Grade Level

Grade 3

Time Required

30 to 60 minutes depending on existing student knowledge, mapping skills and computer comfort

Curriculum Connection

Manitoba Grade 3: Communities Today (lesson is compatible with revised Grade 3 curriculum Communities of the World)

Link to Canadian National Geography Standards

Essential Element #1 – The World in Spatial Terms

• map elements
• spatial elements of point, line and area

Geographic Skill #1 – Asking Geographic Questions

• Where is it located?
• How is its location related to the location of other people, places, and environments?

Geographic Skill #2 – Acquiring Geographic Information

• locate, gather and process information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including maps

Atlas of Canada Resources

The Atlas of Canada Web site can be found at atlas.gc.ca It is recommended that the teacher print a copy of the outline map of Canada ahead of time for the students. Instructions are provided on the student worksheet if students are to print the map out themselves. Students will access the following parts of the Atlas of Canada site throughout the lesson:

• Explore Our Maps

Reference Maps » Canada Outline » Capital City Locations and Names of Canada Map

Reference Maps » Canada » Political Divisions (interactive) Map

• Advanced Search

Search for the location of a place on a map option

Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment

• computer lab with Internet access and printer
• pencil crayons red, blue, yellow and green
• rulers
• index cards (cut in half) enough for one card per student. (Note: These cards should each have a different Canadian town or city written on them. The cities should NOT be in Manitoba and should NOT be a capital city.)
• review the student worksheet

Main Objective

The primary goal of the lesson is to introduce the students to the online Atlas of Canada and have them identify Manitoba, their town or city, one additional town or city in Canada and plot and measure the distance between the two cities.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:

• access the Atlas of Canada Web site
• navigate the Atlas of Canada Web site with some confidence
• use the Explore Our Maps section to locate the necessary maps for this lesson
• use the Advanced Search feature to locate the necessary information for this lesson
• indicate Canada's capital cities by underlining them
• locate and plot their city or town on a map of Canada
• plot a travel route on a map of Canada
• measure distance using the scale on a map of Canada

Introduction

Teacher Activity

• brainstorm ideas with students of how to properly plan a trip

Student Activity

• students participate in the teacher-led brainstorming session

Lesson Development

Teacher Activity

• read the introductory paragraph of the student worksheet with the students
• ensure that there is an understanding of the task. Instruct students to work through worksheet questions 1 to 5
• hand out the Place Name Cards to each student
• distribute the pencil crayons and rulers
• instruct the students to work through the remainder of the worksheet
• guide and assist students where necessary

Student Activity

• students will work through the instructions and complete activities/answer questions on the worksheet

Conclusion

Teacher Activity

• since every student will have been given a different town or city card, review the activity and answers with each student

Student Activity

• complete activities hand in the student worksheet

The student worksheet is printed separately for distribution to students.

• Student Worksheet – Plotting a Trip Across Canada

• students write a journal of their trip providing details such as; water bodies, other major towns/cities, physical features sighted on their trip
• students complete the original assignment, but substitute the original trip destination with a town or city in Manitoba they have actually visited

• evaluate the student worksheet
• evaluate follow-up assignment

• PDF version. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)