FD003
Science, En
and Technol gineering
ogy (SET)
Where in
the World?
Purpose
te
Youth connect their immedia
h
wit
nts
me
physical environ
geospatial concepts.
Facts to Know
r
luntee
r children per adult vo
fou
to
ee
thr
e:
siz
p
ou
Suggested gr
eting 30 to 60 minutes
Time frame: group me
: 5- to 7-year-olds
Recommended ages
second grade)
(kindergarten through
Materials:
12 inch)
n Balloons (size: 8 to
n Continent cut-outs
May 2014
nPaper
nScissors
nTape
nMarkers
one compass app)
n Compass (or smar tph
n World map or globe
e books)
p (often found in phon
ma
ity
un
mm
co
or
d
n Neighborhoo
g)
redient in a separate ba
n Snack mix (each ing
Background
Knowledge
Geography is a wide subject.
Geographers study the land and the
people living there. Geography is split
into two main fields of study: human
geography and physical geography.
Geospatial information is the collection of
human and physical information about a
place.
A map of your community might show
houses, stores, streets and parks. This
map shows the physical information
about your community. The number of
people living in your community, their
ages and the kind of home they live in
are examples of human information.
The physical and human information can
be layered to create a detailed picture
about a community. This geospatial
information helps us understand complex
questions, such as where to build new
schools and roads, and how quickly our
community is growing or shrinking.
Geospatial information has changed
the way we solve problems and helps
scientists understand global change.
Geospatial apps such as Google Earth
and technology such as hand-held
global positioning system (GPS) and
smartphones have become part of
our daily lives. Answering questions
such as “Where am I?” or “Where
are they?” can be done with just
one click.
(What is Geospatial? 2012)
Learning Activities
Do: Getting Started
Ear th Balloons (10 minutes)
1.What shape is the Earth? Discuss how we know this:
space travel, photographs, scientific measurement.
2.Cut out the continent shapes. [Handout included]
3.Inflate a balloon; this represents the Earth.
4.By memory, or using a map of the globe, tape each
continent to the surface of your Earth Balloon. Try to
place each continent as close to the actual location as
you can.
5.Now label the oceans using a marker. An adult
may need to help.
6.Whose Earth Balloon looks the most like
the real Earth?
Do: Digging Deeper
uth, West (20 minutes)
rth, East, So
Cardinal Directions – No
1.Members use the cardinal directions (N, S, E, W) to
describe the location of objects in the room.
2.Using paper, markers and a compass, members
accurately label each wall of the room north, south,
east or west.
How to use a compass:
a.Hold a compass flat on your palm. The needle of
a compass always points north. Turn your whole
body to face north.
– If you have a traditional compass, turn the
compass housing until the red compass
needle aligns with the orienting arrow on
the compass housing.
b.Next, identify east (E), west (W) and south (S).
The compass housing will indicate E, W and S.
3.Members describe the location of objects in the
room in terms of their direction.
Direction
of
Travel Arr
ow
Compass
Needle
Compass
Housing
(turntable
)
Orienting
Orienting
a.What wall is the table near?
b.What is close to the south wall?
c.What would I bump into if I walked toward the west wall?
Walk to different
4.Explain that the directions extend beyond the four walls of the room.
on of the last place.
places in the building. At each place, have members point in the directi
directions in this new place:
5.Have members use a compass to practice finding the cardinal
north, south, east or west.
west. Ask:
6.Using a globe or large world map, point out north, south, east and
a.What countries make up the continent of North America?
b.Which country is to the north of the United States?
c.Which country is immediately south of the United States?
(Explore Cardinal Directions, 2012)
Do: Looking Within
Scavenger Hunt (20 minutes)
1.Lead members on a scavenger hunt for
ingredients to a snack mix treat.
2.Prior to the meeting, hide each ingredient of a
snack mix in a separate location.
Prepare clues for each ingredient leading to
the next. Clues should use cardinal directions
and number of steps to describe the location
of the next ingredient. Example: The raisins
are 20 steps to the west and 15 steps south of
the peanuts.
3.Using a compass, members can start
with the first clue in the scavenger hunt
to find the first ingredient to their mix.
4.Members follow each additional clue as
they find them, collecting all the needed
ingredients for the snack mix.
5.Prepare the snack mix once all the
ingredients have been found. Enjoy!
Arrow
Lines
Reflect/Apply
Reflect: Bringing Closure
Birds-eye View (30 minutes)
g,
1.Discuss the different places and things that are around the buildin
such as trees, playgrounds, streets, stores and homes.
the
2.Introduce a map of the local neighborhood or building. Discuss
ented
information that can be found on a map. Objects on a map are repres
the
of
each
of
ng
meani
the
using symbols. Maps use a key to explain
of the
symbols on the map. The key usually shows a small picture of each
ng.
meani
the
symbols used on the map, along with a written description of
home or
3.Ask members to think about the places and things around their
and
in their yard, such as lawn sheds, swing sets, streets, fire hydrants
even trees.
an
4.Ask members to design a map of their own yard, or if they live in
sheet of
apartment building, a map of the apartment’s yard. Distribute one
home
large white paper and markers to each child. Ask them to draw their
, swing
streets
nding
surrou
in the center of the map. Next, they can draw the
sets, buildings and trees.
symbols.
5.Tell them that each map should have a key to explain their map’s
the
Encourage the members to use creative symbols to represent
include
buildings, trees and objects in their yards. Remind the students to
these symbols in their map key.
(A Birds Eye View of my Neighborhood! 2012)
Apply: Going Beyond
standing.
1.Using a globe or map, have members point out where they are
Do members have friends or relatives who live in another state or
country? Find their locations on the globe or map. Have members
vacationed in another state or country? Using yarn, measure the
distance between your hometown and that vacation spot.
2.Create cardinal direction labels for the walls in a member’s
bedroom. At home, members use a compass to find the north,
south, east and west walls. Members place their labels on those
walls. Now, members create a map of their room; don’t forget to
include a key for all the symbols on the map!
direction:
3.Play compass tag. Divide a group into four teams, one for each
run a
must
“it”)
is
who
n
(perso
ss
north, south, east and west. The compa
’s
person
ss
compa
the
distance away and stand in one spot. Pretend that
and
run
must
face always is facing north. The four teams, at the word go,
. The
stand in the correct location, depending how the compass is facing
to the
team
east
the
ss,
compa
the
of
north team always must stand in front
team
south
the
and
left
compass’s right, the west team to the compass’s
in the
behind the compass. The first team with all members standing still
correct location wins.
Acknowledgements
Project Coordinator and
Editor: Monique Snelgrove,
Extension Associate,
Center for 4-H Youth
Development
Curriculum Consultant
and Editor: Linda Hauge,
4-H Youth Development
Specialist, Extension
Center for 4-H Youth
Development
Author: Monique Snelgrove
Resources
What is Geospatial?
(2012). Retrieved
November 27, 2012, from
GeoEye: www.geoeye.
com/GeoEye101/what-isgeospatial/Default.aspx
Explore Cardinal
Directions. (2012).
Retrieved October 22,
2012, from National
Geographic Education:
http://education.
nationalgeographic.com/
education/activity/explorecardinal-directions
A Bird’s Eye View of my
Neighborhood! (2012).
Retrieved October 22,
2012, from PBS Teachers:
www.pbs.org/teachers/
noah/lessonplans/
birdseyeview
For more information, see www.ndsu.edu/4h
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