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A World of Information

Subjects

  • Educational Technology
  • Mathematics
    --Applied Math
    --Statistics
  • Social Studies
    --Economics
    --Geography

Grade

  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
  • Advanced

Brief Description

Students color world maps to illustrate "top ten" statistics about the world.

Objectives

Students will

  • be exposed to statistical information.
  • read graphs and charts.
  • learn about the "top ten" countries relative to a variety of statistics.
  • locate and color the "top ten" countries on a world outline map.

Keywords

geography, statistics, almanac, Internet, world map, percent, exports, imports, crime, economy, transportation, media, health, tobacco

Materials Needed

  • Map Headline List (provided) cut into slips, one slip for each student; or give each team of students two slips
  • world outline map showing country boundaries (provided)
  • crayons or markers
  • Internet access (or printed pages from the NationMaster.com Web site)

Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students use an online resource, NationMaster.com, to create a map showing the "Top Ten Countries" for a wide variety of statistical information -- for example, the Top Ten Countries by Population, the Top Ten Countries for Life Expectancy, the Top Ten Countries for Crime Each student colors World Outline Map #1 to show the "top ten countries" for the category s/he is assigned. Students then label their maps with the headline Top Ten Countries for ____. (A link to the Map Headline List is provided below.) Display students' maps on a bulletin board or around a world map with yarn leading from each map to the number one (#1) country on that map.

Click below for additional world outline maps; one of these might be most appropriate for your students to use.
* World Outline Map #2
* World Outline Map #3

Map Headline List
Click for a Map Headline List. This list offers suggestions for 50 statistics pages on NationMaster.com that students might create maps to illustrate.

Assessment

Students write a brief paragraph explaining what information is illustrated by the maps they created.

Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

LANGUAGE ARTS: English
GRADES K - 12
NL-ENG.K-12.2 Reading for Understanding
NL-ENG.K-12.7 Evaluating Data
NL-ENG.K-12.8 Developing Research Skills
NL-ENG.K-12.9 Multicultural Understanding
NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills

Mathematics: Connections
GRADES Pre-K - 12
NM-CONN.PK-12.3 Recognize and Apply Mathematics in Contexts Outside of Mathematics

MATHEMATICS: Representation
GRADES Pre-K - 12
NM-REP.PK-12.3 Use Representations to Model and Interpret Physical, Social, and Mathematical Phenomena

SOCIAL SCIENCES: Geography
GRADES K - 12
NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms
NSS-G.K-12.5 Environment and Society

TECHNOLOGY
GRADES K - 12
NT.K-12.1 Basic Operations and Concepts
NT.K-12.5 Technology Research Tools

Find many more great geography lesson ideas and resources in Education World's Geography Center.

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