Activity Title: 'Where in the World'

Subject Area: Geography

Theme: Latitude and Longitude

Grade Level: 4th - 6th

 

Using an atlas or topography map, students will locate sacred sites and other important geographical landmarks. They will use relative and absolute location to identify the position of the various landmarks.

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

Grade	Content Area	Standard	Benchmark
4th - 6th	Geography	1-use and construct geography tools	1.2-knowledge of the Earth
4th - 6th	Geography	2-physical characteristics to study a place	2.1-physical characteristics of place
4th - 6th	Geography	6-knowledge of place to study regions	6.1-apply geography to understand the past

 

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

Grade	Content Area	Standard	Benchmark
4th - 6th	Geography	1-use of maps and tools to report information	1.1-knowledge of the Earth’s surface
4th - 6th	Geography	2-use of mental maps to organize information	2.1-organize information of regions
4th - 6th	Geography	3-analyze spatial organization	3.1determine where objects are located

 

Introduction:

Topography maps provide information about the landforms in a particular section of the country. They give us longitude and latitude for location of place, plus elevation indicated by contour lines. Contour lines give an indication of the roughness of terrain. Certain characteristics of place may become evident, i.e., hilly regions, mountainous areas, or flat lands that will have an effect upon travel through these regions.

Longitude and latitude not only gives us location of place, but can provide information pertaining to climate, rainfall patterns, and characteristics of regions based on location, i.e., the tropics near the equator. Using a classroom atlas, investigate the various types of landform maps for a region. These might by patterns of settlement, climate, temperature, and rainfall. What impact does longitude and latitude have on these regions?

 

Vocabulary:

• latitude
• longitude
• absolute location
• contour
• togography
• relative location

 

Materials:

• Classroom atlas/map of the Northern Territory of Australia
• Topographic map
• Journal for recording data

 

Preparation:

• Make a list of sacred sites around Australia (these will be prominent landforms).
• Gather resource materials that will help students to locate these sacred sites.
• Identify some of the Dreaming stories that relate to these landmarks. (this may influence where the Dreaming sites are located and the shape of the various landforms as they relate to a Dreaming story)

 

Procedure:

• Using a topographic map or an atlas, locate Australia, then the Northern Territory.
• Using longitude and latitude, find the location of Uluru or Ayers Rock.
• List the name of the nearest supply points for overland travelers, i.e., water stops, food, mechanical supplies (for vehicles/bikes).
• List in student journals, using the coordinates of longitude and latitude, several famous landmarks and their location. Identify relative position and absolute location.

 

Analyze and Conclude:

Using a topographic map or an atlas of the Northern Territory, locate, using longitude and latitude coordinates, the location of Uluru or Ayers Rock. List the names of the nearest location for supplies and guess how these supply points might relate to Expedition 360’s travel across Australia.

Answer: Uluru coordinates: 24 degrees S, 131degrees E

Discuss in your group how this information would be useful to people traveling cross-country. What would they look for as far as landmarks that would make the trip easier? Would location of water be important? If you were an early day explorer what characteristics of a place would you document to help others locate your position? What information would be important to record for future reference? How would you describe the climate, region, landforms, etc., so that others could make decisions about travel to that particular place?

Assessment Rubric:

Advanced proficient 4	Proficient 3	Partially proficient 2	Unsatisfactory 1
Student demonstrates the ability to locate a specific point on the map with long/lat coordinates; they identify two locations for their classmates to find using coordinates	Student is able to locate a place by using longitude and latitude.	Student may identify latitude and longitude lines, but is unable to estimate the line measurement between those given on the map	Student may identify latitude or longitude, but cannot remember the difference
Student can give relative and absolute position of five locations.	Student can give relative and absolute position of three locations.	Student can give relative and absolute of one location.	Student cannot identify relative and absolute location.
Student is able to describe four characteristics of a region and how they might affect patterns of settlement.	Student is able to describe the three characteristics of a region, i.e., climate, rainfall, etc.	Student can identify on a climate map, two characteristics of a region.	Student cannot read a climate map nor locate its line of latitude or longitude.

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