Latitude/Longitude with the OmniGlobe
Grade/Class: 6th/Social Studies
Lesson Length: 1-2 class periods
Unit/Theme: Geography/Map Skills
Standards: Colorado: Social Studies: Geography Standard 1
Essential Question: What is the purpose of Latitude and Longitude?
Content Objectives:
1. Students will know purpose and use of Latitude/Longitude.
2. Students will use Latitude/Longitude to locate places on a map.
3. Students will determine the coordinates of certain locations on a
map.
Language Objectives:
1. Students will describe the purpose of Latitude/Longitude to others.
2. Students will write a “Kid Friendly” definition of Latitude and
Longitude.
3. Students will define several key vocabulary terms related to L&L.
Vocabulary:
Five Themes of Geography
Absolute Location
Relative Location
Grid Lines
Coordinates
Latitude
Longitude
Parallels
Meridians
Equator
Prime Meridian
Cardinal Directions
Compass Rose
Hemispheres
Thinking Strategies:
Questioning
Background Knowledge
Synthesizing
Resources/supplies:
OmniGlobe
Atlases
Classroom Globes
Laminate Maps
Vis-à-vis markers
Classroom Student Response System
LCD Projector
Geography Tools and Concepts text
Lesson Delivery:
Setup: OmniGlobe positioned in a central location of the room.
Laminate maps laid out on tables. Markers ready but not yet on
tables.
CPS “clickers” out and ready.
Warm-Up question displayed on the board. “What is the
purpose of grid lines on a map?”
Pre-Lesson:
Answer the WU question as a class.
Class creates a “Word Splash” of possible important terms.
CPS “Quick Quiz” on Latitude/Longitude ready to go for preassessment and frontloading of terms.
Lesson:
1. Display Latitude/Longitude grid on board using projector and
on OmniGlobe.
2. Use Geography Tools and Concepts text to read and
introduce important vocabulary terms to discuss purpose and
use of Latitude/Longitude.
3. Students create glossary list of key terms throughout lesson.
4. Practice plotting coordinate points using the laminate maps
and projected map on board as a class and in small groups.
Use the OmniGlobe to help students better visualize the
locations.
5. Project “Locator Exercise” map on OmniGlobe, students
work in pairs determining the Lat/Long coordinates of each
point.
6. Provide students list of cities, students will use atlas or globe
to locate cities and record coordinates.
Extension Activity:
Students will create a list of places they have been or would
like to visit and then determine the coordinates for each.
Opening CPS questions for Pre-Assessment, front loading of terms.
1. The part of a map the helps to locate places is…
A. Key
B. Scale
C. Compass Rose
D. Grid Lines
2. Imaginary lines that run from north to south and connect at the poles are
_____________ lines.
3. Latitude lines are also known as _________________.
A. Meridians
B. Parallels
C. Boundaries
D. None of these
4. The 0° line of longitude is the ______________________ .
A. Equator
B. International Dateline
C. Prime Meridian
D. Tropic of Cancer
5. T/F The Equator separates the Earth into the eastern and western
hemispheres.
Name: ____________________
Period: ___________________
Date: _____________________
Cities of the World Locator Activity
Use an atlas or map to determine the latitude and longitude of the cities below. Also
indicate which hemispheres each city is in. Denver is done as an example.
1. Denver, Colorado-
__40º N 105º W ___________________
2. Mexico City, Mexico-
___________________________________
3. Montreal, Canada-
___________________________________
4. Buenos Aires, Argentina-
___________________________________
5. Honolulu, Hawaii-
___________________________________
6. Dublin, Ireland-
___________________________________
7. Florence, Italy-
___________________________________
8. Barquisimeto, Venezuela-
___________________________________
9. Paris, France-
___________________________________
10. Nairobi, Kenya-
___________________________________
11. Halifax, Nova Scotia-
___________________________________
12. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia-
___________________________________
13. Taipei, Taiwan-
___________________________________
14. Dakar, Senegal-
___________________________________
15. Wellington, New Zealand- ___________________________________
16. Your Home Town-
___________________________________
Name: ____________________
Period: ___________________
Date: _____________________
The Places I've Been/Or Wish To Go
List ten places that you have been in your life, (birthplace, grandma's, vacation sites,
places lived, etc.) or if you have not been to that many places add some places you would
like to visit (home of favorite team, concert location, historic landmark, dream vacation,
etc.) For each place on your list determine the latitude/longitude coordinates.
My Place
Connection
Coordinates
1. ______________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________________________________
7. ______________________________________________________________________
8. ______________________________________________________________________
9. ______________________________________________________________________
10. _____________________________________________________________________