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Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes

Use map scale and compass directions

Earth and rocks

CCSS NGSS.4-ESS2-2England: KS2 Geography links

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Use map scale and compass directions.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Patterns on maps: mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Rock samples, Hand lenses, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Patterns on maps: mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. On a world map, where are most earthquakes and volcanoes found? (scattered evenly everywhere / only in the middle of continents / in long belts along the edges of Earth's plates / only near the North Pole) → in long belts along the edges of Earth's platesPrompt: Earth's outer layer is broken into huge moving pieces.
  2. True or false? The continents have never moved. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Where do plates meet, and what forms there?
  3. How did this feature form: Iceland's rift valley? (formed where plates push together / formed where plates pull apart) → formed where plates pull apartPrompt: Is it a high mountain range or deep trench, or a crack and ridge where new rock appears?

Hook · 3 min

  • Pass round different rocks and ask how each one might have formed.
  • Share the objective: Use map scale and compass directions. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: On a map, 1 cm stands for 5 km. A volcano and a town are 6 cm apart on the map. How far apart are they in real life?
  • Step 1: 6 × 5 = 30
  • Step 2: So the answer is: 30 km
  • Answer: 30 km
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. On a map, 1 cm stands for 10 km. A volcano and a town are 9 cm apart on the map. How far apart are they in real life? → 90 kmPrompt: Each centimetre on the map is the same real distance.
  2. A hiker is facing south and makes a quarter turn clockwise. Which direction is she facing now? (south / west / east / north) → westPrompt: Clockwise order: north, east, south, west.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. On a map, 1 cm stands for 20 km. A volcano and a town are 2 cm apart on the map. How far apart are they in real life? → 40 kmPrompt: Each centimetre on the map is the same real distance.
  2. What does the key (legend) on a map tell you? (who drew the map / what each symbol and colour means / the weather / the time of day) → what each symbol and colour meansPrompt: How do you know a blue line is a river?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Patterns on maps: mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
  • Use concrete materials: rock samples.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Use map scale and compass directions

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    On a map, 1 cm stands for 2 km. A volcano and a town are 7 cm apart on the map. How far apart are they in real life?

    Answerkm

  2. Question 2

    On a map with contour lines, the lines are very close together in one place. What does this show?

    • A. a road
    • B. a lake
    • C. flat land
    • D. a steep slope
  3. Question 3

    A hiker is facing west and makes a quarter turn clockwise. Which direction is she facing now?

    • A. west
    • B. south
    • C. north
    • D. east
  4. Question 4

    On a map, 1 cm stands for 20 km. A lake and the coast are 6 cm apart on the map. How far apart are they in real life?

    Answerkm

  5. Question 5

    A hiker is facing north and makes a quarter turn anticlockwise (counterclockwise). Which direction is she facing now?

    • A. south
    • B. east
    • C. west
    • D. north
  6. Question 6

    On a map, 1 cm stands for 10 km. Two mountain peaks are 5 cm apart on the map. How far apart are they in real life?

    Answerkm

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Answer key: Use map scale and compass directions

  1. 1. 14 km

  2. 2. D. a steep slope

  3. 3. C. north

  4. 4. 120 km

  5. 5. C. west

  6. 6. 50 km