National Wildlife Federation
Quantifying Land Changes Over Time Using Landsat
"Humans have become a geologic agent comparable to erosion and [volcanic] eruptions ..." Paul J. Crutzen, a Nobel Prize-winning atmospheric chemist. Using Landsat imagery, scholars create a grid showing land use type, such as urban,...
Curated OER
Coordinate Grid: Mapping an Archaeological Site
Middle schoolers examine how archaeologists preserve context of sites through use of rectangular grid or Cartesian coordinate system, and develop sense of distance by pacing off and estimating distances.
Curated OER
Reading Contour Maps
Students examine contour maps and bathymetry maps and discover how to interpret a contour map of the East Pacific Rise. Students look at a map as a class and answer questions together before working independently on a map of the East...
Curated OER
Making Topographic Maps and Mountain Profiles
Learners study how to mark inclines and construct a mountain profile. In this topographic map activity students mark contour intervals and draw mountain profiles.
Curated OER
Latitude and Longitude
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...
Curated OER
Where in the World
Students explore the global grid system. In this globe lesson, students identify latitude and longitude lines and how these can tell the coordinates of any place. They use the Internet to find the exact coordinates for their town.
Curated OER
"Yarning" About Latitude and Longitude
Learners identify various locations using latitude and longitude. In this map skills lesson, students use yarn and labels to create a "human globe." Learners identify the Prime Meridian, the Equator, and Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
Curated OER
What do Maps Show?
Eighth graders practice the skill of reading maps. In this geography lesson, 8th graders participate in a classroom lecture on how to read a map.
International Technology Education Association
Reinventing Time
Take a trip through time. A lesson resource provides instruction on the origin of current measurements for time. The text explains the different tools humans used throughout history to measure time as well as provides examples such as...
Curated OER
Mapping and Excavating a Jello Mold
Students simulate how archaeologists excavate sites by "searching" their own site in the form of a Jello mold. They use a grid to map the objects in the Jello mold as well as looking at three layers of Jello to understand stratigraphy...
Curated OER
Cookie Mapping
Students study the components of a bedrock geology map through a hands-on activity involving a cookie and graph paper.
Curated OER
Introduction to WorldWatcher: Coloring Temperature Maps
Young scholars are introduced to the software program WorldWatcher. In groups, they discover the temperature variations throughout the world and color a map according to the temperatures. They also practice using visualization to...
Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)
Sonar Mapping of the Ocean Floor
Eighth graders participate in an experiment that emulates a sonar signal bouncing off the ocean floor. They determine how the ocean floor is measured by the length of time it takes for the sonar signal to return. They work with a wooden...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
From Ben’s Pen to Our Lives
What would Ben do? Jumping off from the pseudonymous letters Ben Franklin fooled his older brother into publishing when he was still a teenager, young literary lovers dive into acting, writing, and addressing a local issue with wit and...
PBS
Inspector Detector
How do spacecraft detect magnetic fields? The fourth installment of a five-part unit has learners develop a device with magnets that allows for the detection of magnetic fields. They use a map of an imaginary planet to try out their...
California Academy of Science
Earthquakes and Tectonic Plates
Here is a comprehensive package in which middle schoolers learn about types of seismic waves, triangulation, and tectonic plate boundaries. Complete vocabulary, colorful maps, and a worksheet are included via links on the webpage. You...
Carnegie Mellon University
Renewables Workshop
Youngsters examine resource maps to find out which states are using solar and wind power and discuss as a class various other renewable energy sources. They use a provided data table to record pros and cons to each technology, build and...
Curated OER
Locating IIT Using Ordered Pairs
Students investigate ordered pairs. In this math activity, students plot and locate ordered pairs in a coordinate plane and are exposed to how to read and create a map.
Exploratorium
Building Three-Dimensional Structures
Are you looking for a good 3-D geometry lesson that includes hands-on activities for your middle schoolers? Look no further than this one! Pupils use centimeter grid paper embedded in the plan, along with detailed construction...
Curated OER
TE Activity: The Trouble with Topos
Pupils study the uses of topographical maps including the many forms that they take. They discover that the map features show its intended use such as city maps, wilderness maps, and state maps. They complete a worksheet in which they...
Curated OER
Grids
Take your study of coordinates online! Groups of students complete an online graphing introduction, plotting the points of virtual objects. A worksheet is included for extra practice.
Mathematics Assessment Project
Discovering the Pythagorean Theorem
Young mathematicians join the ancient order of the Pythagoreans by completing an assessment task that asks them to find the area of tilted squares on dot paper. They then look at patterns in the squares to develop the...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Nidy-Gridy
Students make a grid and coordinate system map of their classroom as they investigate why it is important to have a common map making system. They look at how landmarks are used for navigating an area.
Curated OER
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Students identify and analyze map symbols and map grids by completing various worksheets and creating their own map using these skills. Students identify and analyze what latitude and longitude are on a map to play a game of Bingo....