Project BasedWeek of: September 9, 2014

Lesson Title: Learning the Basics of Mapping

Standard: 1.1/4.1.1-1.2/4.1.2

Objectives: Students will learn the basics of cartography and how to locate major landmarks.

Introduction (15 minutes): Write student feedback on board. Ask students to give names of different places around the world? Ask students if they know what a continent is, how many there are, and if they know where they are located. Ask students if they know how to locate these places on a map.

Explain: You can't see them, but they're there. Points and lines on a map define not only where you are, but also when you're there. Navigators still rely on these imaginary lines to get where they are going. You can use them, too. The Equator, this imaginary circle goes around the middle of the earth for 24,902 miles. It divides the Northern Hemisphere from the Southern Hemisphere and is exactly half way between the North and South Poles.

Vocabulary (10 minutes):

Latitude: measures distance north or south; lines go east to west Longitude: measures distance east or west; lines go north to south Equator: an imaginary line halfway between the North and South Poles; 0

degrees latitude Primer Meridian: The line of longitude marked 0 degrees. Hemisphere: half a circle/sphere; There are 4 Tropic of Cancer: a parallel line of latitude that is a quarter of the way from the

equator to the North Pole Tropic of Capricorn: this line of latitude is a quarter of the way from the equator

to the South Pole.

Materials Needed:

Map worksheet

Crayons/ Markers

Pencils

Activity (15-20):***Model the activity to students before having them work on their own (5-10 min)

1. Pass out one map per student.2. Have students label each line, continents, and major landmarks or cities.3. Have students color the map accordingly.

Closing Activity (5-10min):**Create a Thinking Map describing the features of a map (Students can use vocabulary terms for reference).

Project BasedWeek of: September, 11 2014 Lesson Title: How to use a compass

Standard: 1.1/4.1.1

Objective: This science project demonstrates how you can make your own compass using a magnetized needle. It also allows you to compare magnetic north and geographic north.

Introduction (15 minutes): Explain to students why we use compasses, who commonly uses compasses, and how they work. Have students complete the Compass Rose worksheet to familiarize them with the compass directions. (See attached work sheet) Explain: Magnetism is caused by the movement of electrons. In a magnet, the spin of electrons in orbit around the nucleus of each atom creates the magnetic effect. Although all matter has electrons in orbit around a nucleus, in magnetic objects the atoms are all lined up so that they point in the same direction. By rubbing a nonmagnetic needle against a magnet, you cause the atoms in the needle to line up in the same direction, and the needle becomes magnetic.

The Earth has a large magnetic field due to the movement of the molten magma—melted rock—in the Earth’s core. This magnetic field can be detected on the Earth’s surface with a magnet. The needle of a compass lines up automatically with the Earth’s magnetic field.

Vocabulary (10 minutes):

Compass Rose: a circle or decorative device printed on a map or chart showing the points of the compass measured from true north and usually magnetic north

Magnetism: attraction for iron; associated with electric currents as well as magnets; characterized by fields of force

Orbit: the path one object takes around another Magnetic Field: the lines of force surrounding a permanent magnet or a moving

charged particle.

Materials Needed: Compass (to use as a reference) Scissors Ruler Styrofoam plate (1 per group) Styrofoam bowl (1 per group) Pens Needles (2 per group) Magnets (1 per group) Masking Tape

Water

Activity (15-20):***Model the activity to students before having them work on their own (5-10 min)

1. Divide students into groups of 3, you will have one group of 2.2. Pass out all materials to the groups.3. Have students use the compass to label north, south, east, and west as N,S,E,W on

a piece of tape.4. Stick the tape in the same locations on the bowl as they are on the compass. 5. Fill the bowl with water.6. Cut a 1-inch (2.5 cm.) disk from the Styrofoam plate.7. Magnetize one of the needles by rubbing it against a strong magnet 30 or 40

times. This works best if you always rub in the same direction. You can tell that the needle is magnetized when it attracts the other needle to it, just like a real magnet.

8. Insert the magnetized needle lengthwise through (and parallel to) the disk.9. Place the disk in the labeled bowl of water. What happens? The needle should

point north and south as it aligns itself with the Earth’s magnetic field.

Closing Activity (5-10min):**Create a Tree Map with the following categories: who uses compasses? When/where/how to use compasses? And how they work?

Compass RoseA compass rose is a design on a map that shows directions. It shows north, south, east,

west, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest.

On the compass rose above, only north is filled in. Fill in the rest of the directions on the compass rose, using the standard abbreviations:N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West, NE=Northeast, NW=Northwest, SE=Southeast, SW=Southwest.

When north is at the top of the compass rose (as it often is), south is at the bottom, east is on the right, and west is on the left. Northeast is between north and east, northwest is between north and west, southeast is between south and east, and southwest is between south and west.

Project BasedWeek of: September, 2014 Lesson Title: California’s Regions

Standard: 1.4/4.1.4

Objective: Students will learn about California’s four main topographical regions (Central Valley, Coast, Desert, and Mountains) including where each region is located and how they differ.

Introduction (10 minutes): As a class go over the different types of topographical land areas across in the state California and throughout the United States. Ask students if they can name the different regions. Leader Using the Ipad look for a picture of California’s topography to show to the class (if there is a globe in class or a pull down map use this instead). Explain: California is one of the most geographically diverse states in the country. California has four major topographical regions that include the Sierra Madre Mountain Range, the fertile central valley, the dry Mojave Desert, and the Pacific Coast. Each region is uniquely different. The coastal regions are typically cool, foggy, and at times rainy. The Mojave Desert is a very dry, windy, and mostly uninhabited. The mountains are rocky with little vegetation, high in altitude, and they surround California’s valley. The central valley is fertile with lots of plants and vegetation grown in the valley. The reason the valley is able to have a lot of vegetation is because of the water that runs down from the mountains ends up in the valley.

Vocabulary (5-10 minutes): Topography: the configuration of a surface and the relations among its man-made

and natural features Geography: study of the earth’s surface Landform: a landform is any natural formation of rock and dirt, found on Earth Valley: a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river Coast: the shore of a sea or ocean Mountains: a land mass that projects well above its surroundings Desert: an arid region with little or no vegetation Region: a large, usually continuous segment of a surface or space; area.

Materials Needed: One Ipad Paper Plates Tempera Paint (Blue and Brown) Plastic bowls for paint Paint Brushes White Rice Beans Dried Peas

Popcorn Kernels White Index Card Pencils Glue or Paste Small Dixie cups

Activity (15-20mins):***Model the activity to students before having them work on their own (5-10 min)

1. Pass out a paper plate, a plastic bowl, and a paint brush to each student 2. Pass out the rice, beans, popcorn kernels, and the dried peas in small Dixie cups to

each student.3. Have students draw the shape of California in the middle of the paper plate.4. Have students paint half of the plate blue (representing the Pacific Ocean), and

half of the plate brown (representing the other land area behind California); avoid painting on the traced California area.

5. Have students go over the entire tracing of California with glue.6. The rice should be placed along the coastal region of California (leaders please

show students where the regions are located, a picture is located below)7. The beans should be placed along the mountainous regions of California.8. The dried peas should be placed in the valley region.9. The pop corn kernels should be placed along the desert region. 10. Pass out the white index cards to have students make a map key highlighting the

regions: Beans = Mountains, Rice = Coast, Pop Corn = Desert, Peas = Valley. Glue the small key onto the plate.

Closing Activity (5-10min):**Create a Thinking Map describing California’s topography (Circle Map).

Project BasedWeek of: September, 2014 Lesson Title: California’s Diverse Population

Standard: 1.5/4.1.5

Objective: Students will learn about the diverse populations and cities across California. Specifically, they will understand the differences between urban, suburban, and rural cities in California.

Introduction (10 minutes): Start off by having students describe the city they live in. What types of people live there, how many people live in their city, what types of businesses are there, what types of buildings/house are there, what forms of transportation are available, and what are some common things to do around town. After evaluating the students home towns ask the students to describe some other cities they know of around California or in other states. Write down the major points on the board. Explain: Explain to the students how Los Angeles is the second major city in the U.S. with a population of 16 million! Some other large cities include San Diego, San Francisco, Fresno, and Bakersfield. Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco are all major urban cities. Most people who live in or near large urban areas work in factories, offices, and other non-agricultural jobs. Urban areas typically have lots of buildings very close to each other and have many people who live in them. This is in contrast to smaller cities in rural areas where people focus primarily on farm jobs, manual labor, and field work. In rural areas there are typically fewer people, and their homes and businesses are located far away from one another. A suburban area includes cities that are in-between the major cities and the rural areas. Suburban areas usually have more houses than businesses.

Vocabulary (5-10 minutes): Urban Area: the region surrounding a city. Suburban Area: Diversity: having people who are different races or who have different cultures in

a group or organization. Rural Area: an open piece of land that has few homes or other buildings, is away

from cities, and where not very many people live Agriculture: cultivating land, raising crops, and feeding, breeding, and raising

livestock; farming. Transportation: the act of transporting something from one location to another;

the objects used to transport someone. Population Density: the number of people living in a certain area.

Materials Needed: White Construction Paper Pencils Crayons/Markers

Activity (15-20mins): students will be making drawings of urban, suburban, and rural areas to contrast the living environments. (Examples can be found below) ***Model the activity to students before having them work on their own (5-10 min)

1. Pass out one piece of white construction paper to each student.2. Give every student a pencil and distribute crayons and markers>3. Have students fold the paper in half (Hot Dog style)4. Then have the students divide the folded section into three equal pieces. 5. Have them label the sections in the following order: Urban Area, Suburban Area,

and Rural Area. 6. Have students illustrate how an urban, suburban, and rural area in California

would look like. If students have trouble coming up with ideas help them out. (Urban areas contain high rise buildings and businesses, Suburban areas contain primarily houses and schools, Rural areas primarily contain farms and empty land/nature).

7. On the inside of the paper they will be writing some facts or observations about each of the following sections.

Closing Activity (5-10min):**Create a Thinking Map comparing and contrasting each of the areas (Bubble Map)