Map or Globe, What’s the difference?

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Strand / Geography
Topic / Maps and Globes
Primary SOL / K.5The student will use simple maps and globes to
a)develop an awareness that a map is a drawing of a place to show where things are located and that a globe is a round model of Earth;
Related SOL / K.6The student will develop an awareness that maps and globes
a)show a view from above;
b)show things in smaller size; and
c)show the position of objects.
Background Information / Students may have some exposure to maps either from visiting local area attractions with families (Busch Gardens, Colonial Williamsburg) or (given the demographics of our particular school) they may have familiarity with GPS in vehicles or on smart phones. They likely have observed their parents using a map to get directions when traveling.
Hook/Engage / Ask students what they know about maps or globes. Record responses on chart paper. Read There’s a Map on My Lap! By Tish Rabe from the Dr. Seuss Learning Library
Vocabulary / Define: map, globe, compass, compass rose, direction, bird’s eye view, GPS, landforms, river, lake
Plan A / Plan B
Materials /
  • There’s a Map On My Lap by Tish Rabe
  • Chart paper & markers
  • Construction paper with circles pre drawn for cutting .
  • Small outline maps for each section that will fit on construction circles.
  • Computer with internet access
  • Projection screen
  • Google Earth application
  • Address of school and areas of interest
  • Paper maps of specific areas (i.e. Busch Gardens), towns (Williamsburg), states (Virginia), regions (Mid Atlantic), country (United States), continent (North America), world
  • Globe
/
  • There’s a Map On My Lap by Tish Rabe
  • Chart paper & markers
  • Construction paper with circles pre drawn for cutting .
  • Small outline maps for each section that will fit on construction circles.
  • Address of school and areas of interest
  • Paper maps of specific areas (i.e. Busch Gardens), towns (Williamsburg), states (Virginia), regions (Mid Atlantic), country (United States), continent (North America), world
  • Globe

Student/Teacher Actions (delivery) / After reading the story, engage students in discussion about what they have learned about maps from the story. Compare this to what they said they knew ahead of time. Show students a globe and discuss how it is different/same from a map.
Log in to Google Earth and zoom all the way out to Earth. Project on screen and ask students if this projection is a map or a globe- how do they know? What information can we get from a globe?
Type in the address for an area of interest (school or Busch Gardens) and slowly zoom in showing earth – continent- country-region- state-town- specific area discussing the limitations and benefits of each map as you go.
As you zoom in on each area, discuss what each map shows (water and land, landforms, outlines of areas, names of cities, roads, etc). Pass out appropriate colored construction paper for each type of map and have students work along creating a flipbook as the lesson continues. Model construction at front of the room.
Stop at town and have students create page for “me”
/ After reading the story, engage students in discussion about what they have learned about maps from the story. Compare this to what they said they knew ahead of time. Show students a globe and discuss how it is different/same from a map.
Ask students what information they can gain from a globe. Show students a world map and discuss similarities and differences.
Tell the students that we want to find Busch Gardens on the map. Ask if we can do that with the world map. After determining that it would be very difficult, tell students that there are a variety of maps available and we are going to briefly look at several of them. Pass out purple construction paper and ask students to cut out circle. Then pass out outline maps of the world and instruct students to glue world map on red circle and write “My World” on the bottom. Model the construction on the document camera.
Move on to a map of the United States and repeat the process above for each color construction paper and map. Stop construction with town and then create a “me” page.
Assessment / Completion of flipbook with appropriate maps and labels on each page. / Completion of flipbook with appropriate maps and labels on each page.
Extensions and Connections /
  • Take student suggestions of locations to look up and model how to use a map to find that information.
  • Show students a variety of different specialty maps and discuss what these maps show (weather maps, road maps, topographical maps, landmark maps)

Strategies for Differentiation /
  • Differentiation of Content: Variety of instructional materials, student groupings, and interest (choosing a student generated area of interest)
  • Differentiation of Process: multiple entry points, varied groupings, individual project, tactile and visual presentations.
  • Differentiation of Product: product will reflect individuality as the circles reflect home.
  • Project can be adapted for students with motor needs by precutting, providing an aid and the use of stickers or clip art.