Curated OER
Planning a Garden Using a Grid
Third graders plan for a garden. For this garden planning lesson, 3rd graders investigate the use of a grid to accurately map out and plan for a vegetable garden. Students predict the space requirements for different vegetables.
Curated OER
Map Skills
Do you need to practice map skills? Children with a range of abilities will complete a KWL chart about maps, practice important map vocabulary and then read a few pages from their textbook. They will use their vocabulary words and...
Curated OER
Where Am I: How to Read a Map
Third graders develop an understanding of maps. They explore what a map is, who uses maps, and how to use maps. Students investigate the compas rose. They create a compose rose which illustrates the cardinal directions. Students practice...
Curated OER
Explore Surface Types on a Journey Around Earth
Students explore satellite data. In this technology cross-curriculum math and world geography lesson, students locate specific map areas using a microset of satellite data. Students use technology and math skills to determine percentages...
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...
Teach Engineering
What is GIS?
Is GIS the real manifestation of Harry Potter's Marauders Map? Introduce your class to the history of geographic information systems (GIS), the technology that allows for easy use of spatial information, with a resource that teaches...
Curated OER
What's Down There?
Investigate the coral reefs around Mokolai Island, Hawaii by researching and writing about improving the reef ecosystem. Students map threats to the ecosystem and use the list of key words to assist in their descriptions
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...
Curated OER
Number Types: Where Vocabulary Meets Numbers
Rational, irrational, real, natural. All these words can refer to numbers. Who knew? Learners use the Visual Thesaurus and a semantic feature analysis grid to examine the different attributes of numbers. Step-by-step instructions for...
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
Cookie Mapping
Young scholars 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
Learners 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 communicate...
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
Are We There Yet?
Students discover how to use maps and why they are important when using a map. They calculate distance using a map scale and time using travel speed and a map scale.
Curated OER
Planet Earth
Students explore and analyze data from different maps in order to explain geographic diversity among the continents. Student groups research continents' physical features and examine how they contribute to quality of life for inhabitants.
Curated OER
The Unseen Ocean Floor
Students build ocean floor structures, then map and model an unfamiliar ocean floor. They are introduced to bathymetry and sea floor features, and discover one of the most widely usd methods for studying the ocean.
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...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Generalizing Patterns: Table Tiles
As part of a study of geometric patterns, scholars complete an assessment task determining the number of tiles needed to cover a tabletop. They then evaluate provided sample responses to see different ways to solve the same problems.
Curated OER
Exploring Wyoming Species Habitats
Students are introduced to the concept of species habitats and ranges. They introduced to ArcView GIS as a tool for mapping. Pupils use query data for species withina county, elevation, range, rivers and streams, land cover, and etc....
Curated OER
The Magic School bus Inside A Hurricane
Students investigate the concept of a hurricane by using the cartoon series "The Magic Schoolbus" to simulate the fantasy of traveling through a hurricane. The lesson uses a KWL graphic organizer in order to guide student inquiry and as...
Curated OER
Angles - Unlocking Geometry
Students investigate the concept of angles and how they are used in geometry. They construct polygons using various types of angles and then classify them according to their physical properties. Students use a computer program in order...
Curated OER
Sunspots 3: Tracking the Movement of Sunspots
Students analyze sunspots through the use of solar imaging from satellite instruments. They collect two types of images, and track the movement of sunspots using a latitude/longitude grid.
Curated OER
Social Studies:
Students identify various types of breads fromother countries and locate them on maps. In small groups, they make story maps of books that mention bread and make books resembling sandwiches. Students have a bread tasting party and...
Curated OER
Tracking the Storm
Students discuss the different types of storms that can hit land. They locate specific coordinates on a plane grid. They discuss lonsgitude and latitude to plot the coordinates of a tropical storm. They practice finding coordinates...