Maps and Globes

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Where do you live?  Do you know the name of your street?  Do you know the name of your town?  How about what state you live in?  

Maybe you knew all of these answers and maybe you didn’t.  By the end of this lesson you will know how to find yourself on this big Earth!  Let’s find out!  

You are first going to look at a globe. Have you heard of a globe? Look at the picture of the globe below; have you seen one before? A globe is a model of the Earth. The Earth would be impossible to bring into your house to look at, so we make a MUCH smaller model, called a globe!

The globe is great to use when learning about the Earth, the oceans, and the big pieces of land we call continents. It is not convenient to use a globe if you need directions, so there are maps to help.  A map is just a flat drawing of the Earth.   

WORLD MAP 

A map is also very convenient if you need to zoom in on the globe.  You can make a map of your country, of your state, your town, or even your bedroom!

Listen to the book Me On the Map by Joan Sweeney (below). When the girl gets to the map of her country, the United States, pause the video.  Can you find your state?  If you need help, ask your teacher.  Is your state to the left or right of the girl’s state of Kansas?  If you live in Kansas, can you find the state that is directly to the left of you? Now, find a state that is far away from you.  Find a state that is near you.

After listening to the story, can you tell what is the difference between a map and a globe?  What do you use a globe for?  What do you use a map for?  Share your answers with your teacher.