globes and maps

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Archive : 2002 : September : 9

globes and maps
By Julianne

One fun activity is to peel an orange. Have students discuss the shape of the earth. Show a globe and discuss how it is a model of the earth. But could explorers carry around a globe? Have kids discuss this idea. What
would be the problems with it? Too big, not detailed enough, etc. Someone will say something about maps. You can lead the discussion to how a map isn't a true model of the earth. The next part you can do as a whole group activity with you doing the work, or you can work in small groups. Peel an orange and try to lay the peel out as one smooth sheet. I like to try out the oranges

ahead of time and find one where the peel separates from the orange easily. A tangerine sometimes works better. Anyway, the point is for the kids to see that the curved skin just can't be made to lay in a flat sheet like a map. How did map makers solve this problem? Now you can discuss that and the kids can come up with their own ideas while you fill in the real ways maps are distorted to show land masses.