Resources for Third Grade Map Skills Unit

1. http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands This website contains information about the ten themes of social studies. It talks about what the theme enables the student to understand, the themes implications, and how the theme can be taught in schools. 2. http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/frameworks/history_socialscience_framewks/2008 /2008_final/framewks_history3.pdf The Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework comprise the history and social science content that teachers in Virginia are expected to teach and students are expected to learn. Geography SOL 3.5 was the main SOL used for this Map Skills Unit: 3.5 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; c) Locating the countries of Spain, England, and France; d) Locating the regions in the Americas explored by Christopher Columbus (San Salvador in the Bahamas), Juan Ponce de Len (near St. Augustine, Florida), Jacques Cartier (near Quebec, Canada), and Christopher Newport (Jamestown, Virginia); e) Locating specific places, using a simple letter-number grid system. 3. http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/frameworks/mathematics_framewks/2009/frame wk_math3.pdf 3.17 The student will a) Collect and organize data, using observations, measurements, surveys, or experiments; b) Construct a line plot, a picture graph, or a bar graph to represent the data; and c) Read and interpret the data represented in line plots, bar graphs, and picture graphs and write a sentence analyzing the data. The student will collect data, organize the data, construct a bar graph, and will label each axis and give the bar graph a title. The student will also read, interpret, and analyze information from the graph by writing at least one statement. The students will use this graphing experience to learn more about their peers as they graph where they or their parents are form originally 4. http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/cf_final_web_version/fra mewk_science3.pdf Third Grade Science Strand: Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic; SOL 3.1: The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations. This SOL was used so that students

could understand how scientific innovation has helped us develop better ways to locate places on maps; from 2-D maps to Google Earth. 5. http://www.fcps.edu/is/pos/documents/es/art3.htm Fine Arts Curriculum - The visual art curriculum for Grade 3 introduces more complex approaches to idea development, personal expression, and reflection. The students will demonstrate their knowledge of fine arts by using art materials to: Indicator 4.a.2 Use color to communicate mood or emotion Indicator 4.a.3 - Use repetition of shapes and colors to unify an artwork Indicator 4.a.12 Enhance artworks by adding details, pattern, and texture. The will show this artistry as they use art materials on their hemispheres and continents during the Geography Jigsaw Activity. 6. http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm Description from website: NYPL Digital Gallery provides free and open access to over 800,000 images digitized from the New York Public Library's vast collections, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints, photographs and more. Pictures of the explorers were selected from this website. 7. http://www.google.com/earth/ Google Earth was used to show the students another way to view maps and to explain the concept of innovation. The teacher will discuss the term innovation with the students and talk about how science uses both logic and innovation. We can see how science innovation makes our lives easier as our map sources have gone from a simple 2-D Map to a physical globe with no zooming capability to an electronic globe that one can manipulate to see continents, but then zoom in to see a building. 8. http://prezi.com/v4yj3arhlyvc/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share The Prezi website was used to create the Virtual Field Trip. Through this trip the students travel around the areas explored by Christopher Columbus, Jacques Cartier, Juan Ponce de Leon, and Christopher Newport. 9. Literature that students can read to explore more during this map skills unit: Block, M. S., & Block, D. R. (2008). First guide to maps. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library. Bredeson, C. (2001). Looking at maps and globes. New York: Children's Press. Foster, K. (2008). Atlas of the poles and oceans. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Picture Window Books.

Kalman, B. (2011). Explore earth's seven continents. New York: Crabtree Publishing Company. Mara, W. (2005). The seven continents. New York: Children's Press. Mooney, C. (2011). Explorers of the new world. Chicago, IL: Nomad Press. Sweeney, J. (1996). Me on the map. New York: Crown Publishers.