C3 Teachers
C3 Teachers: Inquiries: Maps and Geography
A comprehensive learning module on maps that includes three supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance task. Students learn about map symbols, cardinal directions, and...
University of California
World History for Us All: Getting Our Bearings: Maps of Time, Space, and History
Understanding history requires students to be able to see the big picture. This teaching unit introduces students to tools they can use to investigate history. Topics covered include cartography, chronography, and maps of space, time and...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Mapping the Classroom
Learning to use and create maps builds students' spatial thinking skills as well as language skills in the early years. In this instructional activity, students practice using the language of location and then apply that language when...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Geographic Groceries
This site provides activities and lesson plans for all age levels on mapping.
National Geographic
National Geographic: A Latitude/longitude Puzzle
Through examining maps students will be able to identify locations and characteristics of them based on latitude and longitude and infer what events might occur in the places.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Mapping Our Worlds
In this lesson, introduce your young scholars to the world of maps and discover a world of information online. Students learn how to identify different types of maps, comparing maps to the rooms of a house.
Library of Congress
Loc: Local History: Mapping My Spot
Students often think of history as tattered documents, worn photographs, and musty books, all of which have little or no relevance to their lives. Maps provide an often-overlooked source of information and a new and compelling...
ABCya
Ab Cya: Latitude and Longitude Treasure Hunt
Use the longitude and latitude clues to find the treasures on the map. The more treasures you find the more challenging it will be to find them.
Other
Ordnance Survey: Map Zone
All kinds of fun and interesting ways to learn about maps and acquire mapping skills.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Where Is Here?
In this instructional activity, young scholars are shown the very basics of navigation. The concepts of relative and absolute location, latitude, longitude and cardinal directions are discussed, as well as the use and principles of a map...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Lesson Plan: Maps and Me
Lesson to reinforce basic map skills. Students discuss Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney, work in groups to create maps of the classroom, and use these maps to hunt for treasure.
SMART Technologies
Smart: Latitude and Longitude
Try to locate famous landmarks using latitude and longitude coordinates in this interactive classroom activity.
PBS
Pbs Nova Online: Lost at Sea the Search for Longitude
"The quest for a reliable method to find your way at sea was one of the thorniest problems of the 1700s." Find out about the search for longitude at this NOVA site. Includes interactive Shockwave game, learning activities and more.
The Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute: In Quiry: Minutes From Me: Latitude, Longitude and Vacations
An explanation of latitude and longitude along with a classroom activity that uses the location of students' vacation destinations for charting latitudes and longitudes.
Other
Owl & Mouse: Megamaps
This site allows you download and print out a variety of maps in a variety of sizes.
Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tar Heel Reader: Maps
X marks the spot! Maps tell us many things which are illustrated in this informational text.
Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tar Heel Reader: Maps (3)
Purposes, parts, and types of maps are featured for students to explore.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Parts of a Map
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart explores the basic parts of a map including the map title, compass rose and map legend.
City University of New York
Brooklyn College, Cuny: Latitude and Longitude
Students can read about how lines of latitude and longitude form a grid that makes it easy to pinpoint one's location on Earth. Then they can take an online quiz to check their understanding.