Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Cartography: Map Reading and Making

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 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan is crucial for establishing a solid foundation of knowledge and skills that will allow students to explore and apply cartography concepts both practically and theoretically. By setting clear objectives, students will be better prepared for mapping and reading activities, which constitute the essence of this lesson.

Main Objectives:

1. Enable students to identify and interpret the main cartographic elements, such as scales, legends, coordinates, and projections, in various maps.

2. Develop practical skills for creating simple maps using basic scales and coordinates.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage critical thinking and detailed observation when analyzing maps and their representations.
2. Foster the ability to work in teams during practical mapping activities.

Introduction

Duration: (20 - 25 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students with the theme of the lesson, using problem situations that make them think critically and apply concepts studied previously. Furthermore, by contextualizing the importance of cartography with practical examples and curiosities, students can visualize the relevance of the study of geography and cartography in their lives and in the world.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you are lost on an unknown island and only have a map with you. How would you use the cartographic elements to find a way out?

2. Think of a situation where an explorer needs to map an unexplored region using only a compass and a set of geographic coordinates. What challenges would he face, and how could he overcome them?

Contextualization

Cartography is not just a useful tool for geographers and explorers; it plays an essential role in our daily lives, from simply using map apps on our smartphones to managing natural disasters and urban planning. Additionally, curiosities such as the first world map projection, made by the Greek cartographer Anaximander in the 6th century BC, help to perceive the evolution and importance of this science.

Development

Duration: (70 - 75 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to put into practice and deepen students’ prior knowledge about cartography. Through playful and interactive activities, students apply concepts such as scales, geographic coordinates, and legends in situations that simulate real or fictional challenges, encouraging critical thinking and collaboration. This stage is crucial to consolidate theoretical learning into a practical and meaningful experience, preparing students for future applications of cartographic knowledge.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 - Treasure Map

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop map reading skills and the use of geographic coordinates practically and playfully.

- Description: Students will be divided into groups of up to five people, and each group will receive a 'treasure map' containing geographic coordinates of locations within the classroom. The challenge will be to interpret the map and follow the coordinates to find the 'treasure' hidden at each point. Each correctly visited point will provide a clue for the next, in a treasure hunt style.

- Instructions:

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

• Distribute the treasure maps and instructions to each group.

• Explain that each point on the map corresponds to a specific location in the classroom.

• Each 'treasure' found will provide a clue for the next location to be visited.

• The first group to find all the 'treasures' and return to the starting position, correctly following the coordinates, wins.

Activity 2 - City Builders

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Apply knowledge of scales and coordinates in constructing a model, promoting teamwork and creativity.

- Description: In this activity, students, in groups, will design and build a model of a fictional city. They will use maps of the region with different types of terrain (plain, mountains, rivers) and will position various urban elements (houses, schools, parks) according to scales and coordinates provided.

- Instructions:

• Organize students into groups of up to five members.

• Provide each group with miniature maps representing the region of the fictional city.

• Students should use scales to calculate proportions and correctly position urban elements in the model.

• Each group must present their model, explaining the choices based on the provided maps.

• At the end, conduct a vote to elect the most creative and well-planned model.

Activity 3 - True Explorers

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop practical mapping skills and reading coordinates, while also promoting exploration and detailed observation of the environment.

- Description: Students, in groups, will take on the role of explorers who must map an 'unknown land' (a large space in the school). They will receive a blank map, a compass, and a set of instructions to conduct the mapping, including creating a legend and using geographic coordinates.

- Instructions:

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

• Give each group a blank map, a compass, and a set of mapping instructions.

• Groups must move around the chosen space using the compass and instructions to populate the map.

• Each group must describe in detail the mapped elements and create a legend that explains what each symbol on the map represents.

• At the end, each group presents their map and explains the mapping process.

Feedback

Duration: (20 - 25 minutes)

This feedback stage is essential to consolidate students' learning, allowing them to reflect on what they learned and share their experiences. By discussing in groups, students have the opportunity to hear different perspectives and approaches, which can enrich their own understanding. Additionally, the key questions help verify students’ comprehension and identify any knowledge gaps that may still exist, facilitating interventions for further clarification.

Group Discussion

To initiate the group discussion, the teacher should gather all students and ask each group to share their experiences and learnings from the activities carried out. It is important that the teacher leads the discussion in a way that allows each group to explain how they applied the concepts of cartography and the challenges encountered. Additionally, the teacher should encourage students to discuss different strategies used and how collaboration was important for the success of each activity.

Key Questions

1. What were the main challenges in interpreting the maps and coordinates during the activities?

2. How did the use of scales and legends aid in the understanding and application of the maps?

3. Was there any situation where collaboration among group members was crucial for completing the task? How does this reflect the importance of teamwork?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The aim of this conclusion stage is to reinforce and consolidate students' learning, ensuring that they can clearly relate theoretical concepts to the practices observed during the lesson. Furthermore, it serves to highlight the relevance and applicability of cartography knowledge in everyday life, motivating students to value and apply what they learned in diverse contexts.

Summary

To wrap up, the teacher should summarize the main concepts covered in the lesson, highlighting the importance of cartography and how maps are essential tools in daily life. It should recap the use of scales, legends, coordinates, and projections, and how each of these elements contributes to the correct reading and interpretation of maps.

Theory Connection

During the lesson, students were able to practically experience what they studied theoretically, using maps in challenging and creative situations. This helped to consolidate theoretical knowledge with direct application, demonstrating how theory transforms into practice and how cartography is essential in various everyday and professional activities.

Closing

Finally, it is essential to emphasize that the knowledge acquired about cartography is not just academic, but has practical applications in the real world, from the use of digital maps on smartphones to rescue operations and urban planning. Understanding maps and coordinates is a valuable skill that transcends the classroom.