Social Studies
Unit Planning Outline
Unit Title: Maps and Globes
Standard 3: Students will use geographic tools and skills to locate and describe places on earth.
Objective 2: Demonstrate geographic skills on a map and a globe.
- Identify and use information on a map and on a globe (e.g., map key, or legend, simple grid systems, physical features, compass rose)
- Compare and contrast the difference between maps and globes.
- Locate your city, the state of Utah, and the United States on a variety of maps and globe.
- Locate and label the following on a map or globe: seven continents, five oceans, poles, and equator.
- Using a map or globe, link cultures/nationalities within your community to their place of origin.
Related themes to teach with this unit: location, culture, key, direction
______
List least three technology sites that students could use during this unit: (virtual field trips, interactive learning centers, etc.)
URL: / Summary of this site:/ This website can be used as a review game. Students can review the major bodies of water and learn additional facts about each.
/ This website provides a review game for students to participate in that focuses on continents and their names.
/ This youtube clip introduces students to the concept of maps. It provides a fun way to begin the unit and grab student interest.
Instructional Schedule and Content / Unit Objectives Addressed by this Lesson / Instructional Strategy
Write your lesson content objective after each lesson number. / Write the unit objective this content teaches here. Some lessons might be linking lessons. / Write the strategy that best helps you teach this content and objective here and then give a brief explanation.
Lesson 1:
What do we know about maps? Students brainstorm about maps. Draw a map. / Identify and use information on a map. / Guided Learning: We will discuss as a class and make a chart about our knowledge of maps. Students will also begin to draw their own.
Lesson 2:
Discuss symbols on a map. Students will play a symbol match game. / Identify and use information on a map. / Direct Instruction: I will introduce the symbols and their meanings on a map. Students will then participate in a symbol matching game as a class.
Lesson 3:
Students will learn directions on a map. / Map Symbols, Locations on a Map / Guided Learning: Post the directions around the classroom. Review techniques to make it easier to remember. Play Where in the World game with continents and oceans.
Lesson 4:
Students will identify the country, states, and our state on the map. / Locate cities, state, and country. / Direct Instruction: I will write the name of the country on the board. We will define country. We will then define state and locate states.
Lesson 5:
Students will use a globe to locate continents. / Compare and contrast maps and globes. / Object Lesson: I will have students pass around a globe. Students will practice finding the continents and locations of countries, continents, and our state. Students will compare this to maps.
Lesson 6:
Students will create an edible map. / All objectives / Guided Learning: Students will receive materials. Each student will create their own map of the world.
Lesson 7:
Map Mosaics- Students will create a map. / Continents, Oceans / Guided Learning- Each student will create a map mosaic of the world with construction paper.
Lesson 8:
Students will go on a scavenger hunt through the classroom. / Location and Direction / Guided Learning: Students will start with a clue. This clue will give hints to other clues. Students will follow the directions.
Lesson 9:
Students will associate countries with cultures. / Link cultures to origin. / Direct Instruction: Students will make a list of different cultures. We will then discuss what we know about the cultures and location.
Lesson 10:
Students will play BINGO. / Review all objectives. / Game: Students will play bingo to review what they have learned.
Lesson Descriptions
Lesson #1- Begin a class discussion about maps and globes. Discuss what the students know and are familiar with. As a class make a KWL chart with the students’ knowledge, concerns, and questions. After the discussion, have students make their own map of their room. Include details and descriptions.
Lesson #2- Begin by explaining the symbols on a map and their corresponding meanings. After explaining the symbols have students participate in a game. Each student will get an index card. Students will work to find the corresponding symbol, definition (word), and example. For example, one student will have a triangle, another mountain, and another Rocky Mountains. These students will need to find each other.
Lesson #3- Post the different directions on a map throughout the classroom. Discuss the directions and the trick ways to remember directions. (Never Eat Soggy Waffles) Pull down a map of the world. Play Where in the World. Have one student pick a continent or ocean. Then have the student give directional clues until another student can guess what it is.
Lesson #4- I will put the name of the country on the board. As a class we will define what a country is. We will then define what a state is. I will write the name of the state on a post it. Students will then have to correctly locate our state and put the post it on the state. We will then practice finding states and drawing correct borders around them.
Lesson #5- To begin I will pass around a globe. Students will be able to hold and look at the globe and find continents, countries, and our state. After looking at the globe I will have students come look at a canvas map of the world. I will say a continent, ocean, etc. One student will find it on the canvas map while another finds it on the globe. We will then compare the difference between the two and how it is the same and/or different.
Lesson #6- Each student will receive materials. These will include blue frosting, graham crackers, licorice, etc. Students will use the frosting to create the oceans on a paper plate. The graham crackers will be used to create the continents. Licorice and other small candies will be used to add detail and borders where necessary.
Lesson #7- Students will create map mosaics. Each student will receive a piece of construction paper. They will also receive a smaller piece of construction paper in various colors that they will rip into smaller pieces. Each student will then create the continents on their paper. Using the construction paper and glue students will form the continents and oceans on their paper. Once dried students will label the continents and oceans, we will then display them throughout the classroom.
Lesson #8- Each group of students will begin with one clue. The students will need to follow the directions to find the next clue. Each clue will contain directions with north, west, south, and/or east in order to find the next clue. At the end of several clues students will find a prize waiting for them.
Lesson #9- Students will work together to create a list of different cultures we have previously learned about. We will then discuss different attributes of that culture. As we think of the culture and the attributes we will discuss if there are any hints given about the location of where the culture originated. Once we have formed an idea we will then find that location on a map.
Lesson #10- As a class, we will play BINGO. Students will each get a card to play and an appropriate number of markers. The teacher will show a symbol, word, shape of a continent, etc. Students will then have to correctly identify what corresponds to the card shown. Continue playing until at least each student has one bingo.