Lesson Plan #:AELP-GGR0024

Map Making

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Submitted by: Linda Bauck
School or Affliation: Wallowa Elementary, OR
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.

Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 4, 5, 6

Subject(s):

Description:

Students usually do not view map making as something that is done by people. This activity acquaints students with some of the problems associated with map making, especially with transferring a round shape into a flat shape. It also raises their awareness of location of continents, latitude and longitude, and other map skills.

Goal:

A map is a representation of all or part of the surface of the earth on a plane. This activity will acquaint students with some of the problems associated with map making.

Objectives:

  1. The students will become aware of the placement of continents and oceans by drawing them on a handmade globe.
  2. The students will become aware of the placement of the equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn and the North and South Poles by drawing them on the handmade globe.
  3. The students will make a flat map from their globe by cutting it with scissors and laying it flat.

Materials:

1/2 sheet of 8 1/2" X 11" paper for each student (scrap paper is good), one tennis ball (or soft ball) for each student, scissors, tape, pencils

Procedure:

  1. Using 1/2 sheet of paper, wrap a tennis ball. The wrapping should have not wrinkles or overlapping on the paper. The paper may be cut if the student feels that will help. Tape the wrapping in place.
  2. Sketch the continents on the map in the correct places. Add the North and South Poles, the Equator, and the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
  3. Compare it to a commercial globe in the room and discuss. Make adjustments as necessary.
  4. When the covering is completed, remove it from the tennis ball. Lay it flat on the desk and study the "map of the world.
  5. Discuss the good/bad features in the conclusions.
  6. Compare it to a flat map in the atlas.
  7. The teacher is a facilitator in this activity. It is important to emphasize that each student will find their own solution - that there is no one "right" answer.

Tying it All Together:

  1. This is a very effective first day activity to introduce, not only a map unit, but to set the class tone for emphasizing problem solving as a way of doing things.
  2. Stress that each student can develop their own strategy but can get ideas by looking around the room.
  3. Be sure to discuss problems involved and the many ways in which they were solved in executing the activity.
  4. Relate the activity to early cartography, the various flat map designs, early explorers, etc.