WHERE IS ? ? ? ?SHIRLEY TODD
WHERE IS ? ? ? ?
GRADE 4 - 12
LOCATION: Absolute & Relative
INTRODUCTION:
This lesson explores the uses of coordinate grid systems. Where is Hawaii? Indonesia? Afghanistan? On the globe they are located by latitude and longitude: angular distances (degrees) from the equator and prime meridian.
To find the absolute location of a place using a large-scale flat map, such as a city map, a geographic grid system -- a series of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines -- may be used instead of latitude and longitude. Each line in such a grid may designated by letters or numbers around the margins of the map. A place's absolute location can be found by naming the two lines that intersect nearest to it.
The geometrical grid allows us to see the abiding aspects of relative location that never go away, namely direction and distance of one place with respect to another. The relative locations of other permanent features like waterways and natural resources are also very important.
No less important, but seldom permanent, are relative locations of places and people that arise from political and cultural history, trade, and the tide of events. Alaska is a case in point. It shares a boundary, and many physical attributes with Russia. Absolutely and relatively, it is as close to Russia as it can be, but in all the important socio-political ways, Alaska is part the United States, and might as well be a world away from Russia
The thaw in political relations between the U.S. and Russia drives home the importance of relative location. Which of the United States will most directly experience a crumbling of all the barriers to travel and trade with Russia?
OBJECTIVES:
The student will be able to:
1. Understand and explain the concept of a grid system.
2. Define absolute and relative location.
3. Develop an imaginary city on graph paper using a grid system.
4. Know the advantages and disadvantages of globes compared to flat maps.
TIME REQUIRED: 135 minutes: 3 days.
MATERIALS:
globes
maps
handout describing the themes of absolute and relative location (see introduction)
graph paper
construction paper
scissors
rubber cement
construction paper
scissors
PROCEDURE:
1) Students pair off with a partner, are given a globe and a map, and will work together to find the absolute and relative location of places.
2) Review the definitions of absolute and relative location before giving them the latitude and longitude of a place.
3) For practice, give them the coordinates of a country and tell them to find it on the globe and on the map.
4) Call on one team for the answer.
5) Give students four other coordinates and tell them each time to locate those countries on the glove and on the map.
6) Call on different teams for the answers.
7) To practice relative location, ask students questions such as, "What is the distance from your house to school?". "How many miles is it from Ala Moana to Waikiki?"
8) Give students graph paper to construct a map of a city using the grid system, and construction paper to cut out buildings for a city. Tell students to think about the city they live in. They canuse letters and numbers to designate grid coordinates on the map and the cardinal directions as well.
9) Ask student to use different colored construction papers for difference buildings. For example, they could use blue paper, cut out the shape of a house, and place it where they see a good location. Two blocks from their house they could have a neighborhood grocery store. Have students use a different color for the store. Have them use their imagination for their city. Also have them write the name of their city at the top of the map.
10) After they have developed their city, Ask students to write three questions dealing with absolute location and three questions dealing with relative location. They can then exchange papers and write answers to the questions.
EXTENSION:
Using maps and writing directions. Students can make a map of their school, classroom, or even the dining hall. They can also select the location of a place, write out directions on the way to get there, and give it to a student to see how well the directions work for another person.