapping skills to...