Geography Lesson Plan Context: Montessori School in Lansing, MI Grades 6-8 Diverse classroom, predominantly African American, two

Vietnamese students, one Mexican student and five Caucasian students (24 students total) Predominantly urban and low socioeconomic backgrounds Many students live in homes with only one parent who is struggling and is not around very often. Student Knowledge: Through my social students talk (informal pre-assessment), I was able to gain information on how much these students knew on this topic. Students have a good understanding of different cultural perspectives. They are unaware of how maps were drawn before modern technology. Students need to think outside the box in terms of different kinds of maps and different information on maps. Two students are below their grades reading level. One student has behavioral issues and has trouble following social cues. Two students have parents that do not speak English. There is one paraprofessional in the room with works with three students. Rationale: Students use maps every day. Maps are very important in our society in order to get places, such as to follow roads or follow a map in a building. Students need to realize that not all maps are drawn the same, that different factors influence how a map is drawn. Students will learn this through observing maps of the same area that look different and/or provide different information. Students will discuss these maps with me as a class and then on their own in groups. Knowing this they can decide if a map is accurate and useful or decide which map to use based on what knowledge they need to gain from reading it. Resources: Transparencies: Modern Map of the World Map during Age of Exploration

Map drawn with South America and North America on the right, and Europe, Asia and Africa drawn on the left. A map of the USA with major highways on it A map of USA with major airports labeled on it Multiple (3-5) pamphlets of CATA bus with a route highlight on it to pass around to the class CATA route printed from online Google Maps of Wexford Elementary in multiple scales, directions from MSU Union to Wexford Elementary, visual Google map Paper copies and transparencies of these maps for students (with background information): Group 1: One map of India drawn normally and one drawn upside down Group 2: One map of the world drawn upside down and one drawn right side up Group 3: One map of the USA with major landmarks and one map drawn with hiking trails Group 4: One map during age of exploration and one modern map Group 5: One Google Map of Up North and one map of up north from an Atlas Group 6: Two maps of different scale of MSU campus Projector White Board General Comments: Using real maps and examples of many different reasons for variance in maps is essential to this lesson. Make sure to set up tables for group work and a carpeted area around the white board. Make sure that students can present at the carpeted area also. General Purposes and Goals: GLCE: 6- G1.2.2 Explain why maps of the same place may vary, including cultural perspectives of the Earth and new knowledge based on science and modern technology. Goals are to help students understand that:

1) Maps are not drawn the same. 2) What is seen as important depends on the location and person drawing the map 3) Students need to know this in order to evaluate the accuracy of a map, why the map is drawn the way it is and whether or not the map is useful for what they are using it for 4) Students need to realize that maps have different information on them, and this affects what maps they will choose to use (the key is important to look at) 5) Maps have different scales and this effects detail and how much is seen 6) In modern times, there are many different ways to find maps and use them Students see the same map showing the world (or one very similar) or certain areas over and over again. Students need to realize that maps are drawn differently based on perspective and technology available. Main Ideas to Develop/ Big Ideas: Three main reasons for differences in maps: 1) Culture, 2) Technology, 3) Exploration, 4) Scale, 5) Information trying to express All maps are drawn from a birds eye view, but they do vary based on ones location. Maps are drawn differently according to what is perceived as significant and important. In the past, maps did not include the whole world, since different groups of people were unaware of certain areas Technology has changed how maps are drawn and how accurately they are drawn. It is necessary to know maps are drawn differently in order to know which ones to use (depending on what is being used for) and to be able to judge if they are reliable. Teaching Tips: Make sure that the groups you chose work well together and that individuals have different skills. If you do not normally do group work, set some ground rules. Some examples of rules are: 1) Everyone needs to get a chance to talk, 2) Have one person write, 3) Do not interrupt, 4) Use each others ideas. Depending on your class, give students roles or have them decide themselves: 1) Presenter, 2) Recorder (makes Venn Diagram), 3) Facilitator. Make sure that students know they are going to present to the class. Teach students how to make Venn Diagrams and what they are, if they do not already know. If your technology breaks down, make sure you have copies of the maps used for the whole class discussion that you could give to each group. I used my own experiences in the lesson plan (i.e. road trip), you can adapt this to your own life and your own area (bus system, maps of your school). If you have a computer connected to your projector, searching for Google Maps and a CATA map (or any bus route) with your students and showing them how to do it could be a great way to discuss that section.

Starting the Lesson: Ask students to draw a map of the classroom. Tell them they are not allowed to move around, turn around or use their memory (emphasize that they can only draw what they really see). After a couple of minutes, give students numbers and assign areas to the group numbers. Tell students go to their groups and to compare and contrast their maps. Tell them to be thinking of why they are different. After a couple of minutes of discussion, tell the students to stop talking and come sit on the carpet. Make a Venn diagram and have students give similarities and differences between their maps. Write down their ideas on the Venn diagram. Suggested Discussion: After students have discussed the similarities and differences, ask them to go back to their tables and have table talk about why they think they were similar and different. Then cold call on students of why they think different aspects were the same and different. Before the discussion emphasize the use of the words on the word wall, which will be written on the white board, define/explain the words (perspective- point of view, scaleratio of distance drawn and distance on the land, symbols-representations, key-where the symbols and their labels are, navigational tools-what we use to draw maps) Narrative: So, yesterday I was looking for maps of the world to put in our classroom. And your guys would not believe it: I found maps of the world that were drawn completely different! Maybe you guys can help me decide which map to choose for our classroom. Let me show you the first two maps. (Maps will be beside the projector, in the order that they are meant to be presented). This first map is similar to the ones you have probably seen before. Now lets look at this map. What is different about it? Thats right, South America and North America are on the other side of the map. Is this really incorrect though? Well lets think, if I took this map and had the two ends meet to make a circle, would it still be wrong? You guys arent sure? Lets try it! See this map is just like the globe. As you can see there is not right or left side since it is a sphere, so this map is not drawn wrong. So, why is it drawn differently? It was drawn differently because it was drawn from a different perspective. Does anyone know what perspective means? Thats right, your point of view. This map was drawn from a different point of view. Think about how you drew your maps. Some of you drew that computer at the front of your map and others of you drew it on the back for your map. It all depends where you are sitting, right? Well, it is the same as this map of the world! This map is not inaccurate; it simply has a different perspective! So, I kept looking for maps for our classroom, and I found a really old one. But first, I want to talk about how maps are made in our modern times. Any ideas? Those are some great ideas! We now have planes and we go into space and we can see the whole Earth from above, right? From there, we can take pictures and use computers to make maps. Well, before, people could not do this. People did not have ways to travel in the air. Map makers would travel by boat and stay along the coastline in order to draw their maps. Some maps were even drawn simply from reading about descriptions of the land! They also

had not been everywhere. So they did not include all the areas that we now know exist. Look at this picture of the world, what is different about it? So we know that this map is not accurate since it is missing certain parts of our Earth, but this map could be useful to study history and what people knew about in the past. Back to which map we should chose for our classroom. Which map do you think so far? Good ideas, what do you think of keeping all three, and explaining how and why they are different! Well have a map showing how maps can be drawn from different points of view, a map from the past and a modern map! Next class we are going to look at even older maps, maps even from the cave man time, we could put some of those in our classroom as well! As you guys saw with the world maps, technology has really changed the way we can use and see maps. Before I came to work at your school, I needed to know how to get here, right? Well, at first I thought I was going to take the CATA bus; has anyone used this bus before? How did you find out how to use the bus and what route to take? I have used those pamphlets too! I brought a couple with me, with my route to Wexford highlighted! See its a map with the bus routes. I also looked online; you can search for your route by putting in where you are coming from and where you are going. You guys should try it at home or maybe if you dont have a computer at home, Mr. Royston will let your try it on our computer if you finish all your work one day. Well, I found my route from my house to Wexford and I printed out the map they gave me. Look, see how the computer highlighted the route for me? Look, theres the street Wexford is on! Well, I didnt end up taking the bus; instead I got a ride from my friends. But they needed to know how to get to Wexford, and we did not want to take the bus route since they go a special route to pick people up at different stops. So I Google Mapped Wexford Elementary. First, I found this map! Your parents might have looked at this exact map to find out how to get you to Wexford on your first day of school! Look, I can even get directions, which I did to find Wexford on my first day here. Your parents probably did the same. Did any of your help your parents do this or even just watch them? Thats great! Your parents probably printed this map or wrote out the directions. I made my own map by copying it from Google Maps. It is not very good, but it got me here right! Another way maps are different is their scale. Does anyone remember what scale is? Its on our word wall! Good job, it is the ratio of the distance between two places drawn on the map in comparison to the distance between the two places in real life. So here is a map of Wexford using a large scale. See how you can see details but not a lot of the area around? Now, here is a map drawn sing a small scale. I can see a lot of the area but not a lot of detail. So, we use maps with different scales depending on how much detail we need versus how much area we need to see. I was so excited about coming to Wexford; I wanted to see how your school really looked like! In the maps I showed you before, does Wexford really look like that? Not really right, this is just a drawing, a representation, of Wexford. So, I got a real life, birds eye view, of Wexford. Do you guys remember what that means? Thats right! A view from above! So, I used Google Maps againhave you guys every done this before? Its pretty cool, right? So heres a picture of your school from way above! Lets look at the map again; see how this map is a drawing representation of it? Technology has really changed how we view maps, how we can find the and how we use them! So, I am planning a trip around the United States with my friend! We are both really excited and plan our trip during our free time! My friend emailed me this map. What

do you guys see on this map? Look at the planes, these are symbols for airports. Sometimes I find symbols on maps and I am not sure what they are, so then I look at the key, like this key on this map. On this key there is the symbol for the plane and next to it, it is labeled: airport. So, since my friend found a map with airports, what do you think she is planning for our trip? To fly, right? But I found this map, what does this map have on it? Highways! Thats right! So, do you think I want to take airplanes to where I want to go on my trip? No! I want to have a road trip! That is why I found a map with highways. So these are both maps of the United States. Is one more correctly drawn than the other? You are right; they are both very accurate representations of the United States. They are both correctly drawn, they just express different information. So, you have choices for maps of the same place, but you chose which one based on what you to know. I want to drive all across the USA, so I found a map with highways, but my friend wants to fly, so she found one with airports. There are lots of different types of maps, and you can decide which one to use based on the information you need! Activities: Divide class into groups of 4. Give each group two maps of the same place that are drawn differently, both with background information (See Resources). Tell them to draw their own Venn diagram that compares and contrasts the two maps. Then tell them to think of why the maps are drawn differently and how this affects what they would use it for, and jot down notes. Tell them they will present to the class their two maps (using the projector), the differences/similarities between the two maps and why they are different Summarize: Great job discussing guys! So, can anyone tell me what differentiates how maps are drawn? (Key points that should be addressed and if students do not bring up themselves, than bring up yourself) Maps are drawn from the birds eyes view Maps are drawn differently based on the tools used Maps are drawn differently based on the location from where the map is drawn Maps are drawn differently based on what is perceived as important Maps are drawn differently because of cultural differences Maps are drawn differently based on what information is wanted to be presented The differences in maps affects how we use them and for what we use them for Technology has changed the maps we can find, how we find them and how we

use them Assessment: Great job today guys! I want you talk at your tables about how you would draw a map of Michigan. Think about what you like to do, where you go, where you are from, ect. I want you to say what you would include and not include, and why. What areas are most important to you? What resources you would use (internet, text book). I would include all of North and South America because I used to live in Mexico. I travel all around the country to visit family members, so I would include highways. I love doing activities outside, so I would include Natural Landmarks, hiking trails, and beaches. Now, its your turn! Remember, the word wall is here to help you, so incorporate these words in your quick write. Lets go over the word wall again, can anyone tell me what..means(do this for each word wall work) I will give you a couple of minutes to talk at your table and then you will do a quick write for five minutes. Good job on your quick write, lets do some quick true and false! Ill pass out the questions, correct them if they are false!

True or False? Correct it if it is False so that it is True All maps are drawn from the same perspective. I can choose maps based on what information I want to know. Maps drawn from different perspectives meant they will look different but both are still accurate. Technology has changed how maps are drawn, but not how we can find and use them. Different people draw maps differently, based on what they see as important. Home Assignment: I want you to go home and look around your house and parents car for maps. Ask your parents what kind of maps they use and how using maps has changed throughout their lives. Ask if they have more than one option for using a map to get somewhere. If you can use a computer at home, or at a friends house or a library, try using Google Maps or the CATA website. If you are going somewhere with your parents, guardian, family or friends, maybe you can find the directions on how to get there! You can even find more than one map, think about the information you need! If you would like to bring these maps to school and share them with the class, I would love to see them and hear about your trip! And I will let you know how my road trip planning is going!

Letter to Parent: Dear parents, We are studying maps in class. We have looked at maps from the past and present, maps from around the world and drawn maps of our classroom. Could you share with your student the kind of maps you use and why? Can you tell them how using maps has changed throughout your life? Do you have more than one choice of what map to use, and how do you chose? Thank you so much, Sincerely, Ms. Spendel