Books
Authors: Scott and Patti House
Grades: For teachers
This resource contains 16 student workbook pages and accompanying full-color maps that can be projected. Map skills and themes that are taught/reinforced include elevation, population, vegetation, latitude, and longitude. I like this resource because it allows students to practice map skills while also asking them to make judgements. This map skills series also publishes versions for other continents, as well as a world map version.
Author: Louise Borden
Grades: 3+
This picture book depicts the life of 17th century sailors in search of a way to navigate the vast seas. Sailors could calculate their latitude by studying the position of the sun and North star, but had no way of knowing their longitudinal position until the invention of the "sea clock." I think this book provides an interesting history lesson while also demonstrating the importance of longitude and latitude.
Grades: 3+
This picture book depicts the life of 17th century sailors in search of a way to navigate the vast seas. Sailors could calculate their latitude by studying the position of the sun and North star, but had no way of knowing their longitudinal position until the invention of the "sea clock." I think this book provides an interesting history lesson while also demonstrating the importance of longitude and latitude.
Author: Heather Alexander Illustrator: M. Hamilton
Grades: 4+
This book allows readers to travel the globe and explore world geography. It covers basic map terms/skills, such as hemispheres, latitude, longitude, landforms, continental drift, but also addresses the history, culture, and characteristics of different places around the world. The version sold on Amazon also comes with a pop-up globe and stickers!
Websites
Longitude & Latitude Interactive
Grades: 5+
This interactive was created by the Saskatoon Public School Online Learning Center. It explains how to understand and read maps, using a variety of explanations and activities. This would be ideal to use at the beginning of a unit on longitude and latitude.
Drag & Drop Game
Grades: 4+
This longitude and latitude game allows students label a map using 13 different terms, such as Tropic of Cancer, Equator, South Pole 90°S, etc. You can select different difficulty levels, which will determine how much time you are given to label the entire map correctly.
Practicing Longitude & Latitude Game
Grades: 4+
This game could be a useful tool to help students practice using longitude and latitude. After starting the timer, the player has to click on the identified location or given coordinates. For example, the game may ask you to find the Indian Ocean or it may ask you to locate 65°N, 90°W. I like this game, because it uses two different strategies to reinforce latitude and longitude.
BrainPOP Video
Grades: 4+
In this BrainPOP episode, Tim and Moby help students understand how invisible lines can be used to figure out locations. It teaches terms related to maps and introduces a strategy for keeping latitude and longitude straight.
Activities
Balloon Activity
Grades: 4+
In this activity, students use a balloon to represent the globe and locate different coordinates on it. All that is needed to complete the activity is balloons and sharpies. I think this would be an exciting activity for kids and a good way to visualize longitude and latitude.
Message in a Bottle
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/profbooks/MessageinBottle.pdf
Message in a Bottle
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/profbooks/MessageinBottle.pdf
Grades: 4+
This board game allows students to practice finding absolute locations by employing latitude and longitude coordinates to rescue shipwreck survivors. The linked pdf file includes all of the materials needed to reproduce the game. This would be a fun game for students to play toward the end of a unit on longitude or latitude (or as a review)!
This board game allows students to practice finding absolute locations by employing latitude and longitude coordinates to rescue shipwreck survivors. The linked pdf file includes all of the materials needed to reproduce the game. This would be a fun game for students to play toward the end of a unit on longitude or latitude (or as a review)!
Why are latitude and longitude helpful map tools?
Grades: 4+
This lesson plan teaches students how to use longitude and latitude on a U.S. and world map. It also includes discussion questions about why longitude and latitude are helpful to us, which will help students understand its relevancy.
What an interesting text set! I love the picture book about latitude and longitude. BrainPop is also a great resource and kids love watching the videos.
ReplyDeleteAwesome text set! I really like the balloon activity because it gives students a great visual of longitude and latitude. Also the message in a bottle is neat too. Students learn well from the interactive websites like you researched as well. I think the more hands on activities are for students the more likely they will learn the skill you are wanting them to learn.
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