LESSON PLAN: Latitude and Longitude
LEVEL: Advanced
LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE
Related topics: time zones, world climates
OVERVIEW
The activities in this lesson plan expand students’ understanding of latitude and longitude. Students will discover
how Earth’s climates are related to latitude. They will also learn how time zones are related to longitude.
MATERIALS NEEDED
•
Globe
•
World Climate map with lines of latitude and longitude (Home>>World>>Maps for the World>>World Climate
Map: Advanced)
•
World Outline map with lines of latitude and longitude (Home >> World >> Maps for the World>> World
Outline Map with Countries)
•
World Time Zones map (Home>>World>>Maps for the World>>World Time Zones map)
ACTIVITIES
Activity 1 introduces the relationship between latitude and climate.
Activity 2 helps students understand the relationship between longitude and time zones.
OBJECTIVES
Students will locate the equator, the Tropic of Capricorn, the Tropic of Cancer, the Arctic Circle, and the
Antarctic Circle and explain how Earth’s climates are related to latitude. Students will demonstrate understanding
of the relationship between time zones and longitude.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS
•
How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report
information from a spatial perspective
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
You may wish to refer to Latitude and Longitude (Intermediate level) for a basic review of the concepts.
Lines of latitude measure distances north and south of the equator, from zero degrees at the equator to 90° north
or 90° south at the poles. Lines of longitude run from the North Pole to the South Pole. They measure distances
east and west of the Prime Meridian, from zero degrees at the Prime Meridian to 180° east or west. The grid
system of latitude and longitude is used to determine the absolute location of any place on Earth.
You might relate degrees of latitude and longitude to the concept of a circle having 360 degrees. Half the circle
equals 180 degrees, and a quarter of the circle equals 90 degrees.
Maps and globes do not show a line for every degree of latitude or longitude. A typical map has a line for every
10 or 15 degrees. Each degree of latitude or longitude is divided into 60 minutes, for more precise location. For
example, 30 degrees 30 minutes north latitude (30° 30'N) is a point halfway between 30 degrees and 31 degrees.
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LESSON PLAN: Latitude and Longitude
LEVEL: Advanced
Earth’s climates are related to latitude. Regions nearest the equator, between the Tropic of Capricorn and the
Tropic of Cancer generally have the warmest climates. Regions farthest from the equator, between the North Pole
and the Arctic Circle and between the South Pole and the Antarctic Circle, generally have the coldest climates.
Regions in the middle latitudes generally have warm summers and cold winters.
The world is divided into 24 standard time zones. Starting at the International Date Line (180º longitude), add one
hour for each time zone counted in an easterly direction. Subtract one hour for each time zone counted in a
westerly direction. The time is the same on both sides of the International Date Line, but the day is different. West
of the International Date Line, it is one day later than it is east of the line.
ACTIVITY 1
Review students’ understanding of latitude and longitude.
Use a globe to demonstrate the following:
• Lines of latitude (parallels) run east and west. They measure distances north and south of the equator (0°).
• Lines of longitude (meridians) run from the North Pole to the South Pole. They measure distances west and
west of the Prime Meridian (0°).
• Lines of latitude and longitude form a grid, which can be used to determine the absolute location of any place
on Earth.
On an outline map of the world, have students label the following lines of latitude:
• Arctic Circle (66½° N)
•
•
Tropic of Cancer (23½°N)
Equator (0°)
•
Tropic of Capricorn (23½° S)
•
Antarctic Circle (66½° S)
Explain that these lines of latitude are used as a reference for climate regions.
Have students use a World Climate map as a reference to color the following general climate regions on their
outline maps:
•
Red: climate is hot year-round [between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn]
•
Blue: climate is cold year round [north of Arctic Circle; south of Antarctic Circle]
•
Yellow: climate is moderate; warm summers, cold winters [between Arctic Circle and Tropic of Cancer;
between Tropic of Capricorn and Antarctic Circle]
ACTIVITY 2
Use the World Time Zones map to demonstrate the following:
• Earth is divided into 24 standard time zones. Each time zone covers about 15 degrees of longitude.
•
The International Date Line (180°) is the starting line for the time zones. Add one hour for each time zone
east of the International Date Line; subtract one hour for each time zone west of the line.
•
When you cross the International Date Line from east to west, the time is one hour earlier, but it is also the
next day. For example, you are east of the International Date Line at 10:00 A.M. on Monday. When you cross
the International Date Line, it is 9:00 A.M. on Tuesday.
Have students work in groups to complete the Student Worksheet to reinforce their understanding of these
concepts.
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LESSON PLAN: Latitude and Longitude
LEVEL: Advanced
CONCLUDING AND ASSESSMENT
Use the climate maps and student worksheets from this lesson to assess student understanding of the latitude and
longitude as they relate to climate and time zones.
INTERNET CONNECTIONS
The World Clock at www.timeanddate.com/worldclock shows current local time in cities and countries in all
time zones.
CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
Language Arts
After students have completed the worksheet, have members of each group agree on a problem they would like to
hold a benefit rock concert for. Ask them to choose a name for the concert and write an advertisement for it.
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Name: _______________________________________________________
Date: ___________________
LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE
WORLDWIDE BENEFIT ROCK CONCERT
Figure out where to hold a six-hour rock concert so that it can be watched on television by the largest number of
viewers.
1. The rock concert can take place in any of the cities listed on the chart. Locate these cities on a world
map. Choose three possible host cities (from the five cities listed) and write them in the spaces
labeled Site 1, Site 2, and Site 3 at the top of the chart.
2. The concert will be televised from 4:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. in the local time of the host city. Use the
World Time Zones Map to figure out what hours the concert would be telecast in each of the other
cities if that site city hosted the event. In the column below each site, write the hours for each city.
3. People are unlikely to watch the concert before noon or after 2:00 A.M. Look at your chart. Cross
out any city in each column in which fewer than three hours of the concert would be telecast
between noon and 2:00 A.M. in the local time of that city.
4. Add up the population of the cities not crossed out in each column. Be sure to include the population
of the host city.
Which host city will give your concert the greatest number of potential viewers? ________________
City
(population)*
Location
Local time: 4-10 P.M.
Site 1:
Local time: 4-10 P.M.
Site 2:
Local time: 4-10 P.M.
Site 3:
Tokyo
(35.2 million)
35ºN, 140ºE
Mexico City
(19 million)
19ºN, 99ºW
New York City
(18.5 million)
40ºN, 74ºW
Moscow
(10.7 million)
55ºN, 37ºE
Paris
(9.8 million)
48ºN, 2ºE
Total Viewing
Population
4