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Cartography Project
A activity involving mapping, the use of a compass, writing and following directions, and exploring the first two themes of geography is here for you. Learners create original maps that show the routes they take through their own...
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Map Creation
Second graders identify a map, symbol, key, and compass rose. Students create and print a map for teacher evaluation using the computer. Students identify the symbols on their map and orally present them to the class.
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Labeling a Map of Australia
Third graders label a map of Australia. Using the internet, they research the history and maps of the continent and print a blank map. They review on how to use a compass rose and legend. In groups, they create a brochure to share...
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Map Skills
Thirds graders reinforce that a map is a drawing that shows what a place looks like from above. They use a map key and symbols to create a map of the school and its neighborhood.
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Introducing Maps Through Dance
Students are introduced to the key concepts of maps; direction, pathway/line, shape and symbol. They create the pathways and shapes they have "mapped" out on paper on the floor. They dance along the paths.
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Age of Exploration
Students work individually or in a group researching a box compass using historical information on the uses of the compass as well as the scientific theories of the compass. They create a box compass and a water compass which are...
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Finding Your Way Using Maps and Globes
Students identify the similarities and differences between different maps and globes. Individually, they create a map of their classroom along with a compass rose. They also practice reading maps as a class and finding specific locations.
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To Walk the Sky Path
Fifth graders use maps of Florida. They locate places from a list on their map. Students use the places mentioned in the book, "To Walk the Sky Path," and locate them on the map. Students should have labeled a minimum of 10 places, and...
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Sam Houston for President...Again
Fourth graders discover the political career of Sam Houston. For this Texas history lesson, 4th graders research primary resources and create a modern-day version of Sam Houston's political campaign of the 1840s.
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A Walk Around the School: Mapping Places Near and Far
After reading Pat Hutchins’ Rosie’s Walk, have your young cartographers create a map of Rosie’s walk. Then lead them on a walk around the school. When you return class members sequence the walk by making a list of how the class got from...
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Following Plans
Students learn to follow a specific plan in order to do something or get somewhere. In this following directions activity, students explore key vocabulary related to following plans, complete fun activities that require attention to...
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Geography: Islands and Alcatraz
Students, in groups, create maps of islands including map keys and compass roses. They compare and contrast their island communities with that of the island prison, Alcatraz. Students select from a series of projects, including writing...
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Book: First Encounters Between Spain and the Americas: Two Worlds Meet
Students, after reading Chapter 1 in the book, "First Encounters Between Spain and the Americas: Two Worlds Meet," design and create a map of the Aztec Empire at the time of the first contract with the Spanish. They create the map from...
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Wales: An Interdisciplinary Unit
Students practice basic map and geographic skills as they compare Oregon to Wales. Students color map of Wales and Oregon using color codes to distinguish between land, water, and bordering nations or states, listen to stories and...
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Map It!
Fourth graders demonstrate map making skills by using the computer to create maps of the geographic features, regions, and economy for their state.
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Drake's West Indian Voyage 1588-1589
Learners investigate several maps detailing Sir Francis Drake's voyages. In this geography instructional activity, students practice reading maps and locating the precise locations of where Sir Francis Drake visited. Learners create an...
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Texas Regions and Native Americans of Texas
Fourth graders research to find the regions of Texas. In this technology lesson, 4th graders create a Kid Pix project showing the location of various regions of Texas. Students show where in those regions Native American tribes lived.
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Maps
Maps, globes, and computer software aid young explorers as they locate state capitols, major cities, geographic features, and attractions for states they are researching. They then use desktop publishing software to create a map to share...
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Early Explorers
Fifth graders investigate the routes taken by the early explorers. In this explorers instructional activity, 5th graders use interactive notebooks, discussion and maps to discover the routes taken. Students get into pairs and label maps,...
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Making a Region Map of a State
Fourth graders create salt maps of a state and indicate its regions. They include topographical elements including mountains, valleys, lowlands and major water bodies and a compass rose.
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Geography: Map Making
Students, working in groups, share notes and maps collected during a study of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They draw large composite maps of the western United States on butcher paper including land formations, bodies of water, and...
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Navigating Your Community
Middle schoolers 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...
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Putting the World in Perspective
Learners work in small groups to: make a mental map of the world by tearing paper shapes of the seven continents and locating them on a flat surface in their relative positions, compare their finished mental map to a reference world map,...
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Map Making/Floor Plans/Map Reading
Learners apply their knowledge of scale when mapping the classroom. They determine the use of a map legend and orient a map using a compass. They create the classroom maps using transfer graph paper.