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Subjects

  • Arts & Humanities
    --Visual Arts
  • Mathematics
    --Applied Math
    --Geometry
  • Social Studies
    --Geography

Grade

  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12

Brief Description

Myra Boyd, social studies teacher at Alexandria (Louisiana) Middle Magnet School for Math and Science, submitted this lesson in which students use the coordinates on a grid to help them draw an accurate image.

Objectives

Students will

  • understand the purpose and use of a grid (coordinates).
  • use a grid to help them draw a larger image.

Keywords

grid, longitude, latitude, geography, geometry, art, drawing, axis, coordinates

Materials Needed

  • A work sheet (prepared by the teacher or created by students). Fill the sheet with 1-inch squares, labeled a, b, c across the top and 1, 2, 3 along the side.
  • A map (or picture, photo, or another image) that students can draw on; a photocopy of the image will suffice.

Lesson Plan

Use this fun activity to increase map-reading skills and integrate art.

Students select and image or photocopy of an image -- a photo or map, for example -- and draw or trace the 1-inch square grid (described in Materials Needed section above) on the image. They use that image to recreate the map, picture, or photo on the blank grid. Whether the student is recreating a map or image, s/he is employing map-reading/coordinate reading skills.

Adapting the Lesson
The activity can be easily adapted for individual grade levels. Younger students will select simpler images and might employ a larger grid.

Assessment

Students' efforts will be rated on accuracy and neatness.

Lesson Plan Source

A+ Lessons from Alexandria Middle Magnet School

Submitted By

Myra Boyd, social studies teacher, Alexandria (Louisiana) Middle Magnet School for Math and Science

National Standards

FINE ARTS: Visual Arts
GRADES K - 4
NA-VA.K-4.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
GRADES 5 - 8
NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.5-8.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
GRADES 9 - 12
NA-VA.9-12.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.9-12.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

MATHEMATICS: Geometry
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-GEO.6-8.2 Specify Locations and Describe Spatial Relationships Using Coordinate Geometry and Other Representational Systems
GRADES 9 - 12
NM-GEO.9-12.2 Specify Locations and Describe Spatial Relationships Using Coordinate Geometry and Other Representational Systems

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

Find more great actvitiies from the teachers of Alexandria Middle Magnet School for Math and Science at A+ Lesson from Alexandria Middle Magnet School.