By Corkie Neumann
Purpose:
To help students understand how to use longitude and latitude lines to find a designated location.
Materials:
- Red and any other color yarn
- 3x5 cards with points of latitude and longitude listed
- Tape
- Scissors
Procedure:
- Cut pieces of yarn to form the latitude and longitude lines on the floor of the classroom. Use the tiled squares on the floor to form equidistant latitude lines.
- Tape each yarn to the floor.
- Use the red yarn to show the Prime Meridian and the Equator. Those are the only lines that are labeled.
- Discuss the use of this combination of parellels and meridians to form a grid for plotting positions anywhere in the world.
- Give each group a card that has points of latitude and longitude listed and a matching colored circle.
- The group must place the colored circle on the grid showing the location listed on the card.