Kate Stickley
Reading the World: Latitude and Longitude Lesson latitude and longitude, maps, coordinates on a map, prime meridian, reading maps, equator, globes
Find five activities all about longitude and latitude! Use oranges to show the equator and prime meridian, plot birthdays on a map using coordinates, and plan a dream vacation.
Curated OER
Map Coordinates: Monkey Map
Here's an engaging, meaningful, and clever activity 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...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Coordinate Geometry
Where do the coordinates lead? As children brainstorm ways to find the location of different buildings, they learn about coordinate points and how to use them to locate areas on a grid or map. They practice using ordered pairs by playing...
Polar Trec
Playground Profiling—Topographic Profile Mapping
The Kuril islands stretch from Japan to Russia, and the ongoing dispute about their jurisdiction prevents many scientific research studies. Scholars learn to create a topographic profile of a specific area around their schools. Then they...
Curated OER
Location on a Grid
Make coordinate pairs more engaging by having beginners color-code a grid based on given locations. The grid has numbers along the y-axis and letters along the x-axis, introducing them to the ordering of coordinate pairs with the x-axis...
National Geographic
Mapping the Shape of Everest
With Mount Everest as the motivator, your earth science class learns about topographic maps. Begin by showing a film clip from The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest, featuring fearsome virtual imagery of a path up world's tallest peak....
Curated OER
Treasure Hunt: Coordinate Graphing
Two of the best words any one can hear– treasure hunt! Your class will be excited to practice graphing on a coordinate grraph as they identify and write coordinates for landmarks they see on a treasure map. They trace their route to the...
Curated OER
Read a Map
In this word problem worksheet, 5th graders use a coordinate grid as a map to answer 6 problems. They work with ordered pairs, locate quadrants, and apply the information to find items in the zoo.
Core Knowledge Foundation
Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations
A 10-lesson unit explores the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. Over the course of two weeks, scholars read nonfiction excerpts, discuss their findings, and complete activities. An assessment equipped with multiple choice and matching...
It's About Time
Volcanic Landforms
Did you know the word volcano comes from the name of the Roman god of fire, Vulcan? During this activity, scholars make a topographic map, interpret topographic maps, and infer how lava will flow based on their analysis.
Curated OER
Maps: Latitude and Longitude
Students visit interactive sites focusing on latitude and longitude. They participate in activities about the prime meridian, time zones, and equator. They view the coordinates of states and cities.
Curated OER
Map Grids
Students study map grids and explore how they can be used to locate positions of objects or features on a map. They read a story and then participate in a grid activity using a large map of the setting of the story.
Curated OER
Topographic Maps Worksheet
In this geography skills worksheet, students respond to 37 multi-part questions that require them to read and interpret topographic maps.
Curated OER
Where Am I? Map Activity
In this map activity worksheet, students determine which countries are shown on a set of 16 maps, then read facts about each country designed to help with a report on that country.
Curated OER
Locating IIT Using Ordered Pairs
Students investigate ordered pairs. In this math lesson, students plot and locate ordered pairs in a coordinate plane and are exposed to how to read and create a map.
Curated OER
Integer: Tic-Tac-Toe Four In a Row!
Students explore the concept of the coordinate plane. In this coordinate plane lesson, students discuss integers and their place on the number line. Students discuss locating points on the coordinate plane. Students play tic-tac-toe by...
Curated OER
What's Your Temperature?
Learners take a look at the local newspaper and focus on the weather section. They get into small groups, and each one looks at the same map, but of a different part of the country. They must prepare a presentation that shows how...
Curated OER
Go West With Columbus
Students play a board game where their tokens must move Columbus west. They choose cards which give commands to move in a coordinate direction. They practice moving west, north, east, south by playing the game.
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Mask of the Black God
Finally, an astronomy lesson for the high schooler! Explorers are able to read star maps for finding objects in the night sky by determining celestial coordinates. In particular, they locate the Pleiades and read about a Navajo legend...
Orange County Water Atlas
Location, Location, Location…
Young geographers discover not only how to read and recognize coordinates on a map, but also gain a deeper understanding of latitude and longitude and how climate changes can vary significantly across latitudes.
New York Historical Society
The Vietnam War: 1945-1975
Do pupils know that the Vietnam War spanned a period of 30 years? A war that long is bound to leave devastating effects. Help young historians develop a comprehensive understanding of the war through multiple units on the subject that...
K12 Reader
Absolute Location
Where in the world are we? As a reading comprehension exercise, kids read a short passage about navigation using latitude and longitude, and then respond to a series of questions based on the article.
Curated OER
The Treasure Map
Third graders problem solve using drawings and map interpretations. They preview graphs and Cartesian geometry. They follow directions on a map using a grid and compass references while simulating they are reading a pirate map.
Curated OER
Where in the Latitude Are You? A Longitude Here.
Students distinguish between latitude and longitude on the map. In this mapping lesson, students participate in mapping skills to recognize spatial relationships, and where to find natural resources on the map. Students create their own...