Physics Classroom
As the Crow Flies Lab
A simple, yet memorable, way of practicing with displacement vectors is described here. Divide your class into groups and assign each a different landmark on campus. They measure smaller legs of the path from the classroom to their...
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Home on the Range
Young scholars use maps and mathematics to determine the appropriate panther population in a given area. In this Florida ecology lesson, students research the area requirements of male and female panther and use a map to help calculate...
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Mapping A Stream
Students participate in mapping an actual waterway. They include reach lengths, transects, compass reading, and scale determinations. They include windfalls, plant cover, types of streambed composition, and landmarks such as trees and...
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The Tale of Scale
Eighth graders, using a range of data, produce three bar graphs for various scales along the y-axis.
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Old World and New World - Why Contact Took So Long
Students use a globe to determine why contact between the old world and the new world took a long time. In this map skills lesson plan, students analyze routes between regions to determine why it took so long for the old world and the...
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TE Activity: The Trouble with Topos
Learners 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...
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Mapping an Artifact
Students copy a present day artifact onto graph paper. In groups, they decide the scale of the drawing and create the picture using specific graphing points. They are also given photographs in which there are no graphing points and they...
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Living in the Desert
Conduct an investigation on the plants used by the Hohokam tribe. To survive in the harsh desert environment the Hohokam used many natural resources. Learners read, research, map, and graph multiple aspects of Hohokam plant use as a...
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Middle Ages Cross Curriculum Project
Middle schoolers complete several projects on the Middle Ages. In this world history lesson, students complete language arts, social studies, math, and science projects. Some of these include: comparing a teenager's life now to that in...
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New Perspectives
Students examine maps that are designed to give different perspectives. They create mental maps that illustrate their own perspectives and those of people from other parts of the world.
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Size Small School
Middle schoolers explore the concept of scale and ratio. In this scale and ratio lesson, students work in groups to measure a given space such as a hallway, office, or gym. Middle schoolers measure their area using a meter...
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Gilligan's Island
Students investigate topographical maps and match actual landforms to them. In this topographical maps lesson students create "Gilligan's Island" to scale then answer questions about it such as what the highest elevations is and...
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Cartography
Students follow directions to draw a map of an island. They complete the island map adding their own details using symbols and a legend.
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Students Become Mapmakers
Students practice making a map of a continent and correctly plotting five cities on that map. They place latitude and longitude lines on a map, determine the need for various map projections and explain why map scales are necessary.
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Missouri Time Scale
Students plot events that happened years ago beginning with volcano activity. In this investigative lesson students are introduced to the different eras and plot them on a map.
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It's Happening, Where? Find the Absolute and Relative Location of News Articles
Students read newspaper articles. In this social studies lesson plan, students locate the latitude and longitude of the location where the news article takes place. Students write a summary of the news article.
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Cartography
Students research about cartography and how to be a cartographer. In this math lesson, students draw a map of their classroom. They use a robot to explore navigation using a compass rose.
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Attu Battlefield: U.S. Army and Navy Airfields on Attu
Students use maps, readings, drawings and photos to research the World War II Battle of Attu. They explain the importance of the battle, discuss the valor and loyalty of both American and Japanese troops and analyze sources of historical...
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Cookie Topography
Students construct a cross section diagram showing elevation changes on a "cookie island." Using a chocolate chip cookie for an island, they locate the highest point in centimeters on the cookie and create a scale in feet. After tracing...
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The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Sixth graders examine the causes of the stock market crash of 1929. In this integrated math/history unit on the stock market, 6th graders study, research, and read stocks, visit a local bank, and create a PowerPoint to show the...
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Volcano Contour Models Activity and Tracing the Highs and Lows in San Francisco
Pupils investigate how to draw topographic contours and read topographic maps.They examine the topography of San Francisco and contrast the elevation of different points within San Francisco.
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Find a Cave
Students locate their own communites and the nearest caves on a United States map. They calculate the distance to the nearest cave using rough scale.
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Sam Houston for President...Again
Fourth graders discover the political career of Sam Houston. In this Texas history lesson, 4th graders research primary resources and create a modern-day version of Sam Houston's political campaign of the 1840s.