NASA
How Far Away Is Space?
Space is about 60 miles from the surface of Earth. Pupils make calculations to model that distance by stacking coins the appropriate height using scale. They then explore the distance to objects in space such as satellites and the space...
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Scale Basketball
Students understand that a spreadsheet can be used to find the best scale to use in a model. They place the distances of the planets of the solar system to the Sun in one column of the spreadsheet. Students try different scales so that...
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Colonial Vacation Planner
Students plan a family vacation to states that were among the original 13 colonies. The groups determine which state they visit, map their route, calculate the mileage, and determine how much money they spend on gasoline.
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Globe Skills Lesson 6 The Louisiana Purchase
Students explore the Louisiana Purchase territory. In this geography skills lesson, students use map skills in order to plot and note latitude and longitude, measure scale distance, and locate landforms that were part of the Louisiana...
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Earth on the Earth
Fourth graders plot points on a graph and transfer those coordinates onto a large scale model resulting in an outline of the Western Hemisphere. They identify the major geographical landforms of the Western Hemisphere.
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Globe Skills Lesson 8 Dust Bowl Travelers
Students develop their globe and map skills, In this geography lesson, students examine the Dust Bowl as they complete an activity that requires them to plot latitude and longitude.
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Lesson 3-5: Proportions and Similar Figures
In this similar figures worksheet, students use proportions to solve 6 short answer and multiple choice questions. Students use proportions to answer questions about map scales and height of trees given shadow lengths.
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Mapping a Stream
Young scholars map an actual local waterway. They create full color scale drawings that include windfalls, plant cover, streambed composition, and landmarks such as trees, boulders, and slumps. This is a long-term project that involves...
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MAP UNIT
First graders investigate how maps are used to identify different locations. They will also appreciate how there are different types of maps for their purposes. Finally students study how maps contain symbols that represent real places.
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Mapping Potato Island
Students create their own topographical map using a potato. For this hands on lesson students construct a topographical map and explain what contour lines are using a potato.
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Coordinate Grid: Mapping Archeological Sites
Fourth graders discover how to apply the Cartesian coordinate system by figuring out the length and width of their school playground. They determine that pacing is an important tool for the initial mapping of a site. Students conduct a...
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Quick-Sketch Artist Tips on Mind Mapping the Urban Landscape
Students interpret maps. They also create mental maps of regions in which they are studying. Students then explain the historical or cultural significance of map features orally or in written form. Students take a walking field trip...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Climate Change Around the World
Look at climate change around the world using graphical representations and a hands-on learning simulation specified to particular cities around the world. Using an interactive website, young scientists follow the provided...
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FINDING A RESOLUTION
Students examine detailed Moon and Earth views provided by the NASA-sponsored "World Wind" computer program. They work in groups to create maps of different scales using landmarks of their choice, and challenge their classmates to...
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Your Galactic Address
Young scholars discover their place in the universe. For this astronomy lesson, students identify their location on various maps that have increasingly larger scales. In the end, the young scholars write their address in...
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Design an Island
Students explore islands. They create a two- or three-dimensional map of an island. They explain how the topography of an area influences the location of water sources, ecosystems, and human settlements. Lesson includes adaptations for...
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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...
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Park Brochures
Sixth graders investigate natural environments by researching national parks. In this brochure making lesson, 6th graders explore a specific national park and research it's information by utilizing the web. Students create travel...
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School Neighborhood Walking Tour
Students list specific boundaries in their school neighborhood and explain their possible purpose. They examine a neighborhood and see what connects us and what divides us. They, in groups, make maps of various neighborhoods and present...
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The Pilgrims
Learners use distance measuring tools to follow directions and chart the path the pilgrims made from Plymouth, England to Boston, Massachusetts. In this Pilgrim voyage lesson, students use a map to chart the distance traveled by the...
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Lesson 3 Activity 1: On the Trail of Knowledge
Students plot the earthquake epicenter data on the base map of the North Atlantic ocean floor using different symbols or colors to characterize different values.
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Salad Tray 3D Topographic Model
Students explore the characteristics of topographical maps. They examine the relationship of contour lines and vertical elevation. Students create a three-dimensional model of a landscape represented by a topographic contour map.
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Vocabulary Review and Map Skills
Students, when given the name of a community, identify a food, a craft, a custom, language and music, unique to that community 100% of the time. They find similarities and differences between this community and their own in four...
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Ancient Middle East Geography
As part of a study of ancient Middle East geography, kids locate seas, rivers, regions, and cities on a map of the region.