This lesson asks students to compare and contrast their state with another one using observations they make from National Geographic's MapMachine. They'll look at their own state's maps as the teacher creates them for the class, and they'll make their own maps of another state of their choice. They'll list their observations of the two states' maps then write paragraphs comparing and contrasting what they've seen.

Geography

Standard 1: "How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective"
Standard 3: "How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface"

Two to three hours

• Computer with Internet access and projector
• Print atlas (optional)

Students will

• discuss things they already know about their state;
• view their own state's maps on MapMachine and take notes on their observations;
• create and examine maps from another state, and take notes on their observations;
• discuss the geographic features of both states; and
• write paragraphs comparing and contrasting the two states based on the observations they've made from the maps.

Ask students to contribute descriptive words that answer the general question "what is our state like?" Students who have traveled around the state should be able to share their experiences. Students who haven't been many places in the state can brainstorm or think about what they've learned about the state in school.

Ask students to describe some of the ways that their state is different from other states in different parts of the country. Again, they might have to speculate unless they've traveled to other states, or have studied them in previous lessons. Discuss their ideas as a class.

Ask students to make charts with two columns. They should write the name of their state at the top of the first column. Ask them to leave the second column header blank for the time being.

Using a computer projected to the entire class, go to the National Geographic MapMachine. Type your state into the "Find a Place" window in the upper right, and click "Find."

You'll see a list of places that have your state's name. Find the actual state listing (e.g., "Colorado, State, United States"), and click it.

When you get to the results page, select each of the following map options one at a time. As you show students each map, explain its purpose to the class (use the "scripts" provided below if you want to). Discuss the questions with the class.

Take time after examining each map to list on the board words and phrases that answer the question "what is our state like?" Then have students copy the lists into the first column on their charts.

• World Satellite Map: "This map is a picture of the state taken from a satellite high above the earth. It shows the colors of the state's landscape. The cities and highways have been drawn in. What colors do you see? What do you think the green colors are? What do you think brown areas show?"
  
  
• U.S. Topographic Map: "This map shows physical features on Earth's surface, like hills and mountains. The 'bumpier' the map appears, the greater the presence of such vertical features. Are there any hills or mountains in our state? If so, in which parts of the state are they located?"
  
  
• U.S. Census 2000 Population Maps: "This map shows the counties in our state. The colors indicate how many people live within each county; therefore, the darker the red, the greater the number of people living within the county. This is a measure of population density. Stress that places with high population density have lots of people living close to each other, whereas places with low population density do not. Which areas of our state have the highest population density? Which have the lowest population density? What is the population density like in our part of the state?"

Return to the National Geographic MapMachine home page, and select "View All Map Categories" from the lower left. Link to "View All" under "Conservation and Ecology," and choose a natural hazard that might occur in your state. Click and drag a rectangle around your state to zoom in. Use the map legend to see what the circles and colors represent.

Explain to the class that this map shows places where natural hazards (e.g., tornado, windstorm, etc.) are likely to occur within their state. Ask them to describe the geographic distribution of natural hazards native to their states, and have them discuss where they are most likely to occur, according to this map? List their comments on the board next to their observations from the previous maps, and have students add this list to their charts.

Ask students to look at the lists that the class has made on the board, and have them discuss what the lists reveal about their state. Also discuss how, and what, these maps have helped them learn. How are maps valuable in understanding different things about the state?

For the next part of the lesson, allow students to work individually or in pairs on their own computers. If this activity is too challenging or time-consuming for your students, however, do it as a class using a state of your choice. Have students take notes together so that their charts look the same.

Ask each student or pair to choose another state in a different region of the country. Ask them to title the second column in their charts with the name of this state.

Have students use the to find the satellite, topographic, and population maps for the second state. They should begin by typing the selected state's name in the "Find a Place" window in the upper right and clicking "Find." They'll then see a list of options, and they should choose the option that lists the actual state (e.g., "Colorado, State, United States"). Help students go through this process to find the main page that lists the maps for the state they're looking for.

Have students take notes in the second column of their chart to describe their observations from the satellite, topographic, and population maps. When necessary, they should use the cardinal directions east, west, north, or south to describe the parts of the state where various features occur (i.e., "there are mountains in the western part of Montana").

Ask students to examine their charts and to compare the things they've observed in their own state with things they're seeing in the new state. For example, does the new state have more or fewer mountains or hills? Does the new state have a greater, or lesser, number of people living close to one another?

Have a few students share their observations with the class. Hold a brief class discussion on the questions "What is your state like?" and "How is your state different from other states?"

Ask students to write paragraphs comparing and contrasting their observations of the two states.

• Have students make maps to help first-time visitors to your state understand what to expect and what they might do during their stay. Students should use MapMachine and print atlas maps, including the ones they've already looked at. Ask them to label features and draw pictures onto blank outline maps (available at National Geographic's Xpeditions Atlas), including cities, bodies of water, mountains or hills, natural hazards, and other interesting features of their state.
  
  
• Have students go to Explore the States and locate their state and the other one they've studied in this lesson. For each state, ask them to scroll down to "More Stories About" and choose one story about that state to read. Have students summarize the articles in short paragraphs. Discuss the articles as a class, asking students if any of the features they saw on their state maps (e.g., mountains, dense or sparse population, dry brown land) are mentioned in or related to any of the articles.

Explore the States
National Geographic: MapMachine
National Geographic: Xpeditions Atlas