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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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US City Quality of Life Analysis and Comparison
Students analyze US census data and criteria to compare and measure the quality of life in the country's fifty largest cities. After accessing the 2005 quality of life world report online, students conduct their study to compare three...
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Learning About Maps
Students 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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The Gold Rush
Students identify the routes involved in the Gold Rush on a map. In this map skills lesson, students use a United States map to locate the routes used to travel to California during the Gold Rush. Students demonstrate how to use the map...
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An Early American Culture
Students identify the locations of the Hopewell culture. In this map skills lesson, students use a globe to mark several locations of the Hopewell culture.
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Storm Clouds-- Fly over a Late Winter Storm onboard a NASA Earth Observing Satellite
Students study cloud data and weather maps to explore cloud activity. In this cloud data lesson students locate latitude and longitude coordinates and determine cloud cover percentages.
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Those Who Have Come Before Me
Class members are transformed into explorers as they work in groups to locate hidden items and map their journey along the way. They then leave clues for other groups of students to follow, and ultimately discover how past explorations...
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Crude Conversation
Learners analyze text and maps in determining the effect the world's energy resources have on human society, and make charts illustrating at least three ways each resource makes life easier for human society.
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Adventures With Maps And Globes
First graders examine the differences between a map and a globe. They discuss and identify the symbols on maps and globes, then in small groups complete a worksheet. Students then complete a Venn Diagram comparing maps and globes.
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World Map and Globe
Students explore symbols. In this beginning map instructional activity, students identify common picture symbols. Students place post-it notes with symbols drawn on them in the appropriate place on a map.
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Matching the Globe with the Map
Young scholars examine how to use a globe. In this globe and map comparison instructional activity, students discuss how the globe and map are alike when looking at Africa and Antarctica. Young scholars investigate shapes and sizes of...
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Welcome to My World!
Second graders increase their usage of maps and understand how maps are important in their lives. Students define what an atlas is, and to enforce the students' definition of what an atlas is, they also make their own atlas.
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World Projections
Learners identify map projections and examine polar maps. In this map skills lesson, students use a flat world map to identify various projections and calculate the distances between locations by using a map scale.
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Globe Lesson- Early Spanish Settlements
Students use a globe. In this geography and early settlements lesson, students learn about the settlement of missions and haciendas in New Mexico. Students locate Mexico City and San Francisco on the globe and determine the distance...
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Mapping Community Values
Students discuss the origin of various maps focusing on the values behind them. Students also explore how human needs and geography influence community settlement patterns. Students extend learning by creating and mapping their own ideal...
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Bunyans Lesson Plan
Students practice their map skills. In this early childhood lesson plan, students use a map of the United States and identify the location of several natural wonders included in the book The Bunyans by Audrey Wood.
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Cardinal Directions
First graders study cardinal directions on maps. In this geography lesson, 1st graders determine and show where North, South, East, and West are on various maps.
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From Claws to Jaws: Atlantic Regions of the United States
Students explore New England, Mid-Atlantic, and southeastern regions of the United States. In this social studies thematic unit, students research a state and make a regional quilt. Students wrte a book report and read two novels whose...
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Thematic Maps of Your School
Students are able to list the essential elements of a thematic map, understand and use scale effectively to represent a geographic area, use research skills to develop a body of information, plan and draw an accurate thematic map based...
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Time Zones
Students solve time zone problems and chart travel around the world. In this time zone lesson, students learn about the history of time zones and view a time zone map. Students use the time zone map to solve time zone problems. ...
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Absolute Location
Fifth graders examine the geographic concept of absolute location. Using a variety of resources, they create a life-size classroom grid and locate the coordinates of a point, identify latitude and longitude of different locations, and...
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Studying Snow and Ice Changes
Students compare the change in snow and ice over a 10 year period. In this environmental science activity, students use the live data on the NASA site to study and compare the monthly snow and ice amounts on a map of the entire Earth. ...
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Science Inquiry Lesson: Mapping Project
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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Latitude and Longitude
Young scholars find latitude and longitude on a map or atlas. They create maps with a cruise route. They practice plotting locations given latitiude and longitude.