This lesson introduces students to latitude and longitude. They will look at lines of latitude and longitude on a United States map and discuss the reasons why these lines are helpful. Students will also discuss the ways that temperatures vary with latitude and will explain the clothes they might wear at specific latitudes.

Geography, math, earth science

Standard 1: "How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective"

One to two hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Blank Xpeditions outline maps of the world, one for each student (or pair of students)
• Blank Xpeditions outline maps of the United States, one for each student (or pair of students)
• Road atlas (optional)

Students will

• contribute words to describe what they know about or notice on United States and world maps;
• look at the lines of latitude and longitude on a map, and explain why these lines might be helpful;
• determine the latitude and longitude of their home town and a few other places in the country;
• discuss how climate varies with latitude; and
• explain what they might be wearing at various latitudes during specified months.

Give each student or pair of students an outline map of the world and an outline map of the United States that you have printed from the Xpeditions Atlas. Ask them to look at the maps and contribute words in a class discussion that describe the things they know or notice about the maps. For example, they might say that they know the shape of the United States or that they can point out their home state.

Ask students to look at the U.S. map and find the lines running across and up and down the page. Tell them that the lines across the page are lines of latitude, and the lines up and down the page are lines of longitude. Ask students to contribute their ideas as to why these lines might have been drawn on the map. Make sure they understand that they are not real lines on the ground; they were added to the map to help people locate places on the map more easily.

Have students find the location of their town, and help them figure out its latitude and longitude. Once they have done this, help them figure out the approximate latitude and longitude of a few other places in the country. Have them tell you which city is at approximately 30ºN, 90ºW (New Orleans) and which city is at approximately 40ºN, 105ºW (Denver).

Have students look at the world outline map, and go over the general climate patterns that occur as latitude increases. Also discuss the seasonal temperature variations. The main thing they should know is that areas further away from the equator tend to be cooler and that, except in places close to the equator, temperatures are cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer.

Review the concepts students have learned in this activity, and ask them again to contribute their ideas as to why latitude and longitude are helpful map tools. Do they think they will ever use this new knowledge? If so, how might they use it?

Have students point out lines of latitude on the outline map. Then make the following statements to the class, and ask them to tell you (or write down) what they think you might be wearing if you were really in these places:

• I am standing outside at 60ºN latitude, and it is January.
• I am standing outside at 10ºN latitude, and it is February.
• I am standing outside at 35ºN latitude, and it is July.
• I am standing outside at 40ºS latitude, and it is August (use this for more advanced students).

Have students draw pictures of themselves at the different latitudes in the United States mentioned in the student assessment (above). The pictures should show them wearing clothing and doing activities that they think would be appropriate for the weather in these places. You may want to tape or tack their pictures to appropriate locations on a large United States wall map.

How Far Is It?
NIMA: GEONet Names Server
National Geographic: Xpeditions Activity—Crack the Code