[Cherrie28]

Any good lessons for teaching map and globe skills for fourth graders? I would love to hear some ideas. Thanks!

[Judy24]

A fun activity would be to do a treasure hunt type of activity. I'm thinking about having stations where the groups have to work together using map/globe skills to find a place and then write it down. For example You're looking for a place that is south of Wisconsin, west of Indiana, north of Kentucky, and east of Iowa. What is that state? Another for a globe would be You're looking for a country 50 degrees latitude and 80 degress (don't know if that's a real country). I think it would be fun and it would reinforce map/globe skills.

[soph]

I bought Evan Moor's Daily Geography book and assign it for homework. It's wonderful and fits right in with the curriculum. It's not a lesson for the class, but it is an excellent resource. I also bought their geography centers. They are wonderful too.

[speeder1]

When teaching the importance of longitude and latitude lines, my students always like it when I have them to blow up a blue balloon (to represent the Earth), get a permanent marker and sit back to back to each other. Then:

1. I one student try to describe an area/location to the other and have the other student try to find it. When they have difficulty, I then have the class to draw the equator around the balloon.

2. Then I have them to repeat #1. This time they will find it a bit easier but still hard when they can say if the location is above or below the equator.

3. Then I have them to draw some longitude lines (and number them) on the balloon and then repeat #1. Once again it is easier but still difficult to get the same location.

4. I then have them to draw latitude lines (and number them) on the balloon and repeat #1. Still sitting back to back they should be able to have one describe the location and the other student to find the same location on their balloon.

I hope I have explained this well enough to use.

[Cherrie28]

These ideas are great...thanks!

[dolmansaxlil]

Hmm...I do a demonstration like the balloon one using a ball. But I like the idea of them each having their own... I may have to try this! Thanks!

[angelangst]

United Streaming has great videos and units that go along with them. They had really great ideas, pretests, tests, etc. Your school has to have an account with them though.