Launch into Maps

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Launch into Maps!

• By Megan Tolpa
• Geo 485
• 27 April 2004

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Age/Time

• Grade 4-6
• Duration 1 50 minute class session

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Overall Purpose

• To introduce students to maps and show that not
  all maps are the same but that they do exhibit
  similar characteristics.
• Also, to demonstrate that a map of a place
  cannot carry all the information about that
  place.

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Objectives

• 1) Students will use prior knowledge to construct
  a list of the different types of maps.
• 2) Students will compare two different types of
  maps.
• 3) Students will realize that not all information
  about a place can fit on one map.

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Michigan Geography Standards

• II Standard 1 all students will describe,
  compare, and explain the locations, and
  characteristics of places, cultures, and
  settlements. (People, Places and Cultures)
• Benchmark 3(le) Locate and describe the major
  places, cultures, and communities and compare
  their characteristics

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National Geography Standards

• Strand 1 How to use maps and other geographic
  representations, tools, and technologies to
  acquire, process, and report information.
• Strand 4 The physical and human characteristics
  of places.

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Materials

• paper for each group
• Pencil
• worksheet for each student
• A city map and its corresponding state (one set
  for each pair)

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Previous Knowledge

• In order to start this lesson the teacher should
  ask the students, -What is a map?
• After a little discussion on maps the teacher
  should share with the students a little
  background on maps.
• A good source for this information can be found
  at http//encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761577953/M
  ap.html. This site gives some general
  information about maps.

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Procedure

• 1) To begin the lesson, ask the students to work
  within their table to construct a list of all the
  different kinds of maps they have ever seen/used.
  (5 min)
• 2) Bring the class back together as a whole and
  have each group share their list.
• As each group is sharing, the teacher will write
  a master list on a large piece of paper. The
  list may include
• A map showing a school campus
• A map showing climate/weather
• A political map
• A topographic map
• A map showing routes of explores, immigrants or
  trade
• A map showing how different States voted in an
  election
• A map featuring the agricultural products of an
  area

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Procedure cont.

• 3) Once the students are finished sharing their
  list, go back through the master list as a whole
  class and discuss what each type of map shows and
  how it may be useful to someone.
• ( 10-15 minutes, depending how long the list was)

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Procedure cont.

• 4) Ask students some questions about the list to
  facilitate discussion (5-10 min)
• - Why do you think there are so many different
  kinds of maps
• - What would happen if all the different items
  we talked about were displayed on the same map?
• This should help the students come to the
  realization that you can't display everything
  about a place on one map.

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Activity

• To help clarify that maps exhibit
  similar/different elements. Have the students
  partner up (or the teacher can assign partners)
  and give each pair a map of a large city and a
  map of its state.
• (15-20 min)
• -For example, students from Lansing or the
  surrounding area could have a map of Lansing and
  a map of Michigan.
• Explain that they will compare the two maps
  looking for similarities and
• differences.
• Each student will be given a corresponding
  worksheet to fill in that will ask
• students to describe what they see.
• The teacher might want to address some items
  they could look at such as lakes/rivers, cities,
  highways, streets, etc. to help get them started

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Procedure cont.

• 5) Talk a little bit with students about what
  they have learned and inform them that the next
  lesson will teach them more about maps.

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Extension

• As a follow-up to this lesson have students go
  home and watch the news, read a newspaper, etc.
• Instruct them to write down (or cut of if they
  are looking at a newspaper) all the different
  types of maps they see.
• Have the students bring them in the next day and
  their discussion can be used to recap on what was
  done in the previous lesson
• They could also act as a lead into the next
  lesson.

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Evaluation

• There will be three different times to assess the
  students.
• -1) Assess the students on their participation
  during group and class discussions.
• -Was the student contributing to the
  discussion?
• -Did the student respect and listen to the
  thoughts of others?

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Evaluation cont.

• 2) Assess the students worksheet from the
  activity.
• -Did the student compare/contrast the two
  maps?
• -Does it look like the student understands the
  differences between the two maps?
• 3) Assess the students extension assignment.
• -Did the student do the assignment?
• -Did he/she have a list of maps they saw?

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Sources/Acknowledgements

• Hardwich, Susan Wiley and Donald G. Holtgrieve.
  Geography for Education. NJ Prentice-Hall,
• 1996. 31-34.
• Michigan Geographic Standards
• National Geographic Standards
• United States Geological Survey