Where in the World Are the Ten Mystery Classes? – A Mapping Project

The following lesson is the culminating activity for a unit based on Journey North’s Mystery Class project. The goals and objectives for this unit can be found on the Teacher Page of this website. For more resources and additional lessons related to the Mystery Class project, visit the Journey North site at.

Objectives (The students will be able to):

Utilize lines of latitude and longitude to accurately identify a given location on a map.
Research a location to gather specific information.
Correctly plot a location on an interactive map.

Time Required: 2-4 class periods

Materials Required:

Computers with Internet access
SmartBoard or other interactive whiteboard
Access to project website and Mappler site

Anticipatory Set:

Have the latitude/longitude coordinates for Ringwood, NJ and Angangueo, Michoacan, Mexico (DMS format for one, decimal format for the other) written on a SmartNotebook page and displayed on a SmartBoard.

Ask the students to hypothesize about what these numbers represent.

Procedure:

Discuss latitude & longitude coordinates, and review DMS vs. decimal format. Review how latitude & longitude clues were used to help identify the ten mystery classes.

Use the SmartBoard to display the project Mappler site. Explain that the ten mystery class locations recently identified will be plotted on this interactive map, each with a corresponding data point. Each data point will contain specific information to be researched by each team. Use previously plotted data points to model what is expected of students.

Demonstrate, using the SmartBoard, how to plot a location on the Mappler site, and how to enter information for each data point.

Proceed to computer lab and have students sit in pairs to complete research, or rotate pairs in the classroom and complete research on classroom computer. Have the students investigate their given location (suggested sites include Wikipedia and WorldBook Online) to find the following information:

Latitude/longitude coordinates for their location (DMS or decimal)
Population (if uninhabited, students should indicate that in lieu of a number)
Language spoken (if a location is in international waters this item can be omitted)
Two links (one city level/one state or country level – if location is an ocean, one general link will suffice where viewers could find additional information about the location identified
An image of the national flag for each location (if a location is in international waters this image can be omitted or an appropriate substitution can be made)

Once the research has been completed, students should enter the information gathered into the data point for their given location. This process will require substantially more supervision/assistance for third grade students than for fifth grade students.

Once all data points have been completed, students should practice presenting the information they have gathered. Each pair will make a presentation to the class about the location they have identified. Students will use the SmartBoard to display the Mappler site and, specifically, their data point.

Closure:

Review the path that lead the students to identify the locations of the ten mystery classes. Discuss what the students have learned about geography and the causes and effects of seasonal changes.

Have students create an activity for other students that models Journey North's "Eating on the Equinox"activity. Students will number the 10 mystery locations in a random order, then develop clues to help another group of students place the classes in the order from east to west on a map of the world.

Evaluation:

Monitor each student’s participation in the pair activities. Check the data each pair has entered for their given location. A rubric is provided, via the project website, to evaluate each aspect of this activity. Both pair and individual components are considered.

Extension Activities:

Have each student research and plot a data point for a country of their heritage (in conjunction with a project currently being completed by the class)
Follow the migration north (from Angangueo to Ringwood) of the monarch butterflies. Plot each city that reports a migration sighting on the Journey north website.
Follow the arrival of spring from south to north by plotting the budding of tulips planted through the Journey North Tulip Garden project
Invite guests who are natives of any of the ten mystery locations to speak to the class about their culture, language, history, etc.
Create a webpage for each location showcasing additional information, and link to that page from the data point.

Standards Addressed (NJCCCS):

Language Arts Literacy

Standard 3.1 (Reading)

All students will understand and apply the knowledge of sounds, letters, and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers, and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension.

Standard 3.3 (Speaking)

All students will speak in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

Standard 3.4 (Listening)

All students will listen actively to information from a variety of sources in a variety of situations.

Standard 3.5 (Viewing and Media Literacy)

All students will access, view, evaluate, and respond to print, non-print, and electronic texts and resources.

Science

Standard 5.1 (Scientific Processes)

All students will develop problem-solving, decision-making and inquiry skills, reflected by formulating usable questions and hypotheses, planning experiments, conducting systematic observations, interpreting and analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and communicating results.

Standard 5.3 (Mathematical Applications)

All students will integrate mathematics as a tool for problem-solving in science, and as a means of expressing and/or modeling scientific theories.

Standard 5.4 (Nature and Process of Technology)

All students will understand the interrelationships between science and technology and develop a conceptual understanding of the nature and process of technology.

Standard 5.9 (Astronomy & Space Science)

All students will gain an understanding of the origin, evolution and structure of the universe.

Social Studies

Standard 6.6 (Geography)

All students will apply knowledge of spatial relationships and other geographic skills to understand human behavior in relation to the physical and cultural environment.

Technological Literacy

Standard 8.1 (Computer and Information Literacy)

All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems.

Career Education and Consumer, Family and Life Skills

Standard 9.2 (Consumer, Family, and Life Skills)

All students will demonstrate critical life skills in order to be functional members of society.