LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

What we can learn from maps

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/03/g35/seasgis35.html

A lesson plan for Grades 3–4 Social Studies

Provider: National Geographic

About this resource

Appropriate grades
3–4
Subjects
social studies (geography, North Carolina), thinking skills (information literacy, research skills, visual literacy), education technology (integrating technology), teaching methods (cooperative learning, online learning)
Provider
National Geographic

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Creative Commons License

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In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore how maps can be used to provide information about a variety of activities, distributions, and earth and ocean features. This lesson provides opportunities for online learning, small group collaboration, and individual practice.

Students will:

  • examine ocean maps and discuss what the maps show;
  • make maps of their state's corn or wheat production and discuss what the maps reveal about agricultural patterns in their state; and
  • create maps of fictitious ocean areas and compare the maps to determine some of the patterns they show.

Xpeditions provides links to helpful web resources, detailed instructions for completing the lesson, and suggestions for assessment and extension activities.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 3

  • Goal 4: The learner will explain geographic concepts and the relationship between people and geography in real life situations.
    • Objective 4.01: Distinguish between various types of maps and globes.
    • Objective 4.02: Use appropriate source maps to locate communities.
    • Objective 4.03: Use geographic terminology to describe and explain variations in the physical environment as communities.

Grade 4

  • Goal 1: The learner will apply the five themes of geography to North Carolina and its people.
    • Objective 1.01: Locate, in absolute and relative terms, major landforms, bodies of water and natural resources in North Carolina.
    • Objective 1.02: Describe and compare physical and cultural characteristics of the regions.
    • Objective 1.03: Suggest some influences that location has on life in North Carolina such as major cities, recreation areas, industry, and farms.