Curated OER
Where are We?
Fifth graders explore places visited by Lewis and Clark. In this geographical concepts lesson, 5th graders plot places on a map and put events in chronological order. Students find locations on a map using longitude and latitude....
Curated OER
And a Star to Steer Her By: A Field Trip Guide for the Planetarium Show
In this field trip study guide for the planetarium show lesson, students construct a model of the Earth and describe the relative positions of the continents using latitude and longitude. Students construct a star chart to find...
Curated OER
Mapping the News
Students explore cartography. In this map skills and map making lesson, Students work in groups to create wall size world maps including legends, compass roses, latitude and longitude, and physical features. Students collect current...
Curated OER
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. ...
Orange County Water Atlas
Location, Location, Location…
Young geographers discover not only how to read and recognize coordinates on a map, but also gain a deeper understanding of latitude and longitude and how climate changes can vary significantly across latitudes.
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.
Statistics Education Web
What Percent of the Continental US is Within One Mile of a Road?
There are places in the US where a road cannot be found for miles! The lesson asks learners to use random longitude and latitude coordinates within the US to collect data. They then determine the sample proportion and confidence interval...
Space Awareness
Let's Map the Earth
Before maps went mobile, people actually had to learn how to read maps. Pupils look at map elements in order to understand how to read them and locate specific locations. Finally, young cartographers discover how to make aerial maps.
Space Awareness
The Sun Compass of the Vikings
Evidence shows the Vikings likely navigated by using a simple sundial to find their course. Videos, a short story, and discussion help bring this time period to life as they study European history with a hands-on experiment. Scholars...
Curated OER
Where In the World Am I?
Learners identify their location in the world after studying latitude, longitude, relative location, and absolute location. They use assigned web site to find information to make a flipbook that answers questions about their location in...
Curated OER
Mush! Tracking Travelers on the Trail
Students get to know Alaska and the Iditarod route that is run by dogs as they track the mushers' progress on a map that they create specifically for the race. They learn about latitude, longitude, plotting on a map, checkpoints, and...
NOAA
A Watery World
With about 70% of the earth's surface covered in oceans, it's fair to say that we live in a very wet world. Young scientists gain a better appreciation of this fact as they use maps to identify the world's ocean basins in the first...
Space Awareness
Navigation in the Ancient Mediterranean and Beyond
Ancient texts, like Homer's Odyssey, mentions navigating ships by observing constellations. Pupils learn about the link between history and astronomy as they relate to navigation in the Bronze Age. Scholars complete two hands-on...
Bowland
Sundials!
Time to learn about sundials. Scholars see how to build sundials after learning about Earth's rotation and its relation to time. The unit describes several different types of possible sundials, so choose the one that fits your needs — or...
Curated OER
The Equator
Middle schoolers investigate cultures located along the equator. In this geography skills activity, students research the geography, history, culture, and tourism of Ecuador, Indonesia, Kenya, Brazil, and Singapore. Middle schoolers...
Curated OER
Map Your School
Learners participate in a project to map their school. They measure and graph various areas around the school. Learners find the longitude and latitude of the school and research the school's history, and highlight special important areas.
US Mint
Absolutely and Relatively: The Puerto Rico Quarter Reverse
How much does your class know about Puerto RIco? How much can they learn from the back of a 2009 quarter? Use the coin, part of a series of quarters that depict US territories, to teach learners about the geography, culture, and history...
Curated OER
NIGHT AND DAY: DAILY CYCLES IN SOLAR RADIATION
Students examine how Earth's rotation causes daily cycles in solar energy using a microset of satellite data to investigate the Earth's daily radiation budget and locating map locations using latitude and longitude coordinates.
Curated OER
Japan: Land of the Rising Sun
Students locate Japan on a globe, name the major physical features, and describe the physical environment. They survey the differences and similarities between the life and culture of Japanese young people and American young people.
Curated OER
The Landscape of a Novel
Students, after reading a novel, utilize geographic skills to map out the places described in the novel. They collect data, envision spatial features and then design a map to work off of to complete their assignment. Each student also...
Science Matters
Ring of Fire
Over a period of 35 years, earthquakes and volcanoes combined only accounted for 1.5 percent of the deaths from natural disasters in the United States. The 15th lesson in a 20-part series connects the locations of earthquakes and...
National Wildlife Federation
Is It Getting Hot in Here, or Is It Just Me?
Currently, only 2.1% of global warming is felt on continents, while over 93% is felt in the oceans. The fourth lesson in the series of 21 on global warming is composed of three activities that build off one another. In the first...
Curated OER
Around the World in 5 Days
Learners explore continents, draw map, discuss cultures, use research to learn geography, and investigate cultures.
Curated OER
Making Sense Of A Round World On A Flat Surface
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the development of geography skills. They take part in a number of activities that center around finding and traveling to different locations. The lesson has resource links that can be...