Chapter 1 Lesson 2, "Understanding Maps"

Materials:

• worksheet "Using Map Scales"
• worksheet Understanding Maps"

Objective:

• Students will explain what a map is.
• Students will describe the parts of a map.
• Students will use a legend and scale to read a map.

Anticipatory Set:* Tell the students you are going to give them directions to a place in Fairbanks. Have the students guess the place you are at. Ask them what might help them if they were given the same directions again? Do verbal directions work very well if the area is new to them? Show the students a map of UAF and ask them it it would have helped to have the map. Read them the directions again and see if they can guess the exact building the the directions lead to.

Teacher Input:* What is a map? Have the students write down the definition found on Page 7. Compare the UAF Ariel picture to the map of UAF. What similarities do you see? What are the differences? Maps have many other things then just a drawing of the area from above. What else is on this map? (UAF Map) Define Legend: Where is the legend on this map and what does it show? What is another name for a legend? Ask the students which direction on the map is North. How do they know? What is the name of the part of a map that shows the major compass directions?

Show the map of UAF again. How far is it from one end of campus to the other? (Why don't they know, what is missing on the map? Define the term Scale. Show the students a USGS Quadrangle map. Talk about the scale on that map. Explain the three different ways it is shown in 1:250,000, 1 centimeter r= 2 kilometers or a certain distance at the bottom has a value of distance on the map. Ask students what the brown lines are on a USGS map. How can this help someone planning a trip. Show the students http://topozone.com where they can access any USGS topographic map for free. Explain the compass direction at the bottom of the map. What does it mean. Magnetic north vs. Geographic North.

Guided Practice:* Students will answer the questions on Page 12 with help from the teacher.

Independent Practice:* Have the students read section 2, "Understanding Maps".

Complete the worksheet "Using Map Scales"

Complete the worksheet Understanding Maps"

Check for Understanding:* Have the students take the quiz, Chapter 1, lesson 2 "Understanding Maps"

Duration:

30 minutes + 10-15 for Independent Practice (Could be longer if taken for homework).

Alaska Performance Science Standards Addressed in this lesson:

• A.15 Local Knowledge
  Conduct research to learn how the local environment is used by a variety of competing interests including local plant and animal populations, individual families, the local community, and outside sources such as oil and mining companies, hunting groups, and tourists.
• B.3 Scientific Thinking
  Compare their work to the work of others to identify multiple paths that can be used to investigate a particular question.
• C.6 Open-mindedness
  Describe the steps in the development of a widely used technology (e.g., Teflon©, sticky notes, nylon, penicillin, Jello©, etc.)