As predicted, my student roster is 85% boys and 15% girls. The majority are in grades 2-5 and all but one student were in my class previously. The kids know Sadie, so no introductions are necessary. Big girl is going to school with me tomorrow.
We’ll be reading Mapping Penny’s World and conducting a DIY compass experiment to see if the magnetized needle in a bowl of water will indeed turn to the true magnetic north. Students will compare their results against a real compass. I have 3 vocabulary cards for students to add to their word rings. We’ll have a craft activity to make a compass rose from a paper plate and some templates. Using up craft materials left from last year!
When we return after Labor Day, we’ll take a closer look at Atlanta city and Georgia state maps. I’m trying to get my students to understand the concept of the Atlanta map is simply one tiny part of the Georgia map enlarged many times over. I also want them to learn how to find locations on a map using a grid. We’ll also verify map scale by using a ruler to measure distance from one point to another to see how it compares to the distance listed in the chart on the map. I drove to my nearest Georgia Welcome Center (Tallapoosa, GA) to get maps and current artifacts for my students to use for the next several weeks of activities. It also saved me a bundle on instructional materials.
We will spend an entire session on the USA map, including regions of the US so students can have some idea of PLACE or SETTING when reading a story and the author refers to the Pacific Northwest. For continents, I also have a scavenger hunt activity for grades 2-5 to do which will help review terms like longitude, latitude, equator, international date line, etc. I have different activity in mind for my K&1 friends.
Once basic maps skills are out of the way, we’ll start mapping bedrooms, backyards and the playground at school. A short camping unit will introduce the Junior Ranger program, which should take about 4 weeks. We’ll use the remaining time to explore the USA and countries around the world. Oh, the places we’ll go!
Come Stitch With Me 