6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 2: The World in Spatial Terms

SS060201
Lesson 1

Lesson 1: How Can Maps Help Us Better Understand the Earth?

Big Ideas of the Lesson

Maps are geographic representations of the Earth. They are an essential tool in geographic
inquiry.
Maps show a variety of spatial scales from small areas like a neighborhood to the Earth
itself.
There are many different kinds of maps including political and physical maps and a wide
variety of other thematic or special purpose maps.
Maps are used in many different ways including to locate places, to understand spatial
patterns, to determine distance and to understand relationships between geographic
features.

Lesson Abstract:
In this lesson students explore the use of maps as a geographic tool. The lesson begins with a
photograph showing a geographic mystery: a basketball from Japan that appears on a beach in
Alaska. Students then investigate a series of maps that helps them solve the mystery as well as
explore elements, purposes, scales and types of maps. Instruction is focused around a PowerPoint
presentation and student note-taking activity.
Content Expectations:

6 G1.1.1
7 G1.1.1
6 and 7 G1.2.5; G1.3.1; and G1.3.2

Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies: RH.6-8.2 and 7
Key Concepts
geographic representations
natural disasters
spatial scales
Teacher Note:
This unit begins with a Map Test featuring items from the NAEP (National Assessment of
Educational Progress) geography assessments from 2001 and 2010. This test can be found
in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 2, Lesson 1). It is suggested you give the test as a pretest before you begin the unit and again as a post-test when you complete the unit. Items
have been placed on separate pages in the event you choose to use the assessment items
in an alternative way. For example, they could be spread throughout the unit and used as
bell work. An answer key has also been included in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 2,
Lesson 1).
Step 6 requires the use of student sketch maps from Unit 1, Lesson 1. Prior to this lesson
make copies of the students sketch maps for use in this lesson. Note that it is important to
retain the original drawings in their original forms to serve as a benchmark for
demonstrating student growth.

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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 2: The World in Spatial Terms

SS060201
Lesson 1

Lesson Sequence
1. After giving students the pre-test located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 2, Lesson 1),
begin the unit and this lesson by asking students the following question: What are the five
themes of geography and what do they mean? Have students turn and talk with a partner
about their ideas and have them record their thoughts in their Global Investigators Notebook.
Then, briefly review the five themes of geography which were introduced in elementary social
studies and reviewed in Unit 1 by eliciting students responses and correcting any inaccuracies.
Explain that this lesson focuses on the theme of location and the questions: what is where and
why is it there?
2. Give each student a copy of the PowerPoint Notes Page 1 located in the Supplemental
Materials (Unit 2, Lesson 1) and explain that students will be viewing a PowerPoint slide
presentation for this lesson and taking notes.
3. Using Slide 1 of the PowerPoint (Unit 2, Lesson 1) briefly review the map content from Unit 1
which includes the following:
Maps are one of the most useful tools in geography. Maps are representations of places on
a variety of spatial scales.
Every map serves a purpose and every map has a story to tell.
Maps have common elements including a title, a map key or legend, something like a
compass rose that shows direction and a scale.
4. Guide students in examining the photograph and text on Slide 2. Make sure to point out text
on the basketball. Then, click to reveal the question on the slide and have students write an
answer on their PowerPoint Notes sheet.
5. Display Slide 3. Use the text to guide students in determining where the basketball came from
(Japan). Then, click to reveal the question on the slide and have students write an answer on
their PowerPoint Notes sheet. Briefly discuss students answers to the question on Slide 3.
6. Have students draw a sketch map of the world from memory. Then, display Slide 4 and ask
students to label Japan and Alaska on their maps. If students do not have these regions on
their maps, allow them time to add them. Then, instruct students to draw the route the
basketball probably took on their sketch maps. Encourage them to add in as much detail and
as many labels as they can. Give students time to draw and then have them share and
compare their maps in small groups of three or four students. Encourage students to politely
challenge the maps of other students if they think parts of the map are inaccurate.
7. Display Slide 5 and have students compare their maps to the map showing Japan and Alaska
on the slide. Use the following questions for discussion:
How accurate were your maps?
What details did you include? What details did you miss?
What direction is Alaska from Japan?
Geographically, what do Alaska and Japan have in common?
About how many miles does Alaska appear to be from Japan?
Do you have any different ideas now about how the basketball got to Alaska? If so, what are
they?
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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 2: The World in Spatial Terms

SS060201
Lesson 1

8. Give each student a copy of the PowerPoint Notes Page 2 located in the Supplemental
Materials (Unit 2, Lesson 1). Display Slide 6 and have students read the text. Then, click
and reveal the question on the slide. Have students answer the question on the notes page.
Explain that as the text implies, the basketball traveled from Japan to Alaska as the result of a
tsunami.
9. Have students re-read the text on Slide 6 again and then use the text to answer questions 5
and 6 on their PowerPoint Notes sheet.
10. Display Slide 7 and discuss students answers to the question on the slide: What kind of maps
could help us better understand the earthquake and resultant Tsunami?
11. Display Slide 8 and explain to the class that in order to understand these events it might be
helpful to begin by using a map to locate the middle school in Japan where the basketball
originated. Click to circle Kesen Junior High School (Middle School) and ask students to
describe its location. Make sure to draw students attention to the scale on the map.
12. Then, using Slides 9 13, demonstrate how a series of maps can show increasingly large
spatial scales as you move from the map of the school to a map of the Pacific Rim region.
Make sure to discuss how the scale on the series of map changes.
13. Display Slide 14 and have students describe the location of the epicenter of the 2011
earthquake using the map. Note that this is Number 7 on the PowerPoint Notes handout.
Guide students in understanding that the epicenter was very close to the area of Japan where
the middle school was located.
14. Use Slide 15 to remind students that every map has a purpose and that every map tells a story.
At this point, distribute the word cards 1-6 to students. (Teacher Note: Word Cards 1-3 should
be review for students.) Use Word Card #4 thematic or special purpose maps to explain to
students that there are different kinds of maps. Then, using Slide 16, explain that all maps have
a purpose, and some have more than one purpose. Then, display Slide 17 to explain that
exploring a variety of maps of Japan may help us to better understand the earthquake,
resultant tsunami, and to figure out how the basketball might have traveled.
15. Show students Slide 18. Ask students to think about what kind of information is being
displayed on the map and allow time for them to explore the political map of Japan. Encourage
students to look at their word cards for a description of the type of map this is (Word Card #5).
Guide students to recognize that this map shows political boundaries it shows countries and
prefecture capitals. When discussing the map key, make sure to explain that a prefecture in
Japan is the equivalent of a state in the United States. Ask students to identify the other
countries shown on the map in Slide 18. Explain to students that political maps are a very
common type of thematic or special purpose map.
16. Using Word Card #6 and Slide 19, discuss the term physical map with students. Be sure to
point out to students that a map of the physical geography of a place is also a very common
special purpose or thematic map. Then, have students describe the physical geography of
Japan by completing Number 8 on their PowerPoint Notes.
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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 2: The World in Spatial Terms

SS060201
Lesson 1

17. Next, broaden students understanding of thematic or special purpose maps by asking them to
view Slide 20. Ask students to explain what the purpose of this map is. After allowing
students a minute to turn and talk, elicit several answers. Explain that population maps are a
type of thematic map. This kind of map shows the distribution of people in a place.
18. Explain that one map of a place, such as a physical map, can help explain another map of the
same place, such as a population map. Display Slide 21 and ask students to complete Number
9 on their PowerPoint Notes by describing a connection between the physical geography of
Japan and the distribution of its population. When students have finished, discuss their answers
and guide students in understanding that most of the people of Japan live in the coastal areas
because much of the center parts are mountainous.
19. Use Slides 22 26 to explore other examples of thematic maps. Guide students in identifying
those maps that would be most important in understanding the possible impact of the
earthquake and tsunami on Japan. For example, the map showing Railroads and Airports could
be used to explore potential transportation problems in northeast Japan following the
earthquake. The Average Yearly Precipitation Map would have little connection to an
investigation of the earthquake. Explain that an important geographic skill is the ability to
choose the right maps when trying to answer a geographic question.
20. At this time you may wish to have students search the index of their textbook and locate any
maps of Japan. Note that if you are using the textbook cited in the Student Resource section,
maps of Japan are located on pages 770 and 775-778.
21. Explain that the maps students have been exploring help us understand more about the
country of Japan and the probable impact of the earthquake and tsunami. Display Slide 27 and
explain that maps can also be used to specifically investigate the earthquake and tsunami of
2011. Using the map on Slide 28 guide students in describing where the tsunamis impact was
greatest on Japan.
22. Give each student a copy of the PowerPoint Notes Page 3 located in the Supplemental
Materials (Unit 2, Lesson 1). Display Slide 29 and ask students to describe what the map
shows by completing Number 10 on their PowerPoint Notes. Give students time to examine
the map and write and then have them share their responses in the large group. Use the
following questions to guide your discussion:
What is the relationship between the map on Slide 28 and this map?
How is this map connected to our original investigation of how the basketball got from Japan
to Alaska?
What evidence does this map provide to help us answer the question of how the basketball
got from Japan to Alaska?
How could this map be used to explain how people and places are connected? (Guide
students to see how an event in one place on Earth can impact other places.).
23. Display Slide 30 and ask students to describe what this map shows by completing Number 11
on their PowerPoint Notes. Then, ask them to describe how this map could be used to explain
how the basketball got to Japan by completing Number 12 on the handout.

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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 2: The World in Spatial Terms

SS060201
Lesson 1

24. Display Slide 31 and have students complete Question 13. Then show Slide 32 and have
students complete question 14. Discuss their responses with the whole class. Be sure to point
out the following:
The direction of the tsunami differs in each case. In the 2011 tsunami the waves headed
east, while in the 2004 tsunami the waves headed west.
The 2011 tsunami appears to have threatened more places.
The map for the 2011 tsunami is a predictive map made to project the wave size in
meters and the time the waves will reach certain locations. This map does not tell us what
actually happened.
The map of the 2004 tsunami shows the countries that were most affected by the tsunami.
25. Display Slide 33 and pose the question listed on the slide. Have students share answers to the
question with a partner and then discuss answers in the large group.
26. Display Slide 34 and ask students to carefully analyze the slide and then complete question 15
on their PowerPoint Notes. Then, use the following questions to guide students in further
analyzing the map:
What parts of the United States are at the highest risk to be affected by a tsunami? Why do
you think this is true?
What parts of the world are at the highest risk to be affected by a tsunami? Why do you
think this is true?
27. Display Slide 35 and ask students if they have ever heard evidence that there has been a
tsunami on the Great Lakes. Discuss student responses.
28. Display Slide 36 and ask students to carefully analyze the slide and then complete questions
16 and 17 on their PowerPoint Notes. Discuss the ideas they came up with regarding
investigating the accuracy of the map.
29. Display Slide 37 and give each student a copy of the Newspaper Article: Miracle
Basketball located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 2, Lesson 1). Have students read the
article and write a short summary of it in the Global Investigators Notebook.
30. As a culminating discussion pose and discuss answers to the following question: Were the
earthquake and resulting tsunami a global or a regional problem? Push students to use the
criteria for determining whether something is global that they developed in Unit 1, Lesson 6.
Teacher Note: If time permits, you may wish to have students access the websites listed in the
Student Resource section which feature interactive maps relating to this lesson. This would
provide an opportunity to use interactive maps.

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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 2: The World in Spatial Terms

SS060201
Lesson 1

Reference Section
Content Expectations
6 G1.1.1 Describe how geographers use mapping to represent places and natural and human
phenomena in the world.
7 G1.1.1

Explain and use a variety of maps, globes, and web based geography technology to
investigatestudy the world, including global, interregional, regional, and local scales.

6 G1.2.5and 7
Locate and Use information from modern technology such as Geographic
Positioning Systemystem
G1.2.5
(GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and satellite remote sensing to locate
information, and interpret maps and data1 to analyze spatial patterns of Earth2 to
answer geographic questions.
6 G1.3.1and 7
Use the fundamental themes of geography (location, place, human
environment
G1.3.1:
interaction, movement, region) to describe regions or places on earth.
6 G1.3.1and 7
Use maps of physical features, land use and transportation to generalize abot
reasons for the distribution of populationExplain the locations and distributions of
physical and human characteristics of Earth G1.3.2: by using knowledge of spatial
patterns.
Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies: RH.6-8.2 and 7
RH.6-8.2:
Determine the main ideas or information of a primary or a secondary source;
provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or
opinions.
RH.6-8.7:

Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps)

with other information in print and digital texts.

Instructional Resources
Equipment/ Manipulative
Computer and Projector, Overhead Projector or Document Camera/Projector
Global Investigators Notebook
Globe
Student Resource
A student geography textbook such as Wiggins, Grant, et al. My World Geography: Boston, MA:
Pearson, 2011, pp. 10-13, 770,775-758.
Google Maps. 14 August 2013 <www.maps.google.com>.
1

The original expectation read to locate information and process maps and data to analyze spatial patterns. We
have revised this expectation using proper English so that it would make sense when read.
2

The sixth grade expectation listed the Western Hemisphere, while the text of the seventh grade expectation listed
the Eastern Hemisphere. To promote a global perspective, we have substituted Earth in the text of the expectation.
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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 2: The World in Spatial Terms

SS060201
Lesson 1

Honsu, Japan Tsunami Global Propagation. YouTube. 14 August 2013

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOgJof0u_bs&lr=1&uid=RvjyjVFLdCHZ6EVeOk1a4w>.
Interactive Tsunami Map. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 14 August 2013
<http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/database_devel.html>.
Maps Relating to the March 2011 Japan Earthquake. United States Geological Survey. 14 August
2013 <http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2011/usc0001xgp/#maps>.
Teacher Resource
2004 Tsunami. World Atlas. 14 August 2013
<http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/tsunami.htm>.
2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Teaching Geoscience with Visualizations. Science
Education Resource Center at Carleton College. 14 August 2013
<http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/hazards/events/japan2011.html>.
2011 Japan Earthquake Epicenter. Free World Maps. 14 August 2013
<http://www.freeworldmaps.net/asia/japan/earthquake-2011-03.html>.
Alaska Resident Finds Basketball. Kyodo News. May, 2012.
Alaska Returns Basketball Washed Away By Tsunami to Middle School in Japan. Huffington Post.
13 June 2012. 14 August 2013
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/13/basketball_tsunami_n_1594284.html>.
Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 2, Lesson 1). Teacher-made materials. Oakland
Schools, 2012.
- - - . PowerPoint (Unit 2, Lesson 1). Teacher-made materials. Oakland Schools, 2012.
Japan Basketball Washes Up in Alaska. MSNBC. 14 August 2013
<http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/47572081#47572081>.
Japan Maps. Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection. 14 August 2013
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/japan.html>.
Land Use in Japan. University of Texas Library. 14 August 2013
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/japan_land_1971.jpg>.
Map Countries Most Threatened by Tsunamis. CNN. 14 August 2013
<http://ibnlive.in.com/news/map-countries-most-threatened-by-tsunamis/247825-2.html>.
Maps and Information on the Earthquake and Tsunami. World Press. 14 August 2013
<http://eternian.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/over-200-earthquakes-hit-japan/>.

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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 2: The World in Spatial Terms

SS060201
Lesson 1

Maps and References. University of Iowa. 14 August 2013

<http://www.cgrer.uiowa.edu/servers/servers_references.html>.
Maps of Japan. Hoeckmann. 14 August 2013 <http://www.hoeckmann.de/karten/asien/japan/indexen.htm>.
Map of Tsunami Threat Zones. 14 August 2013 <http://www.tsunami-alarmsystem.com/en/index.html>.
Miracle Basketball. Japan Daily Press. June 14, 2012. 14 August 2013
<http://japandailypress.com/miracle-basketball-school-in-iwate-gets-back-its-basketballafter-tsunami-washed-it-ashore-alaska-1442066>.
National Assessment of Educational Progress: Geography. NEAP. 14 August 2013
<http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/geography/>.
Occurrence of Tsunami Worldwide. Tsunami Alarm System. 14 August 2013 <http://www.tsunamialarm-system.com/en/phenomenon-tsunami/phenomenon-tsunami-occurrences.html>.
Ocean Currents Map. Science Education through Earth Observation for High Schools. 14 August
2013 <http://www.seos-project.eu/modules/oceancurrents/oceancurrents-c02-p03.html>.
Parts of a Map. Slide Share. 14 August 2013 <http://www.slideshare.net/TriciaMowat/geo-skills-2parts-of-a-map>.
Physical Map of Japan. Free World Maps. 14 August 2013
<http://www.freeworldmaps.net/asia/japan/index.html>
Tsunamis. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. United States Department of
Commerce. 14 August 2013 <http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/tsunami.php>.
Tsunami Basketball Lands in Alaska, Returned. YouTube. 14 August 2013
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCfKSlgWVBI>.
Tsunami Height. Word Press. 14 August 2013 <http://eternian.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/over200-earthquakes-hit-japan/>.
Tsunami Travel Times. Huffington Post. 14 August 2013
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11/map-of-california-tsunamiwarnings_n_834538.html>.

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