Geography Unit

Standards to address:
1.) Locate the prime meridian, equator, Tropic of Capricorn, Tropic of Cancer, International Date
Line, and lines of latitude and longitude on maps and globes.

Using cardinal and intermediate directions to locate on a map or globe an area in

Alabama or the world (Alabama)
Using coordinates to locate points on a grid
Determining distance between places on a map using a scale
Locating physical and cultural regions using labels, symbols, and legends on an Alabama
or world map (Alabama)
Describing the use of geospatial technologies
Examples: Global Positioning System (GPS), geographic information system (GIS)
Interpreting information on thematic maps
Examples: population, vegetation, climate, growing season, irrigation
Using vocabulary associated with maps and globes, including megalopolis, landlocked,
border, and elevation

2.) Locate the continents on a map or globe

Using vocabulary associated with geographical features of Earth, including hill, plateau,
valley, peninsula, island, isthmus, ice cap, and glacier
Locating major mountain ranges, oceans, rivers, and lakes throughout the world
(Alabama)
Outline for Unit:
1) Lesson 1: Students will be able to locate specific places on a map and globe (prime
meridian, equator, tropic of cancer, etc.)
a. Include hemispheres in this lesson or make it the lesson right after this one
b. Play toss the world game to work on identifying hemispheres and how much
more of the Earth is covered in water than land
2) Lesson 2: Students will be able to explain and identify what latitude and longitude is.
a. Want students to be able to apply this by actually using latitude and longitude
3) Lesson 3: Students will understand how to use maps and what purpose they serve
a. Practice creating our own maps
b. Teach about map keys
c. Briefly cover different types of maps
4) Lesson 4: Students will be able to name the seven continents, identify their location on a
map/globe, and be able to explain key information about each continent.
a. Continents and oceans will be the key focus of this lesson (not in too much detail
though because students will be doing a research project towards the end of the
unit)
5) Lesson 5: Students will be able to use vocabulary associated with geographical features
of the Earth (see standard 2)

a. Locate major mountain ranges, oceans, rivers, and lakes throughout the world
6) Final Project: Jigsaw style research project on the seven continents
a. Template for students to record research and books provided on each continent
b. Project details will be explained in advance and wrote on the board
*Note: This is not really only 6 lessons. This unit will definitely last two weeks. Those are just
the overall topics and the order of those topics. Only so much information will be able to be
covered during each 30 minute period. I also will have to be rotating with teaching science.
Pre-Assessment: A quiz to give the students prior to beginning the unit. Fill in the blank with a
word back and labeling/matching for the continents and oceans.
Post-Assessment: There will be opportunities for assessment throughout each lesson, but the
post-assessment will be the same as the pre-assessment so that I can compare scores from the
initial test to the final test.