Lesson Plan: Geography
Mary Catherine Searson
Introduction
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Lesson topic: Create Your Own World Map
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Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
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VA Standards of Learning: 3.5
o The student will develop map skills by
a. positioning and labeling the seven continents and five oceans to create a
world map;
b. using the equator and prime meridian to identify the Northern, Southern,
Eastern, and Western Hemispheres;
Context: This is the first lesson in the unit on geography. This information will be the
basis for learning more about locating specific countries and places on a map in future
lessons within the unit.
Global Themes: This lesson will teach students to know, identify, and locate continents,
oceans, and major features on maps and globes.
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Context Objectives
Students will:
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Identify and locate continents and oceans on maps and globes.
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Use the equator and prime meridian to identify the hemispheres
Assessment Aligned to Objectives
Objectives
Students will:

Identify and locate continents and oceans on maps and globes.
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Use the equator and prime meridian to identify the hemispheres
Formative Assessment
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1
As students are making their globe, walk around the classroom and observe where they
are choosing to place their continent cutouts. This will help assess if they know the
correct placement of the continents in relation to the hemispheres and equator / prime
meridian.
Summative Assessment

There are many opportunities for summative assessment in this lesson. The questions in
the anticipatory set with the online slideshow will assess students’ knowledge of the new
vocabulary. The final product of their globes will act as an assessment of their awareness
of continent positioning. Also, the conclusion of the lesson, in which students are using
their balloon globes to point out the hemispheres and equator / prime meridian will assess
if they can apply the vocabulary words learned to their globe.
Materials/Technology and Advanced Preparation
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Projector
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Website for interactive mapping information:
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/k9mod/Mapskill/mod3fl5.swf
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Large map for students to point to during the song
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Continent and Oceans song: http://www.proteacher.org/a/135581_Continent_Song.html
o
Change ocean lyrics to include the Southern Ocean
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One blue balloon for each student plus extras to have on hand in case there are holes or
balloons pop
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Handout of the cutouts of continents
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Tape, scissors, and markers for each table set
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Optional: String or yarn for each balloon
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Advanced preparation: Print out the continents and ocean song in large type for students
to follow along.
Teaching and Learning Sequence
TIME
TEACHER ACTIONS
Introduction / Anticipatory Set
2
STUDENT ACTIONS
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Begin by directing students attention to
the projected interactive video at the
front of the classroom. Explain that as
a class, we will be watching a
slideshow about the globe and
mapping.
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Begin the interactive map
(http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/k9mod/
Mapskill/mod3fl5.swf), pausing to ask
students to predict answers before they
pop up, such as, “Does anyone know
the word for the line that divides the
northern hemisphere and the southern
hemisphere?”
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Ask students to help answer the
practice questions.
10
minutes

Students will watch the
interactive video / slideshow
and participate in any
questions during the
slideshow that the teacher
asks.
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Students answer the practice
questions during the
interactive map slideshow.
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Students will sing along with
the song using the printed
lyrics that the teacher has
posted. They will take turns
pointing to the continents and
oceans during the song using
the class maps.
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Students will cut out, label,
and color the continents from
the handout.
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Students will label their
pumpkin with the equator
and prime meridian using
markers. Then students will
tape the continents on to the
pumpkin, using the prime
meridian and equator as a
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Go through the sections the describe
the hemispheres, equator and prime
meridian, and lines of latitude and
longitude. Stop the slideshow when
they begin with specific locations, as
that will be covered in a subsequent
lesson for this unit.
Lesson Development
30
 Review the continents and oceans,
minutes
which was taught in Second Grade
(2.5) with a song about the 7 continents
and 5 oceans. Paste the words on the
wall so that students can follow along.
Do this a few times, so that you can
demonstrate the lyrics and tune and
also demonstrate pointing to them on a
map. Then have the students give it a
try.
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3
Pass out materials for students to make
their own globe: small pumpkin (or
other small round object such as a foam
ball), handout, scissors, markers, and
tape.
Instruct students on how to make their
globe. Model the activity while
students follow along. Begin by having
them cut out the continents and then
label and color them.
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Explain that students need to begin
making their globe by drawing with a
marker the equator and prime meridian.
Explain that this is an important first
step because it will help them with the
placement of their continents.
Advise students to begin taping the
continents to their globe, with the
emphasis on putting them in the correct
location on the globe, using the prime
meridian and equator as references.
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Once the continents have been
attached, have students write the name
of the oceans on the pumpkin with
marker.
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When students have finished making
their globes, ask students to clean up
their area.
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Conclude with a class-wide review of
the new concepts they learned using the
globes they just made. Ask students to
hold up their balloons and point to the
equator, prime meridian, Northern
Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere,
Western Hemisphere, and Eastern
Hemisphere.
reference to position them
correctly on the globe. Once
the continents have been
attached to the globe,
students should label the 5
oceans on the pumpkin using
a marker.
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Students will clean up their
area, including putting away
the scissors and tape, after
they have finished putting
together their balloon globe.
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Students will use their
balloon globes to show the
location of the equator, prime
meridian, Northern
Hemisphere, Southern
Hemisphere, Western
Hemisphere, and Eastern
Hemisphere.
Closure
5
minutes
4
References
1. Virginia Department of Education, Curriculum Framework, Grade 3 History
2. Map Reading Activities, (Activity 3) olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/k9mod/Mapskill/mapskill.html
3. PBS Kids, Make a Balloon Globe,
pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/lesson/world/pdf/Balloon_Globe.pdf‎
4. Equator, Prime Meridian and Hemispheres (online quiz),
http://www.quia.com/rr/41008.html
5
Lesson Organizer
Prior Knowledge and NEW Instructional Content
Prior Knowledge
•
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Students will have already learned the seven continents and five oceans and their location
on a map. This will be reviewed in the beginning of the lesson.
Students will already be familiar with maps. They will have already constructed a simple
map.
NEW Instructional Content
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Students will learn terminology associated with maps and globes, including hemisphere,
equator, prime meridian, and regions.
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Students will learn the shapes of the continents and the positions of the oceans and
continents on a world map.
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Students will learn how the equator and prime meridian are used to create the four
hemispheres of the world.
Instructional Modifications
to ASSIST Students
6
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If any students are
having trouble with
this lesson and need
additional assistance,
have small globes on
hand that they can use
and reference while
they are making their
balloon globes.
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Students may need
assistance in blowing
up and knotting their
balloon. The teacher
should be available to
help students with
this task.
Main Events of Instruction
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The main event of
instruction is the
construction of their
own globe using a
balloon and cut outs
of the continents that
they have labeled.
This will assess their
understanding of
hemispheres,
continents and their
positioning on a
globe, as well as the
equator and prime
meridian.
Instructional Modifications to
CHALLENGE Students
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If students finish early,
have them play a game
on the computer to test
their knowledge of the
subject area. This Quia
quiz game features the
hemispheres and
equator / Prime Meridian:
http://www.quia.com/
rr/41008.html
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If students need more
challenge with the
globes, ask them to write
as many countries as they
know on the cut out
continents. This can act
as a pre-assessment for
future lessons, too.