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How Do We Map Our World with Numbers NEW?

Lesson Plan

Mapping Our World Lesson Plan

Students will be able to explain how coordinates and scale are used in maps and navigation, apply coordinate system knowledge to locate points, and use scale to calculate real-world distances from a map.

Understanding how math helps us navigate and map the world makes abstract concepts like geometry and ratios relevant and exciting. It helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills applicable to real-life situations.

Audience

6th Grade Class

Time

60 minutes

Approach

Hands-on activities and visual aids to demonstrate mathematical concepts in mapping.

Materials

Coordinate Adventures Slide Deck, Grid City Builders Activity, Scale & Proportion Practice Worksheet, My Map Challenge Exit Ticket, Whiteboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, Rulers, and Pencils

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: The Mystery of Maps

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "How do we find our way around a new place? What tools do we use?" (Lead to maps and navigation).
  • Introduce the lesson title: "How Do We Map Our World with Numbers?" and briefly discuss the objective.
  • Display the first slide of the Coordinate Adventures Slide Deck.

Step 2

Exploring Coordinates

15 minutes

Step 3

Grid City Builders Activity

20 minutes

  • Distribute the Grid City Builders Activity to students.
  • Explain the instructions: students will create their own city on a grid, labeling key locations using coordinates.
  • Circulate and assist students as they work. Encourage them to be creative and precise with their coordinates.
  • Bring the class back together to share a few examples of their grid cities and discuss any challenges they faced.

Step 4

Understanding Scale and Proportion

10 minutes

  • Return to the Coordinate Adventures Slide Deck to introduce the concept of scale on a map.
  • Explain how scale helps us convert map distances to real-world distances using ratios and proportions.
  • Work through one or two examples from the slide deck as a class.

Step 5

Scale & Proportion Practice

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Scale & Proportion Practice Worksheet.
  • Instruct students to complete the worksheet individually, applying what they learned about scale.
  • Collect the worksheets for review or assign as homework if time is short.

Step 6

Wrap-up and Reflection

5 minutes

  • Distribute the My Map Challenge Exit Ticket.
  • Have students complete the exit ticket to summarize their learning about coordinates and scale.
  • Collect exit tickets as a quick assessment of understanding.
  • Conclude by reiterating the importance of math in mapping and navigation.
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Slide Deck

How Do We Map Our World with Numbers?

Ever wonder how your phone knows where you are?

It's all thanks to MATH!

Welcome students and introduce the captivating topic of how math helps us understand our world, specifically through maps! Ask a thought-provoking question to hook them.

Finding Your Spot: What Are Coordinates?

Coordinates are like secret codes for locations!

  • X-axis: Goes across (horizontal)
  • Y-axis: Goes up and down (vertical)
  • Ordered Pair: (X, Y) - always X first!

Introduce the concept of coordinates as a way to pinpoint exact locations. Explain the X and Y axes simply.

Let's Practice! Pinpointing Locations

Look at the grid.

  • What are the coordinates of the star?
  • Where would (3, 2) be?
  • Draw a triangle at (1, 4)!

Show a simple grid and practice identifying points. Call on students to give the coordinates of different objects.

Building Our Own Grid City!

Now, let's become city planners!

We'll use coordinates to design our very own city.

Introduce the next activity, connecting the abstract grid to a real-world application – building a city.

Shrinking the World: What is Scale?

Maps are small, but the world is HUGE!

Scale tells us how much the map has shrunk the real world.

  • 1 inch = 10 miles (This means every inch on the map is 10 real miles!)

Explain what scale means on a map – the relationship between map distance and real distance. Use an example like a toy car vs. a real car.

Calculating Real Distances

If the map scale is 1 cm = 5 km, and two towns are 3 cm apart on the map, how far apart are they in real life?

  • 1 cm / 5 km = 3 cm / ? km
  • Answer: 15 km

Provide an example and walk through how to use the scale to calculate real-world distances. Emphasize the importance of units.

Why Does Scale Matter?

  • Planning a road trip?
  • Building a house?
  • Flying an airplane?

Scale helps us make big decisions!

Encourage students to think about why scale is important in different real-world scenarios.

You've Got This, Map Makers!

Today we learned:

  • Coordinates help us find exact spots.
  • Scale helps us understand real distances.

Time for your own map challenge!

Briefly review the main concepts: coordinates for location, scale for distance. Set up the cool-down activity.

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Activity

Grid City Builders: Design Your Own World!

Objective

Today, you'll be a city planner! You will use your knowledge of coordinate systems to design and map out your very own city on a grid.

Instructions

  1. Draw Your Grid: On the blank grid below, label your X-axis (horizontal) from 0-10 and your Y-axis (vertical) from 0-10.
  2. Design Your City: Create at least five different important locations in your city. These could be:
    • Your house
    • A school
    • A park
    • A store
    • A library
    • A fire station
    • Anything else you can imagine!
  3. Map It Out: Draw a small symbol or picture for each location on your grid.
  4. Label Coordinates: For each of your five locations, write down its exact coordinates (X, Y) in the table provided.
  5. Add a Legend: Create a small legend on your map that explains what each of your symbols represents.
  6. Be Creative! Give your city a unique name!

My Grid City Map

(Imagine a grid here, 10x10. The teacher will provide graph paper or students will draw their own grid.)





































My City's Important Locations

City Name: ________________________

Location NameSymbolCoordinates (X, Y)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Reflection Question

Why is it important to use a clear system like coordinates when mapping out a city? What problems might arise if we didn't use coordinates?





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Worksheet

Scale & Proportion Practice: Real World Distances

Objective

Use map scales and proportions to calculate real-world distances.

Instructions

Read each problem carefully and use the given map scale to find the actual distance. Show your work!

Problem 1

On a map, 1 inch represents 20 miles. If two cities are 3 inches apart on the map, how far apart are they in real life?

Show your work:






Actual Distance: ____________________

Problem 2

A hiking trail is 5 cm long on a map. The map's scale is 1 cm = 10 kilometers. What is the actual length of the hiking trail?

Show your work:






Actual Length: ____________________

Problem 3

Your classroom is being mapped! On this map, 2 centimeters represents 1 meter. If your desk is 4 centimeters long on the map, how long is it in reality?

Show your work:






Actual Length: ____________________

Problem 4

The distance between New York City and Boston is approximately 200 miles. If a map has a scale of 1 inch = 50 miles, how many inches apart would New York City and Boston be on the map?

Show your work:






Distance on Map: ____________________

Problem 5

Create your own scale problem! Think of two places (real or imaginary) and a map scale. Write a problem that asks to find either the real distance or the map distance. Then, solve it!

My Scale Problem:






My Solution:






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Cool Down

My Map Challenge: Exit Ticket

Instructions

Please answer the following questions to show what you learned about mapping our world with numbers.

  1. Coordinates Check: If you wanted to tell a friend the exact location of the school on a map, which mathematical tool would you use?



  2. Scale Story: Explain in your own words why maps need a

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How Do We Map Our World with Numbers NEW? • Lenny Learning