Teaching Maps

Sample lesson plan incorporating UDL

Learning Outcome: Students will be able to explain and use basic elements of a map key to locate and describe various features. i.e. Cities, roads, geographical features, political boundaries, event markers, cardinal directions, and distance.

Activity 1: Map basics

Students will watch a brief video explaining the fundamental purpose and types of maps. After the video students will complete a "map of the map" worksheet, matching the elements of the map to the purpose and function they serve.

Activity 2: Making a map

Students will discuss why people need maps and using the text students will make a 3D map of the region as described by the text in small groups then compare it to an actual 3D topographical map of the region.

Activity 3: My world map

Students will use the computer to as precisely as possible make a map of the playground using distances measured by the class including all of the basic elements discussed in class and the video. 

Learning Resources:

How to Understand Map Features

http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_4957101_understand-map-features-navigate.html

Map Worksheets

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/mapping-past#sect-thelesson

 

Ancient Civilization Oral Presentation

Purpose:

This assessment plan is to focus on the following leaning outcome to ensure that students have fully grasped the political and technological environment of their times to provide background information on the major cultures that followed them.

Learning Outcome: Students will be able to compare 3 of the 4 ancient river valley civilizations in terms of their architecture, agriculture and military and explain which they believe to be the most successful.

Assessment Context: (1) Students will complete an in-depth research paper. (2) Students will give an oral presentation to the class.

Holistic Rubric:

Points Awarded	Oral Presentation Guidelines - Students must meet at least 5 of the bulleted qualifications to earn that level of score
5	- included 3-4 sources from outside of class - use of >5 visual aids that were relevant to topic - delivery was well practiced and student maintain eye contact - thesis is clear and easily identifiable - able to answer multiple on topic questions from the audience - presentation answered question assigned and supported the students thesis - all presentation content was relevant to the topic
4	- included 3-4 sources from outside of class - use of >3 visual aids that were relevant to topic - delivery was well practiced - thesis is clear and easily identifiable - able to answer multiple on topic questions from the audience - presentation answered question assigned and supported the students thesis - most presentation content was relevant to the topic
3	- included 1-2 sources from outside of class - use of >1 visual aids that were relevant to topic - delivery was unpracticed - thesis is unclear - able to answer limited on topic questions from the audience - presentation supported the students thesis - most presentation content was relevant to the topic
2	- included 1-2 sources from outside of class - use of 1 visual aid that was relevant to topic - delivery was unpracticed with frequent stops - thesis is unclear - able to answer limited on topic questions from the audience - parts of presentation supported the students thesis - some presentation content was relevant to the topic
1	- included no sources from outside of class - no use of  visual aids that were relevant to topic - delivery was unpracticed with frequent stops - no definable thesis - unable to answer on topic questions from the audience - some presentation content was relevant to the topic
0	-No work submitted      or  -Plagiarism

Testing Constraints: Students will have one month to conduct research, prepare rough drafts and complete the final project. Research may be done in groups of similar topics but each students must submit individual work.