Curated OER
What Do Maps Show?
This teaching packet is for grades five through eight, and it is organized around geographic themes: location, place, relationships, movement, and regions. There are four full lessons that are complete with posters, weblinks, and...
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Learning About the Map's Legend
Young scholars draw a map of a room in their house and place a legend on it. They explain the legend orally.
Curated OER
Christopher Columbus: The Man, the Myth, the Legend
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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Where Am I: How to Read a Map
Third graders develop an understanding of maps. They explore what a map is, who uses maps, and how to use maps. Students investigate the compas rose. They create a compose rose which illustrates the cardinal directions. Students practice...
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Topo Map Mania!
Young scholars read and use topographical maps. They also use a compass to find bearing to an object on a map and in the classroom. Ask your students how they might travel to somewhere they have never been to befo
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Mapping the Census
Students learn why the census makes a difference. In this U.S. Census lesson plan, students learn the key elements of cartography, examine the difference between data and their representation, and create a map using census data.
Education World
Map Skills Worksheet 5
In this map skills practice worksheet, students practice reading a legend as they respond to 12 short answer questions regarding a legend and a map.
Curated OER
Drake's West Indian Voyage 1588-1589
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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Map Skills
In this history instructional activity, students utilize a map and legend to answer eleven comprehension questions. Students check their answers when done.
Institute for Geophysics
Understanding Maps of Earth
Here is your go-to student resource on primary geography concepts, including facts about the surface of the earth and its hemispheres, latitude and longitude, globes, types of maps, and identifying continents and oceans.
Curated OER
Transportation and Mapping
Young scholars view murals that depict various modes of transportation. They discuss the importance of maps to navigation and create a map. They compare and contrast transportation of the past with modes of transportation used today.
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All Aboard the Freedom Train!
Young historians identify Harriet Tubman, her character traits, and role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. They create an escape map using map legends and the Cardinal directions. This plan utilizes one of my favorite video...
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Topographic Mapping Skills
In this geography instructional activity, learners read an excerpt about topographic maps and why they are useful for various jobs. They also respond to eleven questions that follow related to the excerpt and locating specific map points...
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Map It!
Fourth graders demonstrate map making skills by using the computer to create maps of the geographic features, regions, and economy for their state.
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Map Exploration
Are you looking for a terrific lesson on map activities for your second graders? Then, this resource is for you! The activities range from decoding, to fill-in-the-blank, to read-and-search. There is a website activity related to maps...
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As the Kids Come and Go: Mapping a Classroom
Map the classroom with your kids to help them understand how maps work and how to read them. The lesson starts off with a story about animals living and moving around the globe, and then kids create maps of their classroom to show how...
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A Walk Around the School: Mapping Places Near and Far
After reading Pat Hutchins’ Rosie’s Walk, have your young cartographers create a map of Rosie’s walk. Then lead them on a walk around the school. When you return class members sequence the walk by making a list of how the class got from...
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Map It With Pixie
Fourth graders use the computer program 'Pixie' to create a topographic, detailed map for the state they live in. In this mapping skills lesson, 4th graders use Pixie to make a map of their state that includes topographic features, state...
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Waldseemuller's Map: World 1507
Students investigate the 1507 word map. In this world geography lesson plan, students examine the details of each section of the map and then draw conclusions about how the people of 1507 understood the world. Students are evalated on...
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Where in the World War? Mapping the Geography of D-Day
Students examine how to read maps for historical information. They listen to a lecture on the history of D-Day, analyze a historical map of the invasion of Normandy, and answer discussion questions.
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Osage, Legend, and Arkansas History
Elementary schoolers evaluate the legend of Norristown Mountain by looking at facts about the Osage Indians and the legend itself. They do an exploration of Arkansas' Native American groups which includes a look at their legends,...
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Map Making/Floor Plans/Map Reading
Students apply their knowledge of scale when mapping the classroom. They determine the use of a map legend and orient a map using a compass. They create the classroom maps using transfer graph paper.
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United States Map- State Capitals
Young scholars explore map skills. In this state capital lesson, students view a United States Political Map and identify and use post-it notes to label the state capitals.
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Map Analysis Worksheet
In this map analysis worksheet, students decipher what type of map they are using based on a complete list of criteria. Students then answer multiple questions based on their discoveries.