NEW 2015 RESOURCES
This "Theme Page" has links to two types of resources related to the study of Mapping. Students and teachers will find curricular resources (information, content...) to help them learn about this topic. In addition, there are also links to instructional materials (lesson plans) which will help teachers provide instruction in this theme. Please read our disclaimer.
The related Theme Page on Maps provides Web sites from which students and teachers can create or download finished maps of various types.
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AskERIC Lesson Plans - Geography
- There are at least a half dozen lesson plans on mapping interspersed within
Eric's larger collection of geography lesson plans. Most are intended for
elementary students but some can also extend into high school.
- Chapter
Four: Maps and Mapping
- This link is to the fourth chapter of a book titled "Eyes on the Sky, Feet
on the Ground" - a collection of online, fully illustrated and detailed astronomy
activities which teachers can use for fun explorations. While their treatment
of maps does end with a section on celestial mapping, the first three topics
(reading maps, making maps, and co-ordinate systems) have descriptions of
eleven learning activities that would be appropriate to all students.
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Core Knowledge Lesson Plans
Introduction
to Geography: Learning the Compass
- Intended for grade 5 students, this tutorial covers compass directions
- a concept central to using maps in geographic instruction and real-life
applications.
- Introduction
to Maps
- Here's a five lesson teaching unit for elementary students. Lessons cover
an introduction to maps, construction of maps, integration of map skills with
literature, introduction to aerial maps, and orientation to local community
through an aerial map.
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Latitude:
The Art and Science of Fifteenth-Century Navigation
- Articles describing how the knowledge of latitude influenced early explorations,
including: Ships, Beacons, Maps, Compass, Science of Sailing, Coastal Navigation,
Traditional Astronomy, Math in Maps, Calendars, and more...
- Map
Directions
- In this 1-2 day lesson plan, grade 2 students will learn about directions
and will understand their importance in knowing how to read a map.
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Mapmaker,
Mapmaker, Make Me a Map: Assessing the Historical Value of Maps in the Social
Studies Classroom
- In this lesson plan, grade 6-12 students "evaluate the different types
of historical and geographical information that one can gather through close
study of maps throughout the course of time. Students analyze various maps
spanning the 16th through the 19th centuries, as well as create maps of their
own." They use a New York Times article as a starting point for their explorations.
- Map
Skills
- Here's a teaching unit consisting of five lesson plans for grade 6 students.
Through the course of the unit, students will learn how to use latitude and
longitude to find locations on a map, consider what elements are necessary
in a map, identify various kinds of maps and their use, discuss the distortions
found in maps, and compare various types of maps.
- Mathematics
of Cartography
- In addition to the commonly found basics on mapping, this site also has
a history of mapmaking, a look at maps from the mathematical perspective,
mathematical problems that can be solved with web-based mapping technology,
and information on map-related careers.
- Origins
of the Compass Rose Symbology
- A brief, but informative article on the "compass rose".
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Social
Studies Lesson Plans
- There are a number of mapping lesson plans within this large SS collection
from Columbia Education Center. Unfortunately, they are not immediately apparent
and you will have to search through their lists of titles for them. Most are
in their K-5 and 6-8 groupings. Look especially within the "geography" sections.
- [The]
Stowaway Adventure
- Students use realtime data from the Internet to analyze location, direction,
speed and travel plans of a ship at sea to solve the mystery of where they
are. In the process, they will gain an understanding of latitude, longitude,
speed, and direction of travel, and they'll learn to organize, analyse, and
plot data.
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US Geographical Survey: Educational Resources for Cartography, Geography,
and Related Disciplines
- This section of the US Geographical Survey web site has a large number
of resources for students and teachers on mapping. From this main menu, you'll
find links to satellite images, information about remote sensing, atlases,
reference materials, downloadable educational publications, posters, and more.
Direct links to some specific learning materials are provided below but a
trip to their main menu is also recommended.
- Exploring
Maps An interdisciplinary set of materials for students in grades
7-12.
- Finding
Your Way with Map and Compass A fact sheet on topographic maps.
- Map
Adventures Seven lessons for K-3.
- Terraweb
Remote sensing for kids.
- What Do Maps Show? Four lessons with step-by-step plans and resources for Grades 4-8.
- Exploring
Maps An interdisciplinary set of materials for students in grades
7-12.
Note: The sites listed above will serve as a source of curricular content in Mapping. For other resources in Social Studies (e.g., curricular content, lesson plans, and theme pages), click the "previous screen" button below. Or, click here if you wish to return directly to the CLN menu which will give you access to educational resources in all of our subjects.
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