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...

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. 

Color the town red. Demonstrate the concept of graph theory with a task that involves determining the least number of colors needed to color a map so that neighboring countries are not represented by the same color. Pupils make...

Young cartographers design maps of their school gardens, including a key, compass indicating correct orientation, and colors to enhance their map details.

Young pupils develop their mapping skills and knowledge by designing their own islands, using geographic terms and physical features they have learned as features of their work.

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...

Students examine topographical maps and the challenges faced by cartographers when drawing the maps. While creating collages, they use contour lines to add dimension much in the same way they are used on maps to show elevation.

Students create a map of the school and surrounding neighborhood.  In this mapping lesson plan, students discover their school's location and learn about its past.  Students use math skills and the steps in the design process to complete...

Ninth graders analyze a fantasy art map by Jeremy Anderson, paying careful attention to the way the topographic features of the land are represented. They create a similar map of Sacramento that includes topographical features as well as...

Links to two different versions of this mapping activity are available. In "The Small Version," youngsters design a town, keeping the water supply in mind. In "The Large Version," they also design a town, but they consider services and...

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...

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

Students study the basics of mapmaking, then make a tally walker, (geographic location device used in secret).

Young scholars 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.

Fifth graders, after reading Island of the Blue Dolphins, explore map making using the Whole Language Approach.

Young scholars get to experiment with using non-standard units of measurement. They also try their hand at creating a map of a special place at their school. Some excellent handouts are embedded in this lesson, which will make it easy to...

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...

Young geographers will enjoy this entertaining lesson on maps. You choose ten of the unusual town names that your students found and provide activities that challenge your charges to apply their newfound geography skills. A worthwhile...

Students map and describe a small area of the schoolyard.

Students investigate who the Mongols were and where their empire was located. They research Kublai Khan and the region he ruled. They study the major products of 13th Century China.

Students examine the theory of finding latitude and discuss the uses of an astrolabe, cross-staff and octant. They determine an Astronomical Table for their classroom.

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.

Thirds graders reinforce that a map is a drawing that shows what a place looks like from above. They use a map key and symbols to create a map of the school and its neighborhood.

Students view satellite pictures of the ocean, and discuss the presence of phytoplankton and the colors of the ocean. Students compare/contrast ocean satellite images with maps and globes, then color world maps to replicate the satellite...