Focus (or Guiding) Questions:   

What are the cardinal directions?

What are the intermediate directions?

Which directions do the lines of longitude run?

Which directions do the lines of latitude run?

Can you find the equator on a globe?

On a globe, where is the prime meridian located?

What is a hemisphere?

Know:

Identify and use a compass rose to find cardinal directions and Intermediate directions.

Definition of a hemisphere.

Location and names of hemispheres on a globe or map.

Determine distances using a scale.

Apply scale distances to a map or globe.

Do:

Interpret and draw conclusions using maps, graphs, charts, etc.

Measure distances using lines of latitude and longitude.

Read, interpret, and measure distances using a scale.

Locate countries in relationship to equator.

Locate countries in relationship to hemispheres.

Identify direction using cardinal and intermediate directions.

Locate and identify hemispheres on a map, globe, etc.

Determine distances using a scale.

Pass out map; explain that they have to follow the map to find the treasure.  Allow students time to study the map, and then allow them to hunt for treasure! You may want to make three or four different maps depending on the number of kids and provide different treasures.

In partners, have students think/pair/share strategies they used to find the treasures.  Discuss the students’ strategies as a group.

Research has shown that the least effective strategy for teaching vocabulary is having students look up words and write the definitions.  For quality, research-based strategies for teaching content vocabulary, see the Teach 21 Strategy Bank at http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/vocabulary.html.

Materials:  2 oranges, Sharpie marker,

Differentiated Instruction:  Group students based on ability level, such as lower level with two middle level students and one higher level student.

Stage 1: Parts of a Map

See PowerPoint Parts of a Map. Discuss each element and the purpose of the element with students. Pay specific attention to scale, as it is a difficult concept for students to understand in terms of making their own, you may omit this part from the map making activity if deemed necessary.

Introduce the Map Making Activity. Review the Rubric and Checklist for the assignment.  Students can work in pairs to share ideas.  Have students share their maps on the overhead/Elmo.  Discuss similarities and differences between maps.

As an extension activity, have students to create a map of the school incorporating the elements of a map.

JASON http://www.jason.org/digital_library/10407.aspx  Review Parts of a Map on the JASON website independently as a class. Would be helpful as a reference during the map making activity. Site also reads text to students in a natural conversational tone to help differentiate instruction for students with reading difficulties.

Cyber Squad and the Eye of Rom http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/inverseoperations Use the cardinal directions to help find the pieces of the Eye of Rom in the maze.  Be careful! You have to know the opposite directions to make it back out. This activity reinforces the concept of cardinal directions and presents it in an interesting format.

Blank Compass Rose: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/label/geography.shtml

Use this worksheet to check for understanding regarding the cardinal and intermediate directions or use as a group review on the ELMO/overhead.

Stage 2: Latitude and Longitude

Show the following online overview to students, Latitude and Longitude. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swKBi6hHHMA  This video discusses latitude, longitude, and locations of prime meridian and equator. It also explains how to find coordinates.  It is a YouTube video, so it needs to be downloaded at a different location other than a school network.

Activity: Crack the Code

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/01/crackcode.html  – In this online activity, students are challenged to solve a crime using a code written in latitude and longitude.  This self-checking activity provides additional practice with latitude and longitude.

Latitude/Longitude Self-Checking Activity: Provides online guided practice for latitude and longitude as well as equator and prime meridian reinforcement. http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/k9mod/Mapskill/mod3fl5.swf

Mapping Lab- free registration http://www.jason.org/gated/digital_library/pages/DigitalLibraryResourceView.aspx?rpid=10497 

This site provides an exciting map activity where students develop their own treasure map, including map parts, determine scale, latitude and longitude. I would incorporate this activity after learning latitude and longitude.

Latitude and Longitude Game:  http://www.purposegames.com/game/longitude-and-latitude-quiz

Additional online longitude and latitude activity to reinforce the concept, the activity is self-checking.

Kids Geo Latitude and Longitude:  http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-games/latitude-longitude-map-game.php Help Hannah find the right location based on latitude and longitude.

Stage 3: Hemispheres

You will need two oranges.  Prior to the lesson, make a dotted line around the middle of both oranges with a permanent marker and refer to the lines as the equator or prime meridian to provide a visual cue and reinforcement.  Introduce the concept of hemisphere.  Write the word on the board.  Have students to define what “sphere” means.  Write that on the board, as well.  Cut the orange in half, tell the students you have one hemisphere of an orange, elicit a clear definition that a hemisphere is a “half of a sphere” and that “hemi” means “half”.  Explain that the Earth is divided into four hemispheres.  Show one orange in the North/South Hemisphere position. Tell students to visualize that the orange represents the Earth. Explain that the orange is divided on the Equator and elicit the names of the hemisphere.  Hold the second orange where the dotted line represents the prime meridian.  Have students to identify the eastern and western hemispheres.  Emphasize the use of cardinal directions for hemispheres.

 Use computer and ELMO to show the Online Hemisphere Model http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/hemispheres.htm.  Model the locations of the equator and prime meridian on the model and emphasize the importance of the compass rose in determining the hemispheres and relate the hemispheres to the compass rose.

Have students to complete the Hemisphere Foldable Activity provided on the Teach 21 website  http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/public/cso/popup_voc.cfm?cos_xid=1965 locate the link at the bottom of the page, activity templates, pictures, and directions are included. 

Label the Continents: Students separate the map into hemispheres, and then label the continents.  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/label/labelcontinents.shtml

In pairs, students will refer to the map and write directional clues that use the compass rose, equator, prime meridian and equator as reference points.  Trade clues with another group and see if they can locate the continents based on your clues.

Blank Map Template http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/education/xpeditions/atlas/ Use for latitude and longitude and country location by hemisphere and equator/prime meridian proximity, it is good for a visual.

Stage 4:  Using a Scale to Measure Distance:

To assess the prior knowledge of your students, have students to brainstorm ideas where they have seen or would use scale to reduce or enlarge something in their daily lives.  Write these ideas on the board.

Map Adventures http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/teachers-packets/mapadventures/malessn7.html   The lesson plan at Map Adventures provides a colorful visual and simple explanation for the need for scale and how scale is related to the map and actual distance.  Model using a ruler and show students how to use the ruler to assist with finding distance using a scale. Depending on the scale, students will use inches or centimeters.  Emphasize careful reading of the scale units to ensure correctness. 

Additional Map Scale Activity - Map Scale Lesson Plan http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L516  This lesson plan details activities to teach using a scale to measure distances. 

Cardinal/Intermediate Directions Game- Have students stand up with arms outstretched towards the wall.  Call out cardinal and intermediate directions. Have students to move their arms like they are a weathervane, with right arm pointing in the correct direction.  May use tape to create a compass rose on the floor for quick reference for students. Reinforces skill in a kinesthetic manner.