Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scaling it Down: Caves Have Maps, Too

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Measurement and map skills are the focus of this lesson, where students crawl through a "cave" made out of boxes, desks and chairs, observing the dimensions.  Your young geographers measure various aspects of the cave and practice...
Lesson Plan
Public Schools of North Carolina

Democratic Republic of Congo - Map Skills

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Work on your map skills with a packet of activities about the river basins in the Democratic Republic on Congo. Learners study the maps provided before answering the geography questions and writing an acrostic poem about the region.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Do Maps Show?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This teaching packet is for grades five through eight, and it is organized around geographic themes: location, place, relationships, movement, and regions. There are four full lessons that are complete with posters, weblinks, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Map Skills

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create two types of maps.  In this map skills lesson, students discuss map vocabulary and view maps of Florida.  Students draw a free hand map of Florida and include major cities, bodies of water and land forms. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the News

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore cartography.  In this map skills and map making lesson, Students work in groups to create wall size world maps including legends, compass roses, latitude and longitude, and physical features.  Students collect...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Hudson in 1609

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
While this lesson focuses on a study of the Hudson River, it could be used as a template for a discussion of map skills, converting measurements, and plotting a route. The lesson includes vocabulary and other resources to make it a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

John Smith’s Map of the Chesapeake Bay

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
Young geographers travel back through time with primary source and map analysis and envision Captain John Smith's arrival at the Chesapeake Bay. 
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

What Can a Map Tell You?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate how maps can provide useful information about health issues. They study a map to draw conclusions about cholera death in London.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Ancient Civilization of Mali

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students explore the ancient civilization of Mali and examine various historical and cultural aspects of the civilization. In this ancient civilization of Mali lesson, students examine trade with respect to geographic locations, discover...
Lesson Plan
Royal Geographical Society

An Introduction to Maps

For Teachers 1st Standards
First graders are introduced to a variety of maps such as globes, street maps, atlases, and different types of floor plans. The focus of the lesson requires individuals to create their own plan of the classroom using the PowerPoint...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Maps Through Dance

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underwater Mountains & Trenches

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students determine Earth's deepest trench, outline continents, major ocean mountains, and trenches on color-key map using Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils, identify oceans' geographic features, locate significant oceanic features around...
Lesson Plan
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Just Health Action

Environmental Justice Matters: Mapping Cumulative Impacts (Part 2)

For Teachers 6th - 12th
A case study enables class members to confirm whether different geographic parts of Seattle, Washington have disproportionate environmental burdens and benefits. Groups use the EPA's Cumulative Health Impact Analysis formula and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Field Mapping with a Compass and Pace

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students practice using compass and calibrate their own pace, take field measurements of pre-set course with compass and pace, convert measurements into map, using angles and vectors, and make composite class map by adjusting different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Create A Park Map

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners design ultimate park experience for Florida families as they demonstrate their knowledge of map legend skills.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geomnemonics: Facilitating the Teaching of Social Studies Content with Geography Skills

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore how to draw a world map by hand and how to locate countries.
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Teach Engineering

What is GIS?

For Teachers 7th - 9th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Map It With Pixie

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use the computer program 'Pixie' to create a topographic, detailed map for the state they live in. In this mapping skills lesson, 4th graders use Pixie to make a map of their state that includes topographic features, state...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Maps

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students develop their map skills. In this geography instructional activity, students participate in an activity that requires them to survey their social studies book in order to find different types of maps and purposes for their uses.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the Civil War

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students identify the locations of pivotal American Civil War battles. In this map skills lesson, students label Fort Sumter, Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and the Battle for Atlanta on an outline map. The map is not included.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do I Get There? Planning a Safe Route to School

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
One much-needed skill for young learners is direction giving. Have your class plan and draw a safe route for them to travel from home to school. They will also draw places and items that are in between home and school in order to build a...
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TED-Ed

A Digital Reimagining of Gettysburg

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Why would Robert E. Lee order Pickett's Charge, an action that changed the course of the Civil War? Geographer and historian Anne Knowles uses digital technology to explain what she thinks is the missing piece in trying to understand...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping National and Geographic Identity

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Young scholars analyze geographic maps. In this map analysis lesson plan, students analyze the symbols in geographic maps and the impact of cultural, historical, and political concepts. Young scholars compare and contrast maps in various...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Different Kinds of Maps

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the landforms and population diversity. They read maps and examine geographic terms. Students create their own map of the United States and answer questions about the location of people. After exploring the map, 3rd...