Lesson Plan
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Tooling Around Arizona: Reading Arizona Maps

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students research Arizona maps. In this map lesson plan, students discuss map titles, scales, directions, elevation, and symbols. The class will examine topography, landforms, and rivers found on an Arizona map.
Lesson Plan
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The Geography of Europe

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students examine maps of Europe. In this geography skills lesson, students interpret several maps to determine the boundaries of the European Union and respond to assessment questions about the maps.
Lesson Plan
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Walking on Maps

For Teachers K - 4th
Students are introduced to the various types of maps and their functions. As a class, they play a game similar to twister to review map concepts. They answer questions about the map and use the internet to view larger maps of the world.
Lesson Plan
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Drawing A Map

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discuss any information they already know about maps. As a class, they draw a map of a park following written directions making sure to include a compass rose and key. They are graded based on a rubric and discuss the need for...
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FUN WITH MAPS

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders receive a general overview about how maps are made and used, how specific information can be derived from them, and how a student can gain personal information about their surroundings from examining them.
Lesson Plan
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Me on the Map Lesson 1

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students use maps, globes, geographic information systems and other sources of information to analyze the nature of places at a variety of scales. They identify on a map and determine the population of the city, county, state, country...
Lesson Plan
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World Map and Globe - Lesson 1 Introduction to the Globe

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the earth with maps and globes. In this map lesson, students use maps and globes to locate oceans and continents.
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Edible Maps

For Teachers 1st
First graders, in groups, identify major geographical features of Texas. They form a topographical map of Texas using edible dough, candy, etc. They present and then eat their maps.
Lesson Plan
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Map Skills: Explorers, Continents, and Oceans

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders use a software program to make and label a map of the world. On the map, they locate the seven continents, oceans and the countries of Europe. They also draw the routes of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Leon and...
Lesson Plan
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Tasty Mapping

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students create an edible map. In this civics and geography lesson, students research their town's features and local government. Students work in groups to design and create a physical map of their town based on research.
Lesson Plan
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Making Good Decisions

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the consequences of behaviors and what the concept of trade offs are.  In this good decision lesson students read an article and answer questions on making good decisions. 
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Map Skills

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the nations, battlefields, troop movement of the Germans through Belgium and the location of both fronts during World War I by creating a map. They visualize the strength of the Germans early in the war.
Worksheet
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Thinking Critically about Geography

For Students 4th - 6th
In this map reading instructional activity, students answer 2 critical thinking questions about a map shown. Page has links to additional resources.
Lesson Plan
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School Neighborhood Walking Tour

For Teachers 7th - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
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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...
Lesson Plan
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National Expansion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the Manifest Denstiny. They explore how the idea was evident in 19th century American maps. Students brainstorm the relationships between maps and national expansion. They review a map from 1816 that called for...
Lesson Plan
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Exploring Hawaiian Mountain Zones

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders watch a video that describes the climate and vegetation zones of Hawaii. They describe the different physical conditions that create vegetation zones from the sea to the mountains. In groups, they create an illustrated...
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The Crash Scene

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this engineering instructional activity, 5th graders identify the differences between latitude and longitude and practice locating precise points on a globe or...
Lesson Plan
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Around the Town

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
In the world of GPS, make sure your kids can still read maps and determine distances between locations. You will need neighborhood street maps, ideally of your class' home turf. Ask kids questions about different locations in relation to...
Lesson Plan
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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
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Boundaries and People

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students map watersheds to find their boundaries.  In this watershed activity students map and then give their "watershed address."  Students show the trail from stream, larger stream to oceans.  Students describe the...
Lesson Plan
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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
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What in Our World Affects the Way People Live

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders study various maps that show geographical features and population. They compare the maps and make inferences about how various geographical features influence the population and human activities of an area.
Lesson Plan
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Exploring the Hudson in 1609

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
While this lesson focuses on a study of the Hudson River, it could be used as a template for a discussion of map skills, converting measurements, and plotting a route. The lesson includes vocabulary and other resources to make it a...