Map and Globe skills are super important not only for third grade, but for life! Think about it. Whenever you go on a trip, whether you use a paper map or a GPS, you are using map skills to get from point A to point B! Even going from your home to Wal-Mart- you use directions skills subconsciously to get from point A to point B. Globe skills are also important. Using skills like locating certain places, using latitude, longitude, north, south, east, and west, and so on are skills that I still use today!
This Map and Globe Skills unit is very short- only lasting about 10 days! This means that we will be doing a lesson a day.
Here is the Georgia Performance Standard for Map and Globe Skills:
SS3G1 (Social Studies 3rd Geography Standard 1): The student will locate major topographical features.
a) Identify major rivers in the US: Mississippi, Ohio, Rio Grande, Colorado, Hudson.
b) Identify major mountain ranges of the US: Appalachian and Rocky
c) Locate the equator, prime meridian, and lines of latitude and longitude on a globe.
I have also listed some helpful websites, games, and information to engage your child at home and help them with map and globe skills. All you need to do is copy and paste the website into your URL and it will take you to the webpage :)
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/map-of-usa.html (Map of the United States of America. Learn state names and where they're located. Also learn state capitals and state nicknames.)
http://stellar-students.blogspot.com/2012/09/maps-and-globes-continents-and-oceans.html (Another 3rd grade teacher posts links to Map Skills information, games, and videos)
http://www.totally3rdgrade.com/globe.html (A helpful song about Map/Globe skills!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NazvXwWumaQ (There's a Map on My Lap! by Tish Rabe)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeeLivQH7Ok (The Cardinal Directions Song by Adam Crossley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRYSSNq5GSc (An introduction to Maps and Globes by Larry Sanger)
**I will be using something like this with the kids when we learn about maps and globes.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Georgia-Social-Studies-Map-Skills-Activity-Bundle-3rd-Grade-330665
At some point during this unit, students will:
- *Find and locate the equator, prime meridian, lines of latitude/longitude, 0 degrees of latitude/longitude.
- *Work in groups, giving directions to Wal-Mart from AES.
- *Use globes and work in groups to locate continents and oceans.
- *Discuss symbols, map key, distance scale, compass rose, border/boundaries.
- *Draw and label the rivers and mountain ranges using worksheets of a US map.
Please ask me for additional resources!
Best,
Mrs. Foster
