Curated OER
Scaling it Down: Caves Have Maps, Too
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...
Curated OER
Map Coordinates: Monkey Map
Here's an engaging, meaningful, and clever lesson on map skills for elementary schoolers. Pupils combine story writing with mapping skills to create an original piece of work. They utilize a worksheet embedded in the plan to guide them...
abcteach
Street Mapping
What's around the block? Or down the street? Ask your pupils to tap into their map skills by drafting the area around their home and school.
Curated OER
Creating a Thematic Map
Students create and analyze a weather-related data table and a thematic map based upon information provided.
Curated OER
Basic Mapping Skills
Establish and study the parts of a map with your class and, then they will work in small groups to create their own detailed map, including a legend. There are specific instructions to follow on what needs to be included.
Curated OER
Great Lakes Homepage for Kids
Here are some outstanding lessons on the geology and history of the Great Lakes. These lessons are divided into Grade 4 -6, and Grade 7 - 8 activities. The activities all use the background information, maps, graphs, data, and Great...
Curated OER
Exploring the Hudson in 1609
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...
Curated OER
Tiles, Blocks, Sapphires & Gold: Designing a Treasure Map
Young cartographers in groups hide treasure at school and then create a map to find it using pattern blocks and tiles. They make paintings with clues to create a visual representation of the location of their treasure. Groups present...
Curated OER
Mt. Whitney to Death Valley
This is an intriguing problem that brings together real-world data, technology, and mathematical problem solving. If visibility wasn't an issue, could you see from the highest point in the lower 48 states, Mt. Whitney, to the lowest...
NASA
Lava Layering: Making and Mapping a Volcano
Looking for an out-of-this-world volcanic activity? Geologists study Earth's volcanic history and the neighboring planet Mars by modeling volcanic eruptions, lava flows, and building a shield volcano. Participants use graph paper and...
PBS
Working with Coordinate Planes: Activities and Supplemental Materials
Seven activities make up a collection of supplemental materials to reinforce graphing on a coordinate plane. Worksheet objectives include plotting coordinates within single and four quadrants, measuring straight and...
Curated OER
Create A Map!
Students examine two- and three-dimensional shapes, and discuss map skills and attributes. They plan and create their own school campus maps using pre-cut building site shapes.
Curated OER
An Archaeological Adventure in Athens
Young scholars review map skills and practice finding locations on a map. In groups, they create maps with mystery locations identified by hidden stick-on magnets. Other groups attempt to find the mystery locations and then check their...
Curated OER
Maps and Modes, Finding a Mean Home on the Range
Fifth graders investigate data from maps to solve problems. In this data instructional activity, 5th graders study maps and collect data from each map. Students present their data in a variety of ways and calculate the mode, mean,...
Radford University
The Roanoke Adventure!
Travel about town. Pupils work in pairs to find the distances between landmarks with a map. The teams determine how far to travel on the streets and the length between the landmarks with the distance formula and compare the two. Learners...
Radford University
Escape from the Zombie Apocalypse - Exploring Quadrilaterals through Google Maps and Google Earth
Prepare for the zombie apocalypse ... by studying quadrilaterals? Given a map of an imaginary town, scholars identify quadrilaterals created by streets. They then use Google Earth and Google Maps to find parallelograms, rectangles,...
Curated OER
Grid Frame Mapping
Students map and describe small area of the schoolyard and discuss habitats.
Education World
The African American Population in US History
How has the African American population changed over the years? Learners use charts, statistical data, and maps to see how populations in African American communities have changed since the 1860s. Activity modifications are included to...
Teach Engineering
Let's Get it There Fast
Are planes the best shipping method? Using maps, pupils determine the fastest mode of transportation between two cities. Given a list of items to ship, groups decide the best shipping method to finish the 18th segment of a 22-part unit.
Teach Engineering
What's Wrong with the Coordinates at the North Pole?
Here is an activity that merges technology with life skills as individuals use Google Earth to explore the differences between coordinate systems and map projections. The self-guided worksheet is the fourth segment in a nine-part unit....
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Mapping Genes to Traits in Dogs Using SNPs
Genetic analysis has gone to the dogs! Learners use real DNA information collected from dog saliva to study the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes. They analyze alleles to determine correlations to coat color, length, and...
Curated OER
Mapping Your School Grounds
Learners create a map of their school grounds. In this mapping lesson plan, students work in teams to make a map of their school grounds. Learners note major features, observe, and record wildlife in the school grounds.
Illustrative Mathematics
$20 Dot Map
Challenge the addition skills of young learners with this open-ended math problem. The task is simple, get from start to finish by connecting a series of three numbers. The trick is that the sum of the numbers must be less than...
Curated OER
Mapping a Study Site
Students explore outdoors. In this mapping techniques lesson, students map out an outdoor area that they have examined. They work in small groups to come up with the symbols and draw the map. This lesson includes an example of a finished...