Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Maps: Readings

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan is essential to establish the theoretical foundations that will support the practical activities. By clearly defining the objectives, it ensures that both the teacher and the students have a shared understanding of what is expected as a result of the lesson. This facilitates the preparation and execution of subsequent activities and guides the students on the importance of studying maps for understanding the world around them.

Main Objectives:

1. Develop the skill to analyze maps as an essential tool to understand and represent geographical spaces.

2. Enhance the ability to read and interpret maps by identifying symbols, scales, and geographical coordinates.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage students' curiosity about different cartographic representations and their applications in everyday life.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students by making them connect their prior knowledge about maps with practical and real situations, thus stimulating interest and curiosity. The proposed problem situations aim to activate critical thinking and the practical application of knowledge, while the contextualization highlights the importance of maps in today's world, increasing the relevance of the topic for students.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you are planning a vacation trip to an unknown place. How could a map help you choose the best route and understand the location of the tourist spots you want to visit?

2. Think of a situation where a city needs to evacuate quickly due to an emergency. How would evacuation maps help people to leave in an organized and safe manner?

Contextualization

Maps are much more than simple graphic representations of territories. They are essential for daily activities such as navigation, urban planning, disaster management, and even for understanding historical events. For example, the use of maps helped control the spread of the Ebola virus in Africa. Additionally, ancient maps, like that of Piri Reis, show how geographical perceptions were in the past. These curiosities and real applications make the study of maps fascinating and relevant.

Development

Duration: (75 - 80 minutes)

The Development stage is designed for students to practically and interactively apply the knowledge acquired about reading and interpreting maps. The proposed activities aim not only to reinforce theoretical learning but also to develop teamwork skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Each activity is structured to challenge students to think creatively and utilize maps as tools to solve real or fictional problems, making learning more meaningful and engaging.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Hidden Treasure

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Apply knowledge of reading and interpreting maps in a playful and collaborative context, developing teamwork skills and critical thinking.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups of up to five members and will receive a fictional map indicating the location of a treasure buried in the schoolyard. The map will be incomplete, and some details will be deliberately ambiguous, challenging students to apply their map interpretation skills to solve the puzzle and find the treasure.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to five students.

• Distribute a treasure map to each group, which must contain symbols, scales, and basic geographical coordinates.

• Explain that the objective is to find the exact location where the treasure is buried, using only the map and a compass.

• Allow students to discuss and plan their strategy for 15 minutes.

• Each group will present the solution and how they arrived at it to the class.

• Conduct a discussion about the challenges encountered and the strategies used.

Activity 2 - City Builders

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Utilize knowledge of reading maps to plan and create a functional and aesthetically pleasing urban environment, promoting understanding of urban planning and its implications.

- Description: Students, grouped together, will receive an empty plot of land and a set of urban planning rules. Using a city map, they will plan the location of schools, parks, hospitals, and commercial zones, respecting zoning rules. The objective is to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing city.

- Instructions:

• Organize students into groups of five.

• Provide each group with a blank map representing an urban plot and a set of urban planning rules.

• Students must plan and mark on the map the areas designated for different types of buildings and services.

• Each group will present their completed city, explaining the reasoning behind their planning.

• Conduct a vote for the city that best adhered to the urban planning rules and good urban planning.

Activity 3 - Young Navigators

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop planning and navigation skills through map interpretation, stimulating critical thinking and the ability to make decisions based on geographical information.

- Description: Students, in groups, will receive a map of a coastal area with different locations marked, such as ports, beaches, lighthouses, and shipping routes. They will have to plan the best route for a small boat, using the information from the map and considering climate conditions and tides simulated by the teacher.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of no more than five students.

• Hand each group a detailed coastal map and information about simulated weather conditions and tides.

• Students must plan the safest and most efficient route for the boat, marking it on the map and explaining their choices.

• Each group will present their route and justify the decisions made.

• Discuss the different proposed routes and the factors that influenced each group’s decisions.

Feedback

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

This stage aims to consolidate learning, allowing students to articulate the knowledge acquired through practical activities. Group discussion helps develop communication and argumentation skills, as well as allowing students to see different perspectives and solutions to the same problems. This moment also serves for the teacher to assess the students’ understanding and clarify any doubts that may have arisen during the activities.

Group Discussion

At the end of the activities, gather all students in a large circle and promote an open discussion. Start the discussion with a brief introduction: 'Now that everyone has had the chance to explore different types of maps and situations, let’s share what we learned. Each group will have the opportunity to talk about their discoveries and the challenges they faced. Let’s reflect together on how map reading can help in real and everyday situations.' Encourage each group to share their experiences and what surprised them the most during the activities.

Key Questions

1. What were the main challenges you faced when interpreting the maps and how did you overcome them?

2. How can map reading be applied in real situations we discussed today, such as urban planning and navigation?

3. Was there anything you learned today that changed the way you think about maps?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The conclusion stage serves to reinforce what has been learned, ensuring that students have a clear and consolidated understanding of the content covered. Additionally, it helps visualize the applicability of the acquired knowledge, encouraging students to recognize the importance of maps in the real world and in their own lives. This final reflection is crucial for students to acknowledge the value of geography and maps as a discipline and practical tool.

Summary

Today’s lesson focused on reading and interpreting maps, fundamental to understanding and representing geographical spaces. Students were able to explore maps in different contexts, from treasure hunting to city planning and maritime routes, which helped consolidate their understanding of scale, symbols, and geographical coordinates.

Theory Connection

Throughout the activities, students connected the theoretical content studied previously with practice, applying geography concepts in real and simulated situations. This practical approach not only reinforced theoretical learning but also demonstrated the relevance of maps in everyday applications, such as urban planning and navigation.

Closing

Finally, the importance of maps as essential tools in daily life was highlighted, used not only in emergency and planning situations but also as means to understand the world around us. Understanding and knowing how to read maps is a valuable skill that students can apply in various areas of their lives.