Curated OER
Current Events, Geography
Students read the newspaper to become aware of what is happening in their city, state, nation, and world. They summarize, find locations on a map and ask thought-provoking questions.
Curated OER
The Battle of Brandywine
Learners explore the Battle of Brandywine, how to analyze maps, and construct a model of a battlefield.
Curated OER
Navigating Your Community
Students draw a map from memory describing the route between their classroom and the gym including a legend, a compass rose, a map scale, symbols, and a landmark at every change of direction. They then retrace their steps in their maps...
Curated OER
Off to College
Students jog to where their classroom teacher went to college using a scale that best fits their situation. They log miles on a chart until students reach their destination. Students use the colleges mascot as the graph indicator as to...
Curated OER
A Thoreau Look at Our Environment
Sixth graders write journal entries o school site at least once during each season, including sketched and written observations of present environment. They can use sample topographical maps and student's own maps. Students can use...
Curated OER
Mission: Possible
Students explore the concept of scale. In this scale instructional activity, students are given directions scaled in inches and students must convert them to feet. Students take a section of a map and create a bigger scaled model of...
Curated OER
From the Heights to the Depths
Students create a relief map of Asia and Australia. They work in small groups on sections of the map to make one complete map of the continents.
Curated OER
Size Small School
Students 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. Students measure their area using a meter stick. ...
Curated OER
Comparing Distances
Students practice estimating distances by analyzing a map. In this length measurement lesson, students view a map with a distance key and use their measurement skills to estimate the distance between two cities. Students utilize an...
Curated OER
Civil War Naval Strategy
Learners apply critical thinking skills to war strategy. In this Civil War map lesson, students use their knowledge of latitude and longitude as well as scale to respond to questions regarding Civil War battle strategies.
Curated OER
Community Map of The Giver
Students read "The Giver" after finishing the unit on inventions and inventors. Using the information in the novel, they develop a geographic map illustrating the community in the story. They identify human and physical features and...
Curated OER
Acid Rain And Geology
Students become aware of the environmental problems caused by acid rain and study the pH scale. They determine acidity of local rain water.
Curated OER
Alberta And Saskatchwan: the View in 1905
Students analyze the differences between maps 1905 and current maps of Alberta and Saskatchewan. They use maps from the Canadian Council for Geographic Education to complete a guided inquiry. This lesson also has many extension activities.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Building a Topographic Model
Students explore the features of a topographic map. They make paper models that portray, in three-dimensions, features represented by contour lines on a topographic map. Students demonstrate different elevations shown on a...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Ridgerunner
Students jog at the beginning of the class while learning about the Appalachian Trail. They integrate math into the lesson by adding up how many miles they have run, and comparing it to distances on a real trail map.
Curated OER
Compass Rose: Dance and Quilt
Fourth graders identify the cardinal directions by listening to a song entitled, "Stand," and by reviewing the lyrics to that song. They notice the cardinal directions that are posted around the classroom. They perform the motions as...
Curated OER
Shake, Rattle And Roll: Studying the Effects of an Earthquake
Students gauge earthquake intensity by reviewing firsthand accounts. They use the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale and newspaper articles to estimate the strength and effects of a past earthquake.
Curated OER
Iraq, Where's That?
Students identify the Middle Eastern countries on the map and the oil-producing countries of OPEC in the region. They examine whether the presence of important producing oil fields qualifies as a characteristic of this region.
Curated OER
Earthquakes and Seismic Waves
Learners explore earthquakes and seismic waves. They investigate how energy is released in the subsurface to create seismic waves. Students explore the inner workings of a seismograph and how they are used to determine the location of an...
Curated OER
Scaling the Map
Middle schoolers practice determining map distances using the map scales. They discover how much an area represents on the map in relation to the actual area. They decide on the best place to build their cavern.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Mapping of the Earth's Past
Young scholars create a scale model time linen of the Earth's 4.6 billion year history. They calculate a scale that can fit on a very long register tape then label each geologic era. They use text books to annotate each era with major...