YOUR CLASSROOM GLOBE

Ani T. Smirh

Preview of Main Ideas

In this lesson, the teacher will transform the classroom into a globe by stringing up equator and prime meridian lines. Latitude and longitude degrees, as well as compass directions, will also be placed in appropriate positions on the walls. This lesson will act as an introduction to a globe study that encompasses the alphanumeric grid system, the equator, the prime meridian, latitude, longitude, hemispheres, and both cardinal and intermediate directions. It is intended to give students a spatial perspective of the globe through an exciting hands-on activity.

Connection with the Curriculum

This lesson can be used in geography, math, or social studies classes.

Teaching Level: K-4 (This lesson is best suited for 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th grades.)

Objective Classification Outline (Also see objectives classification matrix below).

Objective #1: The student will be able to identify and describe the following geographic representations: a globe, the alphanumeric grid system, the equator, the prime meridian, lines of latitude and longitude, hemispheres, and the eight cardinal intermediate directions.

Essential Element: The world in Spatial Terms.

Standard #1: The geographically informed person knows and understands how to use maps, and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.

Knowledge Statement #2: The characteristics and purposes of geographic representations-such as maps, globes, graphs, and diagrams, aerial and other photographs, and satellite produced images.

Skill Set #2: Acquiring Geographic Information.

Skill #1: Locate, gather, and process information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including maps.

Geographic Theme: Location.

Objective #2: The student will strengthen his or her listening and following-direction skills (non geographic objective).

Materials

1. Twine or rope: one length of the classroom, one the width of the classroom.
2. The signs: Equator, Prime Meridian
3. Alphanumeric grid system cards (A, B, C, D, E, etc., and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)
4. The cardinal and intermediate directions: (N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW).
5. The latitude degrees: (90 S, 75 S, 60 S, 45 S, 30 S, 15 S, 0, 15 N, 30 N, 45 N, 60 N, 75 N, 90 N).
6. The longitude degrees: (180 W, 150 W, 120 W, 90 W, 60 W, 30 W, 0, 30 E, 60 E, 90 E, 120 E, 150 E, 180 E).
7. Atlases
8. Beach Ball globes or regular globes.

Note: The teacher can have the students help in the making of these signs.

Suggestions for Teaching the Lesson

Opening the Lesson

1. Teacher may take a full day or more to open this lesson with the alphanumeric grid system. It is important to be sure the students have a full grasp of introductory material before going on to latitude and longitude.
2. Arrange the desks in rows and columns.
3. Review the concepts of absolute versus relative location. (Absolute location is your exact location such as a street address; relative location is where you are located in relation to another object, such as “I am located near the window.”)
4. Ask the students to describe where they are located in the classroom using relative location. Some appropriate student responses may include: “I am located next to Jack. I am located in Room 20. I am located in Mrs. Smith’s classroom across the hall from the Art room.” Accept any answer that includes the student, the word “located,” as well as someone or something they are near.
5. Now, tell the class that they will learn a way to give their absolute location in the classroom. Distribute the alphanumeric cards across the first row and up the first column of desks.
6. Ask the student with both A and 1 to give their absolute location. Guide the students to say the letter first, then the number: “I am located at A1.” Give each student a chance to say their absolute location. It helps at first for the students that have the letters and numbers on their desks to hold them up so the others can see.
7. Distribute atlases to each student, having them turn to the index. Write the name of a city on the board and have students locate it in the atlas. Point out the page number and alphanumeric coordinates for each city.
8. Students will turn to the appropriate page and put one finger on the letter coordinate and one finger on the number coordinate. Keeping their fingers in a straight line, the students’ will drag them together until they meet at the alphanumeric coordinate. Look in the square for the name of the city.
9. Practice this several times. Give each student his or her own city on a piece of paper, so there is no pressure to “find it first.” Later, when the skill has been practiced, have “Atlas Races” using city names.

Developing the Lesson

1. Teacher will string the equator and prime meridian lines, so they cross each other in the center of the classroom, and put up the degree and direction signs before class begins. Line up the equator with the 0 degree sign. On that same wall, the north/south latitude signs (90N to 90 S) should be evenly spaced from the 0 degree sign. That sign should be on the wall perpendicular to the north/south wall. Along this perpendicular wall should be the east/west longitude lines from 180 W to 180 E. See classroom diagram included.
2. Ask the students to observe the classroom and tell where they have seen words and numbers like the ones on the walls and those strung along the length and width of the classroom.
3. Ask the students to compare what they observe to the alphanumeric system they learned yesterday. How are they similar? How are they different?
4. Quickly call out the cardinal and intermediate directions, having the students rapidly point to the appropriate direction.
5. The teacher will call for all those sitting in the northern hemisphere to quickly stand up. At first give some time for them to figure out that it is everything north of the equator. Pacing is the key to these activities. Having the students hopping up and down as fast as they can respond correctly to the directions. Do the same several times for the southern, eastern, and western hemispheres.
6. After introducing each new geographic concept, demonstrate it using a regular beach ball globe. For example, after introducing hemispheres, have students find the specific hemispheres on their beach ball globes.
7. Call out latitude degree lines to stand up. Model the correct way to speak about degrees: “If you are sitting on the 60 degrees north latitude, stand up!” Do the same for the longitude lines. Demonstrate where the lines are on the real globe.
8. Next have one latitude line and one longitude line stand up. See where they intersect. Explain that this is that student’s absolute location on the classroom globe. Model for the students how to correctly speak about degrees; the degrees that are north and south are spoken (and written) first. For example you would say, 30 degrees north by 120 degrees west, not 120 degrees west by 30 degrees north. Try to find the same coordinate on a real globe.
9. Have each student find his or her absolute location on the classroom globe.

Concluding the Lesson

1. Have the students play a version of “Musical Chairs.” Have a song ready on a tape player. Have the students march around the classroom globe until the music stops. Students will quickly find a seat and figure out their coordinate.
2. Coordinates will be written on cards and placed in a jar to draw out. Teacher calls out the first coordinate. If the student sitting at that coordinate responds within 15 seconds, that student gets to be the leader. They will then start the music, stop it, and draw out the next coordinate. If the student does not respond in time, the leader will show where the coordinate is and start the music again. Also, the students must say their location using the proper form of saying the north and south degrees first.

Extending the Lesson

1. Students will write the coordinates of their desks on a small piece of paper and tape it to the top corner of the desk. They will use these coordinates to plan a “trip” to the chalkboard, or navigate to the writing tables. They will write out in complete sentences the cardinal and intermediate directions they will use, as well as the latitude/longitude coordinates needed to reach their destination.
2. Using a real globe, students can find the actual location that corresponds to their classroom globe coordinates. For example, if a student has the coordinate of 30 degrees north and 90 degrees west, their actual globe location would be New Orleans.

Assessing Student Learning

Students will create a treasure hunt for their classmates. Coordinates and directions learned in the lesson will be used as clues. They will write out a minimum of 10 clues that will end up at a specific place. After the teacher has approved the clues, the creator of the hunt will place the coordinates in their appropriate locations. If the directions have been placed properly and the classmate is able to follow the directions to the culmination, they both have a good grasp of the subject matter.

GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS CLASSIFICATION MATRIX – GRADES           K-4   

Title: Your Classroom Globe                   Author:     Ani Thompson Smith

Note:  See also Objectives Classification Outline in the lesson.

Handouts

Back to Geographers Have High Standards Table of Contents

Back to Home