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Map Skills for students

Compelling Questions

How are maps used?

Supporting questions:

What information is on a map?

What information would we include in map of our classroom?

Primary source

Historical maps: Have students analyze details and compare historical maps to current maps and see how the area has

changed.

The boy who loved maps

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Compelling question:

Where might you find a map?

Supporting questions:

How do you use maps?

What do you see on maps?

Primary and secondary sources:

Primary would be a globe

Secondary National Geographic

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Using a Grid With a Zoo Map

Compelling Question: what is the best path to the most popular exhibit with the least amount of walking distance.

Supporting Questions: what are the most popular exhibits?

What points of interest should we include in our map plan?

Primary Source: Zoo map

Secondary source: article reviews

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Grades 5-6

Selecting Settlement Sites

Compelling Question-What factors influence where people choose to build and grow their communities?

Supporting Questions

1. How do natural resources and physical features shape the location of settlements?

2. How do access to transportation and economic opportunities influence settlement decisions?

Primary and Secondary Sources

Historical Maps showing settlement patterns and locations of natural resources (e.g., river valleys, forests).

Diaries or Letters from early settlers discussing why they chose a specific location

Articles or textbook excerpts explaining how geography influenced settlement choices throughout history

National Geographic's "Selecting Settlement Sites" resource (mapmaker)

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I chose the mapping the classroom activity for K and for my compelling question I did, "How do maps help us understand and navigate the spaces around us?" I think this would be a good opportunity to also teach them the word navigate. For my sporting questions, 1. Why is it important to use accurate shapes and sizes when creating a map, 2. What purposes do we need maps for? For the sources I would like to start by showing maybe a map of the school and point out landmarks they know like the cafeteria or gym, and then make a map of the classroom together using a physical pasteboard or a fun online interactive mapping tool to create our our classroom map- Madeline

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Measuring distances on a Map

Compelling Question- How can we use a map to find out how far places are from each other?

Supporting Question 1- What is the difference between measuring distance on a map and measuring in real life?

Supporting Question 2: How do we use a ruler or another measuring tool to measure distance on a map?

Primary- a map/globe

Secondary- educational video

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I looked into the Analyze a Community Map lesson!

Compelling question: Why are places located where they are?

Supporting questions: What do we keep in mind when selecting locations for specific buildings (school, library, postal office, etc.)?

Who plans the layout/placement of our city/town?

Primary sources: Map of city/town

City hall meeting transcript (about selecting locations)

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Many Ways to Name a Place

Compelling Question

How can maps help us understand our place in the world?

Supporting Questions

1. What features do we see when we compare maps at different scales?

2. How do geographic distinctions help us interpret our local and global surroundings?

Primary Sources

1. Interactive Maps: National Geographic MapMaker to explore students' locations.

2. Physical Maps: Local city map, state map, U.S. map, world map for reference.

Secondary Sources

1. Books

2. Photographs: City signs, neighborhood photos, landmarks.

3. National Geographic’s Map Essentials Materials

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pre-k thru 1st: land, water, and amimals on a map

compelling- where do animals live?

supporting- how do animals use land and water?

primary- use a map of the city to point out land(green) and water(blue)

secondary- a video of a local park and discuss the animals they see

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I chose the Erie Canal/ New York lesson plan

Compelling question - how did the geography of New York develop trade routes and promote city growth?

Supporting Question - How do water transportation routes offer economic benefits?

Supporting Question - Why are major cities located along the major rivers in New York? Primary source can be the maps of New York

Secondary - Video of someone analyzing the maps

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Compelling Question

How do maps help us find our way?

Supporting Questions

1. What do the pictures on a map mean?

2. How do we use a map to find things in a park?

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary Sources:

A simple park map from the National Geographic lesson.

Photos of park elements like slides, ponds, and trees to connect to the map symbols.

Secondary Sources:

Follow That Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills by Scot Ritchie

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Mapping The Classroom

Compelling Question:

How can a map of our classroom help us find things, and what words can we use to say where things are?

2 Supporting Questions:

What do you think you would see if you were flying above our classroom like a bird? What shapes and things would you notice or see?

Can you tell me where the desk is using the words 'next to,' 'between,' or 'near'?

Primary sources:

Classroom map

Student descriptions

Physical classroom objects

A classroom “treasure hunt” activity

Secondary sources:

Books about mapping

Teachers guide or lesson plans

Images or examples of other classroom maps

Videos or interactive websites on mapping

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Selecting Settlement Sites

Why do we live where we do?

What resources do we require to live?

How have the needs of our environment changed from the 1800s?

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Land, Water, and Animals on a Map

Compelling Question:

How do maps help us understand where animals live?

Supporting Questions:

1. What are the differences between land and water habitats?

2. How do different animals adapt to their environments on land and in water?

Primary and Secondary Sources:

Primary Sources:

Maps of local or global regions showing land and water features.

Photographs or illustrations of animals in their natural habitats (e.g., forests, oceans, lakes).

Firsthand videos of wildlife documentaries (e.g., National Geographic).

Secondary Sources:

Articles or textbooks discussing the habitats and adaptations of animals.

Reference books about map reading and geography for children.

Educational websites or apps (e.g., Google Earth, PBS Kids interactive maps).

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1. Lesson Plan: Cardinal Directions and Maps. Grades 2 and 3.

2. Compelling Question: How can you use cardinal directions on a map to help you navigate the real world?

3. Supporting Questions: What are the four cardinal directions? What tools can you use to identify cardinal directions in the real world besides a map?

4. Primary Source: Historical map with compass rose from the Library of Congress.

5. Secondary Source: An atlas of Virginia, or other state.

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Create a Weather Map

Compelling Question:

How does weather impact the daily lives and decisions of people in different regions?

Supporting Questions:

1. How do weather maps help us understand patterns in weather?

2. How do landforms and geographic location influence weather conditions?

Sources:

Primary Sources:

Current weather maps from local and national news websites (e.g., Weather Channel, NOAA).

Students can go outside to observe and record the weather

live or recorded weather reports showing current weather conditions, temperatures, and forecasts.

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Compelling: What is a map grid?

Supporting: What purpose do map grids serve? How is a map grid used?

Primary: Zoo map and map of a city

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Compelling question: what can you see on each map?

Supporting questions: do each map have the same key or items? Why do some maps look different from the others?

Primary sources: have students take pictures of their classrooms, communities, neighborhoods, and a park using their devices

Secondary sources: have students find online pictures of a community, neighborhood, classroom, and park

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Places in the park

Compelling question-How do maps help us?

Supporting question-

How do you use map symbols?

How can we recognize our state on a map?

Sources-

Map

What a map can do ? By Gabrielle Balkan