Kyle Yamnitz

Find It!

Grade Level: 3-5

Length: One class period

Materials:

Large world map, globe, handout with coordinates of places in
latitude and longitude.

Performance Expectation:

Students will be able to find a location on a map using longitude
and latitude, and they will be able to provide the coordinates
of a location.

Directions:

Prompt students’ interests with questions such as how do airplanes
know how to land and how do ships know where to navigate? Explain
that latitude and longitude play a large role in these processes.
Then, demonstrate the procedure for finding a location using
latitude and longitude. Place students in pairs and provide each
pair with a map and the coordinates of ten or so important areas
of the world. Ask the students to find the coordinates on the
map and record what area (city, state, nation, etc.) is located
there. If time allows, have students give the coordinates of
their hometown, Washington D. C., and other areas that may be
relevant to what they are currently studying.

Adaptation:

You need to be sure to include areas around the globe and areas
that are important to other cultures to support multiculturalism.

Assessment:

This same activity could be repeated after students have had
a chance to learn how to locate areas. This time it could be
graded on its accuracy.

References:

White, Carl. "gopher://ericir.syr.edu:70/00/Lesson/Subject/SocialStudies/cecsst.133."

ERIC.

gopher://ericir.syr.edu:70/00/Lesson/Subject/SocialStudies/cecsst.133
(20, Sept. 1996).