Title: Placing the Continents

Date: February 10^th, 2004

Grade: 3^rd

Students: 3 Level 3 students from India, Africa, and Mongolia

Materials: Children’s Picture Atlas, balloons, markers, and a globe

VA LEP Standard: 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group activities.

a) Listen attentively by making eye contact, facing the speaker, asking questions, and summarizing what is said.

b) Ask and respond to questions from teachers and other group members.

c) Explain what has been learned.

SOL 3.5 The student will develop map skills by:

a) positioning and labeling the seven continents and four oceans to create a world map;

b) using the equator and prime meridian to identify the four hemispheres;

c) locating the countries of Spain, England, and France;

d) locating the regions in the Americas explored by Christopher Columbus (San Salvador in the Bahamas), Juan Ponce de Leon (near St. Augustine, Florida), Jacques Cartier (near Quebec, Canada), and Christopher Newport (Jamestown, Virginia);

Objectives: The students will be able to:

1. Identify and place continents on a globe using a model.

2. Locate the continent and areas of Spain, France, and England.

3. Draw the prime meridian and equator on an earth model.

4. Draw the routes of our four explorers would have most likely taken.

5. Identify the hemispheres.

Key Vocabulary:

atlas, hemisphere, continents, explorers, climate, equator, prime meridian

Presentation: Write key words on white board. Students will orally define to build background.

Attention:

The group will take a picture walk through the Usborne Children’s Picture Atlas. We will read several texts from pages 4-13. Then we will discuss weather and wildlife in different climates from pages 14-27. Complete the mini match on page 44.

Co-construct:

1. Each student will be given a blown-up balloon and a set of cut out continents.

2. Students will then use the globe to tape each continent on a balloon.

3. Students will draw and label the equator and prime meridian with a marker on their “globes.” Then students will be asked to identify the different hemispheres.

4. Students will locate, color, and label France, Spain, and England.

Extension/Assessment tool:

Students will scan texts for information to complete their graphic organizer. Students will find the places discovered, the country that sponsored each explorer, and the reason for exploration. The course from one place to the next will be marked on their globe.

Go back to white board and review any unfamiliar key vocabulary.

Return to elementary lesson plans

Return to home page