Digging for Gold! Teacher Geography Activity

Standards	Weekly Quiz	Activities	Extensions
Create a Station	Classroom Management	Background	Related Links

Activity Title: 'Follow that Line'

Subject Area: Geography

Grade Levels: 5th + 6th

Using topographic maps of Queensland, students will navigate their way from Cooktown to the Palmer River region.

Colorado Standard(s) and/or Benchmark(s) addressed in this activity:

*Grade*	*Content Area*	*Standard*	*Benchmark*
5^th + 6^th	Geography	1-Use/construct maps	1.1Spatial perspective
5^th + 6^th	Geography	2-Physical characteristics	2.1 Define regions

National Standard(s) and/or Benchmark(s) addressed in this activity:

*Grade*	*Content Area*	*Standard*	*Benchmark*
5^th + 6^th	Geography	1-Use/construct maps	1.1Report information
5^th + 6^th	Geography	4-Physical characteristics	4.1 Define regions

Vocabulary:

contour
coordinates
longitude
latitude

Materials:

topographic maps
atlas of Australia/Queensland
journal/pencil

Preparation:

Create a three column KWL chart in student journal for WHAT I KNOW, WISH TO KNOW, WHAT I LEARNED.
Study topography maps and compare them to atlas maps of the same region.
Discuss in your group the differences between maps of a region.

Procedure:

Topography maps provide information about the landforms in a particular section of the country. They give us longitude and latitude readings for location of place, plus elevation indicated by contour lines.
Discuss in your group how this information would be useful to people traveling cross-country. What would you look for as far as landmarks that would make your trip easier? Would location of water be important? How would distance between supply stops affect your travel plans?
Using three topography maps, locate, using long/lat coordinates, three different locations. List the names of the locations and guess how they might relate to Expedition 360’s travel through mining areas from Cooktown to the Palmer River region and beyond.
Using the following coordinates, identify place names, and record your findings in your journal:

145 degrees 01’E	14 degrees 48’ S
138 degrees 20’E	21 degrees 36’S
130 degrees 51’E	12 degrees 28’S

Analyze and Conclude:

Each student will write a summary of their findings concerning location of place using longitude and latitude coordinates.
They will identify place names of the coordinates, then analyze why they believe towns/settlements developed in those locations.
List available resources that document ideas as to why a community would prosper, i.e. settlers from diverse ethnic backgrounds, climate, weather, etc, discussing in their journals how each would affect community growth.

Assessing Student Performance:

Did students list coordinates accurately? Are they able to determine location of landmarks and communities using pairs of coordinates?
Are students able to use additional resources to interpret why settlements developed in certain locations? Using an atlas of the region, can students infer why settlements (or lack thereof) developed in that region? Based on climate maps, population diversity maps, etc, can students predict what people may do for living and why?

Assessment Rubric:

Advanced proficient 4	Proficient 3	Partially proficient 2	Unsatisfactory 1
Students create a KWL chart using complete sentences that are clear and concise.	Students create a KWL chart for what they know, wish to know, and what they learned.	Students KWL chart is not entirely topic related.	Students’ KWL chart is incomplete.
Students identify long/lat from a topo map. Using the same (4) pairs of coordinates, they analyze data to compare/contrast information about the region’s landforms and elevation.	Students demonstrate an ability to identify longitude/latitude from a topography map; they identify contour lines, elevation, and landforms. Students compare and contrast information of the same region with an atlas map.	Students locate points of longitude or latitude, but are unable to use both to identify a point on the map. They may identify a landform, but are unable to infer any information.	Students are unable to identify points of longitude and latitude. They may identify contour lines and landforms, but are unable to compare or contrast with a map of the same region.
Students record four pairs of points of long/lat. They accurately identify settlements, stations, or landmarks of those points.	Students record in their journal, three points of longitude and latitude. They accurately list place names of the three pairs of coordinates.	Students identify two pairs of points of longitude and latitude. They accurately list the place names of those points.	Students identify a point of longitude or latitude, but are unable to use both to find location of a point.
Using concise sentences, students record in their journal, inferences as to the success or failure of (3) early settlements. Identifying factors, i.e., climate, elevation, landforms, and available water supports inferences.	Using atlas maps, students list (3) resources from the region. Record (2) inferences as to why the settlement was a success or failed to grow.	Students are able to identify (2) resources from an atlas map. They are unable to determine the role resources play in community development.	Students lack skills to read a resource map.

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