In the current NYS Regents Earth Science course, mapping is a skill that reinforces learning across multiple content areas. Many teachers choose to include a unit on mapping early in their curriculum sequence to give students the background skills needed to interact with learning later on in the course. This is similar to the way in which Earth Science courses address skills-based topics such as measuring and density, and rock and mineral identification.
More recently, many teachers have proposed shifting topics out of the "prologue" or preview of the course, and spiraling their introduction within the context of other Earth science themes. For example, teachers introduce density when discussing the separation of the Earth into layers and the mechanism of convection currents. Igneous and metamorphic rocks form by tectonic processes, and sedimentary rocks link the study of lithospheric landforms with the interactions of the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
The same can be done with map skills. Outside of their contextual use in interpreting landscapes, maps are arbitrary constructs to students. Especially with the shift toward a 3-dimensional approach to student learning, maps can and should be more of a thematic link between multiple core ideas within the discipline. Deliberate decisions about the introduction of the different types of maps can have an important impact on student understanding, especially if aligned with the development of a student's math skills. This also allows teachers to free up the time usually spent introducing skills at the beginning of the course and dive deeply into the curriculum itself - addressing the concern that a 3-dimensional approach "takes longer" in an already-full Earth Science curriculum.
Latitude and Longitude
Use the development of the plate tectonic theory as the time to reinforce latitude and longitude (in NYS this was introduced as a Social Studies skill supporting the theme of Geographic Reasoning in Grade 4) - plot recent or historical earthquakes and volcanoes on a map and have students uncover the pattern.
Math link: Students worked thoroughly in the coordinate plane in Math 8 graphing functions and geometric figures. Describe the intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian as the origin (0,0) and the cardinal directions as positive or negative in relation to the origin. Label the positive and negative areas of the map on page 5 of the Earth Science Reference Tables; this helps students visualize the directions on this non-traditional map (the Prime Meridian is shifted quite far to the right and most eastern locations are actually on the left side of the map).
Topographic Maps
Wait and introduce topographic maps until students have a thorough understanding of landscapes formed by tectonic processes. Students will have a better visual idea about the shape of landscapes formed by different plate motions and hot spots. As students learn landscapes, use Google Earth to demonstrate their 3-dimensional nature. They will get used to seeing the transition between an aerial view and profile view, which greatly aids in their ability to interpret topographic maps.
Math link: Students taking Algebra I will be graphing equations and discussing slope throughout the first unit or module. Especially with 9th graders taking Earth Science, it's important to wait until their mathematical understanding of equations can match with their scientific understanding. Students should not only be able to solve the gradient equation by finding/substituting/manipulating variables, they should understand its construction as a version of the slope equation (slope = Δy / Δx).
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