Lesson Ideas

Inquiry Tasks

• Assist students to practice using cardinal and intermediate directions, using sets of index cards, naming a specific place location on each card. Using only their own mental maps, student A should determine which direction their location is from student B’s location. Routinely practice mental mapping as new place locations are introduced and studied throughout the year.

• Examine and create a brainstormed list of questions from a map of Oklahoma or any major city. Use the Library of Congress’ Map Analysis Guide to help students develop questions about legends, symbols, and grid systems found on maps.

•  Use the online Latitude and Longitude Finder, provide opportunities for students to identify the coordinates of their hometowns and neighboring cities. LatLong.net immediately provides a political map from the coordinates, as well as satellite imagery of the location for student investigations. Create a classroom bingo game using coordinates of major cities or points of interest to encourage students to practice their map skills.  

• Introduce students to the concepts of relative versus absolute location and the uses for a system of latitude and longitude using National Geographic’s introductory lesson. Ask students to explain how grids help different types of workers in their everyday lives. 

• Using giant, interactive maps created from the State Tabletop MapMaker (National Geographic Society), assign student groups or partners to create a thematic map and propose the route for a tour of our state’s top tourist sites. Encourage students to focus on top outdoors sports, museums, entertainment centers, scenic views, wildlife viewing sites, etc. 

• Challenge students to analyze a set of different types of maps, including street maps of neighborhoods, physical features of the state, or national political maps. Why do we need different types of maps? Encourage students to create their own set of maps using multiple scales, based on the National Geographic lesson, Many Ways to Name a Place, which is adaptable for many classrooms.   

Primary Sources 

Secondary Sources 

• Collection of Thematic Maps of Oklahoma’s Resources and Population Centers, provided by the Oklahoma Council for Social Studies, offers students specialized maps depicting the location of major economic activities and demographic information. 

• Outline  Map Collection for student-created maps and tasks, including blank map with rivers, blank county map, blank map of the Southwest Region of the United States.

• The Traveling Oklahoma State Map, produced by National Geographic, is provided free of charge to schools and classrooms from the Oklahoma Alliance for Geographic Education. Giant Traveling Maps are educationally powerful tools for introducing geography and map reading skills to students and are accompanied by a set of elementary- appropriate lesson plans.