Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies: Where I Come From

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research the countries of their origins and examine life there today. They write family travel logs by interviewing family members about their heritages, and they visit the Xpeditions Website for online resources about their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Map of Town

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders draw a map of the town given different sites to locate on the map by the teacher. They explain that latitude and longitude are used to locate places on maps and globes, identify the distinctive physical and cultural...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Compass Rose

For Students 3rd - 5th
Keep it simple and visual when practicing directions using this compass rose labeling worksheet. Learners fill in the compass themselves, using cardinal and intermediate direction abbreviations. Consider using their compass on a map to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning Directions on a Map

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students use north, south, east, and west to identify relative locations and provide directions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

United States Map- State Capitals

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students 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.
Lesson Plan
Syracuse University

Erie Canal

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
While canals are not the way to travel today, in the first half of the nineteenth century, they were sometimes the best way to move goods and people. Scholars examine primary sources, including maps and pictures, to investigate the role...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Maps

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Maps, globes, and computer software aid young explorers as they locate state capitols, major cities, geographic features, and attractions for states they are researching. They then use desktop publishing software to create a map to share...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

China Quest

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Read and research information on China. Young researchers complete a knowledge hunt about China then locate and describe each location using directional words. They recognize the word meaning through context clues and application practice.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Maps

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students develop their map skills. In this geography lesson, students participate in an activity that requires them to survey their social studies book in order to find different types of maps and purposes for their uses.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Opening Doors to Social Studies with Children's Literature: The Desert Alphabet Book

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore the geography of the United States. In this social studies instructional activity, students identify the major deserts on a map of the United States.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My World

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students study maps. In this social studies lesson, students draw a map of either their room at home or the route they take to school. Students label items on their maps.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning About Maps

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students take a "field trip" with the teacher through the school then draw a diagram of what they saw. They bring the maps to the computer lab where they create electronic maps using the software program Neighborhood Map Machine.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where Am I: How to Read a Map

For Teachers 3rd
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...
Workbook
Student Handouts

Christopher Columbus Workbook

For Students 2nd - 4th Standards
Youngsters gain ample reading comprehension practice while studying the history of Christopher Columbus with this great workbook! It includes word puzzles and comprehension checks of multiple assessment styles, including multiple choice,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Archaeology- State Map

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students study state maps. In this map skills lesson plan, students identify the states' location and how to use a legend. Students complete photocopies of the state map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Route Map

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Learners demonstrate how to locate features on a Landscape Picture Map. For this map skills lesson, students locate and circle places where they would go to mail a letter, return a library book, or play a baseball game.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Design Archaeology- USGS Maps

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students research USGS maps and identify the major features. In this map skills lesson, students identify low and high elevations on a USGS map and practice finding latitude and longitude.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Latitude and Longitude

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students demonstrate how to locate places on a map using a grid. In this map skills lesson, students are introduced to latitude and longitude lines. Students define these terms and view a large map of a state. Students come up to the map...
Lesson Plan
World Maps Online

Introduction to the World Map

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students identify the differences between maps and globes. In this map skills instructional activity, students are shown a globe and a map and recognize the differences. Students use post-it notes to locate several locations on the world...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A View from the Ground

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students look at a park from ground perspective. For this map skills lesson, students are introduced to a story about a girl at a park and make observations about the park based on a picture. This prepares students for the next lesson in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Yarning" About Latitude and Longitude

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students identify various locations using latitude and longitude. In this map skills lesson plan, students use yarn and labels to create a "human globe." Students identify the Prime Meridian, the Equator, and Northern and Southern...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rivers Run Through It

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Using a relief map of New York State, learners answer questions about the distance between different cities, identify bodies of water, and more. First, they discuss vocabulary related to the Hudson River area. Then, they complete a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do I Get There? Planning a Safe Route to School

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
One much-needed skill for young learners is direction giving. Have your class plan and draw a safe route for them to travel from home to school. They will also draw places and items that are in between home and school in order to build a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Read a Fall Foliage Map

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Pupils examine the purpose of a color key and use a color key to help them read a map.