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A Bird's Eye View of our 50 States
Third graders focus on state birds as they learned absolute location (latitude/longitude) of each state, as well as their relative location (bordering states).
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Country Mouse, City Mouse?
Students recognize the characteristics of a rural area. They analyze land use to determine whether the map is of a rural (country) area or an urban (city) area.
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TE Activity: The Trouble with Topos
Students study the uses of topographical maps including the many forms that they take. They discover that the map features show its intended use such as city maps, wilderness maps, and state maps. They complete a worksheet in which they...
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Tooling Around Arizona: Measuring Distances
In this measurement worksheet, student measure the distances between Arizona cities by using a the scale on an Arizona Cities map. Learners complete 15 problems.
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The Artifact Problem
Students work in small groups and make a map of a familiar room. For this artifact lesson, students decide on a suitable scale for their maps, the tools they will use and how they will make it and decide on strategies they would use to...
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Rosie's Walk
Students use maps and globes to locate and describe locations, directions and scale. Using the maps, they identify man made or natural features of different environments. They practice using geographical terms to describe a specific...
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Introduction to the Planets
Students become familiar with the members of the solar system and planetary order. They identify differences and characteristics of individual planets. Finally students visualize the great size of the solar system and make the image more...
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COME INTO MY PARLOR
Students interpret a map scale to measure the space in a milking parlor. They reveiw the process of using a map scale to calculate distances. Students are given worksheets, they read the information in the box together. They draw an...
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How do we measure global earthquakes?
Students examine three seismograms of a recent South American earthquake recorded by USGS stations. They measure the S-P distance and use a P and S wave travel-time graph to find the epicenter distance for each seismogram. In addition,...
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Math and Measurement
Students use the correct tool to measure distances. In this geometry lesson, students use an odometer and ruler correctly as they study maps. They describe how far way something is.
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A Look at the Population Density of the United States
Middle schoolers acquire census information and create maps of the population density of the United States on different scales. They role play the roles of workers of a retail company and they use the population data to market to their...
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Dough Lake Topology
Students practice coordinates and measurements, develop 2D, 3D topological map, construct grid with string on real surface, establish "level" fixed point for measurements, take and record data points of elevation, and enter data on...
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The Dynamic Earth
Students use the Internet to investigate earthquakes and plate tectonics. In this plate tectonics instructional activity, students complete a web quest with multiple links and activity types relating to earthquakes and volcanoes. They...
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Volcanoes
Second graders review the characteristics and aspects of volcanoes. Using this information, they write a creative story and draw illustrations to accompany the words. They use geographical terms to describe a location and the physical...
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The Solar System
Students describe the different bodies that make up our solar system, explain the place of our solar system within the Milky Way Galaxy and the universe, explain day and night and the Earth's movement, and describe the relationship...
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Ocean Currents
Fourth graders work in groups to research ocean currents and create posters with their findings. They locate the patterns and names of major ocean currents and identify them on a map. Students also use red pencil to show ocean currents...
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GPS Art
Students design their own logo or picture and use a handheld GPS receiver to map it out. They write out a word or graphic on a field or playground, walk the path, and log GPS data. The results display their "art" on their GPS receiver...
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Estimating Distances
Students investigate distance measurement. For this middle school mathematics lesson, students find the average length of their pace and use their pace to measure various unknown distances in feet and miles. Students relate...
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This Land is Your Land - Delaware
Learners determine how land was divided and marked for boundaries in the early days of settlement in Delaware. Students mark out land on the playground according to the methods used by the early settlers. Learners write a description of...
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Medieval Castles
Second graders design a scale model of a medieval castle and its surroundings including the following items: castle, moat, bailey, drawbridge, turrets, dungeon, grounds, and outer walls. A perfect lesson for those kids who are fascinated...
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Plant Life of the Rainforest
Young scholars study pictures of tropical rainforests and discuss its stratified character. Students then work with a partner to make a scale drawing of the rainforest strata.
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Evaluating an Illinois Earthquake
Learners examine the frequency of earthquakes in Illinois. They discover the distribution of earthquakes in the Midwest. They also practice reading measurements from the Richter scale and Mercalli Intensity scale.
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Learning About the Basin
Learners use watershed maps to explore the Lake Pontchartrain Basin in Louisiana. In this geography lesson, students identify important features such as elevation, vegetation, cultural, historical and land use on a map of Lake...
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Finding an Earthquake's Epicenter
Students examine the process used to identify the epicenter of an earthquake. They identify the Richter scale and interpret a seismograph reading. They also view photographs of the aftermath of earthquakes.