The Earth's Surface
Objectives
The students will learn that a picture may be used to learn about the characteristics of places.
The students will learn that places may be described in different ways.
Materials Needed
Landscape Picture Map, map markers or post it notes
(Teacher's note - All places on the Earth have certain characteristics that make each place unique. Students are aware of different features in their immediate environment. Encourage the students to describe the features they know).
Lesson
Ask the students to describe what they see when they travel between home and school. Do they see a river, park, grocery store? Make a list of the places and objects they mention on the board. Ask them to describe the features in some depth.
Pull down the Landscape Picture Map. Tell the students the Landscape Picture is a drawing of a make believe place. Tell them they can use pictures to learn more about where they live.
Have the students circle, on the Landscape Picture Map, those places or objects that appear on your list. Ask the students how the objects shown in the picture are like the objects they described. How are they different? What features appear in the Landscape Picture Map that did not appear on the list? Ask the students to describe these features. Are any of these features in your town or city?