World Map and Globe - Lesson 1

Introduction to the Globe


Objectives The students will identify the globe as a model of the Earth.
 The students will locate the continent of North America on a globe.
 The students will locate the four oceans on the globe.
 
Vocabulary globe, ocean, continent
 
Materials Needed classroom globe, map marker



Lesson

Write the word Earth on the board. Ask the students to share ideas about the meaning of the word. After some discussion, tell the student that one meaning of Earth is the name of our planet. All people live on the planet Earth. The Earth is a very large place. All the land and water features that they see are on the planet Earth.

Introduce the globe as the model of the Earth. Explain the word model. Discuss the similarities between models and the things they represent. Examples would be model train vs. a real train, model cars vs. a real car. Ask why we use models instead of real objects? (size - students don't have room to use real trains, the Earth is so large, a model must be used to study it.) The globe shows two major geographical features, land and water. Tell the students that largest land areas are called continents. Write the word continent on the board. Tell the students they live on the continent of North America, write North America on the board and circle it on the globe. The largest water areas are called oceans. Write the word ocean on the board.

Pass the globe among the students. Ask them to find what they think are oceans. (Make sure you point out the Arctic Ocean located at the North Pole). Place a mark on the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Indian Ocean. Ask the students if there is more water or land on our planet. (water)

Tell the students that most of the land and water features have names.



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World Map and Globe - Lesson 2

Continents of the Globe


Objectives The students will locate and identify the continents on the globe.
 
Vocabulary continent
 
Materials Needed globe, globe marker



Lesson

Review with the students that the globe is a model of the Earth. Also review with the students the meaning of the world ocean. Locate each ocean on the globe.

Write the word continent on the board. Tell the students that the largest land areas on the globe are called continents. There are seven continents. Each continent has a name. Today the students will use the globe to locate and identify the seven continents.

Draw a circle around North America. Tell the students we live on the continent of the North America. Underline the words North America and emphasize the style of type and size of type used to identify continents. This will help the students locate and identify the other continents.

Pass the globe among the students. Have a student identify each continent. (Don't forget Antarctica.) Each time a continent is identified write the word(s) on the board. Continue this process until all continents have been identified.

As a continent is identified, ask the students which oceans touch that continent.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 3

Equator, North Pole, and South Pole


Objectives The students will locate and identify the Equator, North Pole, and South Pole on the globe.
 
Vocabulary Equator, North Pole, South Pole
 
Materials Needed globe, globe marker, World Political Map



Lesson

Pass the globe among the students. Tell the students there are specials features on the globe that help us find other places. Today the students will locate the North Pole, South Pole, and Equator on the globe. Write these vocabulary words on the board.

Pull the World Map all the way down. In the upper left corner of the map is a Location Skills inset map with two global projections. The North Pole and South Pole are identified. Using the map marker, circle the North Pole on the globe. Read to the students the definitions stated on the map. Ask the students if they think it is cold or hot at the North Pole. Is there land or water at the South Pole? (water - Arctic Ocean)

Circle the South Pole on the map and read the definition. Have another student locate the South Pole on the globe. Is the climate hot or cold at the South Pole? If you lived there what type of clothes would you need? Is there land or water at the South Pole? (land - the continent of Antarctica)

Next locate the Equator on the globe. Explain to the students that the Equator is an important line drawn on maps and globes half way between the North Pole and the South Pole. Have a student use the map marker and draw a line all the way around the globe at the Equator. Do the same on the map. Ask the students to name the continents the Equator "runs through". (South America, Africa, Asia) Ask the students if they think it would be warmer at the Equator than at the North and South Poles. Find your approximate location on the globe. Do you live closer to the Equator or to the North Pole?


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 4

Introduction to the World Map


Objectives The students will identify the differences between the globe and the World Map.
 
Vocabulary World Map
 
Materials Needed globe, World Map, and post-it-notes with these words -
 Equator, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean



Lesson

Show the globe. Hold the globe yourself and ask the students if they can see the "back side" of the globe. Explain that the best thing about the globe is that it shows the true shape of the continents and oceans. The disadvantage of the globe is you can only see half of it at a time. To see the whole world at one time we use a World Map. A World Map is a flat picture of the entire world.

Pull down the World Political Map. Have the students describe the similarities and differences between the World Map and the globe. The same land and water areas are shown but shapes have changed. Show Greenland on the globe and compare it to Greenland on the map. The entire continent of Antarctica is shown on the globe but not on the map. Emphasize that the globe is the true shape of the Earth. Find and label the Equator on the globe. Use the marking crayon and draw a line all the way around the globe at the Equator. Find the Equator on the World Map. Have students place the stick-up word Equator on the World Map at the appropriate location.

Pass the globe among students. Have one student find and name a continent on the globe. Then have another student find the same continent on the map. Label each continent located on the map with the correct post-it-notes. One continent, Antarctica, has very few people living there. Why? Locate and label each ocean.

Pull the map down the rest of the way to show the World Physical Map. The continents are labeled on this map. Compare the labels on the World Physical Map with the post-it-notes the students have applied. Do the same for the oceans.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 5

Introduction to Symbols


Objectives The students will learn picture symbols that can be used to express ideas.
 
Vocabulary symbol
 
Materials Needed post-it-notes with symbols for happy face, sad face,
  no smoking, no parking, hospital zone, quiet please, airport, World Map



Lesson

(Pull down the World Map. You can have the students place the post-it-notes on the surface of the map.)

Explain to the students that they do not always have to be able to read a word to tell what something means. Sometimes we can use signs or symbols to express and idea and never say a word. Write the word symbol on the board. A symbol is a drawing, line, or dot that stands for something else.

Use the post-it-note symbols to show examples of symbols.

Have the post-it-note symbols ready to be placed on the map. Ask one student to find the happy face and sad face symbols and place them on the map. Do the same for the quiet please and no smoking symbols. Ask the students how they decide what each meant. The symbols discussed so far express an action or feeling. Tell the students that symbols can also be used to show where different things are located.

Have the school zone, airport, and hospital symbol ready for the students to use. Ask the students what the symbols mean. Have the students place the symbols on the map.

Explain to the students that since a symbol is a drawing or sign that stands for a real place or thing, symbols can be made for nearly everything.

Locate your city on the map, or a city close to you. Explain to the students that a map of the world shows a very large area. Mapmakers cannot draw a picture of each city. Mapmakers use symbols. Explain that a symbol is used to identify your city and the students will locate other cities in another lesson.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 6

Countries of the World


Objectives The students will learn the meaning of the term country.
 The students will use map symbols to determine the boundary of a country.
 The students will be able to locate the United States on a globe and a World Map.
 
Vocabulary country, country boundary symbol, map legend.
 
Materials Needed globe, World Map, two post-it-notes with the following written on them:
  "______________is a country" "_________________ is a continent."



Lesson

Pull down the World Political Map. Review with the students that the continents are the very largest land areas. There are smaller land areas. These are called countries. A country is an area of land where people live under one government.

Tell the students they will learn how to tell on a map where the territory of one country begins and another ends. They will do this by decoding symbols shown in the map legend. A map legend is used to tell the meaning of the symbols used on the map.

Locate the map legend on the World Political Map. Review with the students the meaning of the word country. Brazil is the example used in the legend. Have a student locate Brazil on the map and another student locate Brazil on the globe.

Tell the students that a map symbol is used to show the boundary of a country. A boundary is a line drawn on a map showing where the territory of one country begins and another ends. Ask a student to describe what the country boundary symbol looks like.

Emphasize the difference between a country and a continent. Have one student write the name Brazil on one of the post-it-notes (___________is a country.) Place the post-it-note at the correct location on the map. Ask the students on which continent is Brazil located. Write South America on one of the post-it-notes (____________ is a continent.)

Ask the students the name of our country. Discuss what they know about the United States. What are our flag, national anthem, and national bird? Ask a student to find the United States on a globe. Make sure the students include Alaska and Hawaii. Have a student locate the United States on the World Map. Use the country and continent post-it-notes to identify the United States as a country and North America as a continent.

Locate the boundary symbol between the United States and Canada. Don't forget the Alaska/Canada border. Emphasize that the boundary symbol shows where the territory of the United States ends and Canada begins. Use the post-it-notes and label North America as a continent. Look at the globe and map. Which country is larger? (Canada)

Have a student locate the boundary symbol between the US and Mexico. Use the post-it-notes to label Mexico. Have a student place the post-it-notes at the correct location on the map.

Emphasize that Mexico, Canada, and the United States are countries all located on the continent of North America.

There are other countries that are part of North America. Have the students decode the country boundary symbols to determine the location of other countries. Use the remaining post-it-notes to label these countries.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 7

Continents and Countries


Objectives The students will locate and identify one country on each continent.
 The students will learn there is no country on the continent of Antarctica.
 
Vocabulary continent, country, boundary, map legend, symbol
 
Materials Needed World Political Map, globe, map marker



Lesson

Pull down the World Political Map and circle the map legend in the lower left corner of the map. Review with the students the definition of the word country. Also review the symbol that represents a country boundary. Have a student locate Brazil on the globe and have another student locate Brazil on the World Political Map.

Tell the students there are many countries in the world. Today they will use the World Political Map and the globe to locate at least one country on each continent except Antarctica. (There is no country on Antarctica.)

Have a student locate Antarctica on the globe. Ask why is there no country here. (The weather is so cold; few people live there.)

Review with the students that the United States is located on North America. Have a student circle the United States on the globe, making sure Alaska and Hawaii are also circled.

Prepare to make two lists on the board. One list should be labeled with the heading "continents." The other list should be labeled with the heading "Countries."

You have already identified the continent of South American and the country of Brazil. Write South America on the continent list and Brazil on the country list.

Review with the students that the United States is on the continent of North America. Enter the name of each feature in the proper list.

Have a student locate a country in Africa on the globe. Have another student locate the same country on the World Map. Enter the name of each in the correct list, emphasizing the difference between a continent and a country.

Follow the same procedure for the rest of the continents. Explain to the students there is only one country on the continent of Australia. The country of Australia has the same name as the continent.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 8

Country Capitals


Objectives The students will learn the definition of country capital.
 The students will learn the symbol used to identify a country capital on a World Map.
 The students will locate Washington D.C. on a World Map.
 
Vocabulary country capital
 
Materials Needed World Political map, map marker, post-it-note that reads
  "___________is the capital city of _________________"



Lesson

Review the definitions of the word country. A country is an area of land where people live under one government. Tell the students that each has a special city where government leaders meet to do their work. This city is the country capital. Discuss some of the important leadership positions in our government.

Pull down the World Political Map. Locate the map legend and circle the symbol used to identify a country capital. (The name of the city is underlined.) The example cited in the legend is Brasilia, Brazil. Have a student circle Brasilia on the World Map.

Ask the students if they know the capital city of the United States. Have one student locate and circle Washington D.C. Emphasize the symbol used to identify Washington D.C. as a country capital.

Tell the students each country in the world has a capital city. Today the students will find one capital city on all continents except Antarctica. Use the post-it-notes on the map near the location of the capital city.

Begin with North America and locate and label a capital city other than Washington D.C. Follow the same procedure for the other continents. (Locate and label a capital city other than Brasilia in South America.)


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 9

Cities of the World


Objectives The students will learn to identify the symbol for cities
 The students will locate specific cities on the World Political Map
Vocabulary city population symbols
 
Materials Needed World Political map, map marker, post-it-note with the following:
  "___________is a very large city."
 "___________ is a large city."
 "___________ is a smaller city."



Lesson

Ask the students to describe a city they either live in or have visited. Write the names of the cities mentioned on the board. Ask the students to describe the type of activities that take place in these cities. Examples might be traffic, big buildings, etc. How are the cities mentioned the same? How are they different?

Pull down the World Political Map. Examine the map to see if any of the cities mentioned are shown on the map. Explain to the students that there are many, many cities in the world. Only a limited number can be shown on a world map. Map makers use symbols to represent cities and to show where they are located.

Circle the Political Map legend. Introduce the city population symbols found in the legend. The legend explains the meaning of the symbols. When used on the map, the symbol shows us where the city is located and approximately how many people live there.

Find an example of each city symbol on the World Political Map. Have one student find a very large city and another student write the name of the city in the space on the " __________is a very large city" post-it-note. Do the same for other post-it-notes. Make sure the students also identify the name of the country in which the city is located.

If your city or town is not shown on the map, use a blank post-it-note. Discuss the size of the symbol that should be used to represent your city. Draw the city symbol on the blank post-it-note of your city. Use other post-it-notes for other cities you have discussed which are not shown on the map.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 10

Four Main Directions


Objectives The students will be able to locate the North Pole and the South Pole on a globe
 The students will learn the definitions of north, south, east and west.
 
Vocabulary North Pole, South Pole, north, south, east, west, compass rose
 
Materials Needed World Map, globe, map marker



Lesson

Using the Location Skills inset map, locate and circle the North Pole and the South Pole. Read to the students the definitions of the North Pole and the South Pole.

Have a student locate the North Pole and the South Pole on the globe. (Globe use is very important because the globe shows true direction. There is no distortion.)

Tell the students that the North Pole and the South Pole are very important places on the globe because they help to determine the direction.

Tell the students there are four main (or cardinal) directions. Ask the students to name these directions. (north, south, east, and west) Today the students will learn the meaning of each direction and how to locate them on a globe and map.

Use the Direction Skills Inset Map. There is a compass rose drawn on a global projection. The compass rose is centered where the Equator and Prime Meridian intersect. Ask the students what is the purpose of a compass. (To help determine directions) A compass rose is used to help us find direction.

Have a student draw a compass rose on the globe at the same location as shown on the inset map, where the Equator and Prime Meridian intersect.

Circle the direction north on the inset map. Read the definition to the students. North is toward the North Pole.

Have a student label the direction north on the globe compass rose. Circle the direction south on the map and read the definition. South is toward the South Pole. (South is opposite north) Label south on the globe. Circle east on the map. East is to the right of a person standing on the Earth facing the North Pole. Label east on the globe. Circle west on the map and label west on the globe. West is to the left of a person standing on the Earth facing the North Pole.

Review with the students the meaning of each direction and how they appear on a globe.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 11

Using the Four Main Directions in the Classroom


Objectives The students will use the four main directions to locate features within the classroom.
 
Vocabulary north, south, east, west
 
Materials Needed World Map, magnetic compass, globe, map marker



Lesson

Pull down the World Map and locate the Direction Skills Inset Map in the upper right corner. Review with the students the four main directions. Emphasize the direction north, as that is our base direction:
           North is toward the North Pole.
           South is toward the South Pole.
           East is to the right of a person standing on the Earth facing the North Pole.
           West is to the left of a person standing on the Earth facing the North Pole.

These definitions are always correct. They are correct on the globe and the Word Map, or even within your own classroom. Tell the students they will locate things in their classroom by using the four main directions.

Have the students locate the drawing of the students in the direction inset map. Emphasize that the student in the drawing is acting as a direction finder. Select a student to act as a direction finder for your classroom.

Use a magnetic compass to determine the direction north in your classroom. Label the north wall in your classroom.

Have the "student direction finder" stand facing the north wall. His/her arms should be extended exactly like the student on the drawing. Label the other walls as well.

Now use the classroom to locate other features by using direction. Each time the students locate a feature have them tell you the direction they moved and tell what the direction means (Example-east is to my right as I face the North Pole)

Conclude the lessons by drawing your classroom on the globe. If possible, have the location on each student's desk marked on the globe. Emphasize that if the students were to walk toward the North wall in the classroom, and they kept walking, they would eventually arrive at the North Pole.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 12

Seas, Gulfs, and Bays


Objectives The students will learn the definitions of gulf, bay and sea.
 The students will locate examples of gulfs, bays, and seas on the World Map.
 
Vocabulary sea, gulf, bay
 
Materials Needed World Political Map, globe, map marker



Lesson

Write the words sea, gulf and bay on the board. Tell the students the meaning of each term. A sea is a large body of salt water, smaller than an ocean. A gulf is a larger body of water, usually an ocean or sea. A gulf makes an indentation in the coastline. A bay looks like a gulf, but is usually smaller.

As you explain the terms to the students, have the World Map pulled down. Each time you give the definition of a term, be prepared to show the students a specific example. Examples to be used might be: The Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Hudson Bay.

As you mark these examples on the map, have one student locate the same features on the globe. Use the map and globe to identify other examples. Start with Africa and list on the chalk board the seas, gulfs, and bays that touch Africa. If time allows, follow the same procedure for other continents. Have the students use both the World Map and the globe.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 13

Island Countries


Objectives The students will learn the definition island.
 The students will locate island countries on the World Map.
 
Vocabulary island
 
Materials Needed World Political Map, globe, map marker



Lesson

Write the term island on the board. Ask the students to describe an island. An island is a body of land completely surrounded by water. Ask the students if they have ever been on an island. Was it big or small? What kinds of things did they find on the island?

Tell the students islands can be almost any size. Some are very large while others are very small. Have a student circle some islands on the World Map while another student is doing the same on the globe.

Tell the students that there are islands that are countries. Some are very small countries with few people. Others are island countries with many people.

Locate Asia on the World Map and on the globe and find the following island countries. List the name of the country on the board. Have a student circle the island country on the map and another circle the same island country on the globe. After the country has been located, have the students write the name of the country's capital city on the board.

       Japan - Tokyo
       Taiwan - Taipei
       Philippines - Manila
       Indonesia - Jakarta
       Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur

If time allows, do the same procedure for the other continents.


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 14

Land Elevation


Objectives The students will learn the meaning of land elevation.
 The students will learn that a physical map uses different colors to show different land elevations.
 
Vocabulary land elevation, physical map
 
Materials Needed World Political Map, map marker



Lesson

Ask the students if they have ever been on an elevator. If a student got on the elevator at the ground level what would the elevator do? Emphasize that an elevator goes up - from the ground toward the sky.

Write the word elevation on the board. Elevation means how high something is. The higher the feature is above the ground, the higher is its elevation. A twenty-story building has a high elevation that a two-story building.

Ask the students if the land around them is always level. (no) Ask them to describe a hill and a mountain. Tell the students they can learn about how high the land is by using a physical map. Write the word "physical map" on the board.

Pull down the World Physical Map (This map can be found at the top edge of the World Political Map). Have a student read the definition of a physical map. Land elevation is measured from the surface of the ocean. (This is called sea level.)

Colors are used on a physical map to show land elevation. Use the physical map legend to review with the students the meaning of the colors.

       Dark green means the lowest land elevation.
       Light green means low land elevation.
       Yellow means middle land elevation.
       Light brown means high land elevation.
       Dark brown means the highest land elevation.

Let the students explore the World Physical Map and suggest where the following landform features might be found: hill, valley, coastline.

What types of activities may take place at these landforms?


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World Map and Globe - Lesson 15

Mountains of the World


Objectives Using the World Physical Map, the students will locate one major mountain range on each continent. (except Antarctica)
 
Vocabulary mountain, physical map
 
Materials Needed World Physical Map and the following seven post-it-notes:
 Rocky Mountains
 Andes Mountains
 Alps Mountains
 Ural Mountains
 Atlas Mountains
 Himalayas Mountains
 Great Dividing Mountains



Lesson

Pull down the World Physical Map. Review with the students the meaning of the colors used on the physical map. Also ask the students that today they will learn about mountains around the world.

There are many different mountains ranges located throughout the world. These mountain ranges have a name to identify them just as cities are named. Tell the students they will learn the location and name of one mountain range on each continent except Antarctica.

Circle North America on the map. Have the students suggest where the largest mountain range in North American is located. Tell the students the name of the mountain range is the Rocky Mountains. Use the Rocky Mountains post-it-note and place it over the location of the Rocky Mountains on the map.

Follow the same procedure for the rest of the continents. Identify the continent. Suggest where mountains may be located. Apply the sticker. The mountain ranges and the correct continent are as follows:

       Rocky Mountains - Western North America
       Andes Mountains - Western South America
       Alps Mountains - Central Europe
       Ural Mountains - Divides Europe and Asia
       Atlas Mountains - Northern Africa
       Himalayas Mountains - South Central Asia
       Great Dividing Mountains - Eastern Australia


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