Title – Math and Mapping Skills – Florida

By – Carolyn Murray

Subject – Math

Grade Level – 5

Lesson Plan

Math and Mapping Skills

CONTENT:

This lesson plan will teach students mapping skills as they find the distance from various cities within the state of Florida. Students will also benefit from learning where major cities are located in the state.

ESOL students will be able to perform all of the preceding areas of content using visual, hands on activities in cooperative groups with a peer buddy to assist them during the activities.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:

Students will:

measure distances from selected cities within the state of Florida.

use the key of a map to learn mapping skills.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:

Lesson Initiating Activity

All Students are placed in peer groups (C1) making sure two ESOL students are not paired together. To introduce the map, students will list cities they already know, (activating prior knowledge A7) in Florida via the KWL game (D2). Students can locate these cities on the large map (B2) with assistance from the teacher (B14) marking them with colored pushpins. Cities used in future activities should also be identified.

ESOL students will be working with their peer buddy (C1) to help find the cities on their personal maps (B2). Teacher should make sure that ESOL students are choosing to identify cities or help to insert the pushpin after identifying the city (E14).

Core Activities

Students in their peer groups (C1) will be given the big maps (B2) to locate the cities listed on their worksheets with colored markers or crayons. With the six colors of string, students will measure the distance from the different cities listed on the handout, cutting the string to the appropriate length of the distance (E14). Using the key on the map, students will translate the distance of the string into miles and record the distance in miles on the handout. Teacher will model one example for the students measuring the distance from Orlando to Tallahassee. Students will be allotted time to do the activity.

Teacher needs to monitor groups as they work together making sure the students comprehend the work and are doing it correctly.

Closure Activity

Review the worksheet with the students going over the answers from each group. Remember the answers should be close to correct but do not have to be exact since students are working with string. Allow some students to place their strings on the big map to show their distance measured. (E14) Discuss possible places in the city that students might visit to keep interest high. (Option) Possible travel brochures would add another interest to the place. (B5)

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT:

Large map of the state of Florida for teacher to post

One large map for each group of students

Individual mini maps of the state of Florida, one for each student

String for measuring in six different colors, one for each city to city measurement

Yardsticks and rulers, one for each student or 1 for every 2 students

Calculators

Pencils with erasers

Colored Markers or Crayons

Push Pins

Optional, travel brochures to the various cities students will go to during measurement activity

Handout for measuring distance:

“Mapping Your Way Across The State”

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:

1. Constant observation of groups during activities (G10)

2. Questions asked of the peer teams (G9)

3. Worksheet activities during learning time

4. Group Discussion after each activity (C8)

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES:

One bulletin board in the room will be a HUGE state of Florida. Students can place all their strings from and to the appropriate cities to signify the distances from each city measured on the worksheet. Teacher should take the average distance for each measurement and write it on the map underneath the strings.

ESOL students will be able to visualize the cities on the bulletin board and grasp a concept of distance.

On the personal size map, students will hang on to the map to locate other cities in later lessons. If teacher discussed the cities and talked about things to do in the cities, students should take note of that.

Teacher may want to cut out pictures (B5) from the travel brochures and place near the cities on the bulletin board.

Name: ______________________________ Date: _______________

Mapping Your Way Across The State

Directions:

1. Locate the cities listed on the map with a colored dot; use either your small map or the large map.

2. Using the string provided, measure the distances from the cities listed below.

3. Cut the string to the closest measurement between the cities.

4. Using the key on the big map to determine distance in miles.

5. Write down the distance on the line next to the city listed.

Cities to locate:

Ft. Lauderdale

Miami

Tampa

Ft. Myers

Orlando

West Palm Beach

Daytona Beach

Gainesville

St. Augustine

Jacksonville

Tallahassee

Pensacola

Map the distance between the following cities:

1. Ft. Lauderdale to West Palm Beach:

2. Miami to Ft. Myers:

3. Ft. Lauderdale to St. Augustine:

4. Gainesville to Tallahassee:

5. Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando:

6. West Palm Beach to Tampa:

E-Mail

Carolyn

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