Students simulate the role of a travel agent to understand how to read and use road maps. They plan a bus trip through New England for a group of travelers that includes, bus travel, meals and attractions. They plan the distance that...

Students review their physical models of the objects on their playground at school. Using the model, they convert it into a map with a scale and key. To end the lesson, they use the map to locate different objects and measure the...

Third graders examine the process of creating an accurate map, and create a map of their playground. They identify what objects are on their playground, and discuss what is found on a map. Students then draw a map of their playground...

Fourth graders collect and explore different maps and their uses before using the program Pixie to create maps of geographic features, political features, and economic information for the state in which they live.

Students explore the Battle of Brandywine, how to analyze maps, and construct a model of a battlefield.

Fourth graders research the Lewis and Clark expedition and the Corps of Discovery. They explore a variety of websites and complete a WebQuest, analyze maps, and answer comprehension questions. Students also write journal entries and...

Students examine detailed Moon and Earth views provided by the NASA-sponsored "World Wind" computer program. They work in groups to create maps of different scales using landmarks of their choice, and challenge their classmates to...

Fourth graders examine the geographic features that define places and regions and answer questions about the state of California. They discuss the components of a map legend and answer worksheet questions using a map of California as a...

Students discover how to use maps and why they are important when using a map. They calculate distance using a map scale and time using travel speed and a map scale.

Students identify map projections and examine polar maps. In this map skills lesson, students use a flat world map to identify various projections and calculate the distances between locations by using a map scale.

First graders investigate how maps are used to identify different locations. They will also appreciate how there are different types of maps for their purposes. Finally students study how maps contain symbols that represent real places.

Students create their own maps. In this map making lesson, students go to Microsoft Word and create a chart. They label directions, buildings, streets, and distance. 

Students explore map distortion. In this geography lesson, students compare Mercator projection maps to globes in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of projection maps.

Students explore the Underground Railroad routes. In this map skills and Civil War instructional activity, students use map and globe reading vocabulary and skills to track the routes the slaves followed from the Bahamas to the United...

Students examine parallax and angular measurements.  In this investigative lesson plan students calculate distances of objects and map their results.

Students read about a girl who takes a trip during the time of the State Capital moving to Indianapolis and then write their own essay about a trip that they took. In this Indianapolis Government lesson plan, students use maps and...

Young scholars determine the distances traveled by the members of the legislative branch of the US Government. In this travel distance instructional activity, students locate Washington, DC on a globe using the longitude and latitude of...

Young scholars investigate how to draw topographic contours and read topographic maps.They examine the topography of San Francisco and contrast the elevation of different points within San Francisco.

Students use the Internet to research current and past snowpack levels and river gauging station readings. They determine the relationship between snowpack and river flow. They predict future river flow.

Sixth graders discuss how the scale and type of graph can change how the data appears. With a partner, they identify all the information about the graph in a specific amount of time and record them in a journal. To end the activity,...

Young scholars critique their own drawings for accuracy and make constructive suggestions prior to reworking them. They discover how scale in maps and drawing relate to relative size and distance. In addition, students comprehend the...

A close examination of John Gast's painting "American Progress" launches a study of the concept of Manifest Destiny used to justify United States' policy of westward expansion. Young historians read statements from persons with different...

Young scholars focus on reading musical notations. They see, hear, practice and write notations in the lessons to become more independent readers of music. They complete a Rubric for Pitch Worksheet.

Students use distance measuring tools to follow directions and chart the path the pilgrims made from Plymouth, England to Boston, Massachusetts. In this Pilgrim voyage lesson, students use a map to chart the distance traveled by the...