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Lessons for the Interactive Social Studies Classroom

Mapping Lab

Lesson Guide

Making a Mental Map of Ohio

OHIO MAPPING LAB Preview

Look at the unfinished outline map of Ohio carefully. Complete the map by following the directions below. Put a check mark to the left of each task as you complete them.

______ Draw a compass rose on the bottom of the map. ______ On the compass rose, label the cardinal (north, south, east and west) and intermediate directions

(NW, NE, SW, SE) on the compass. ______ Use a blue colored pencil or crayon to trace where you think the Ohio River is located. ______ Use a blue colored pencil or crayon to shade in where you think Lake Erie is located. ______ Draw a star to show where you think the capital city of Ohio can be found and label it (if you know its name). ______ Use an orange colored pencil or crayon to lightly shade areas that you think have a high population. ______ Label at least 2 of Ohios major cities (label more if you know them). ______ Label at least 2 states that border (touch) Ohio (label all 5 if you know them).

OHIO MAPPING LAB

Add details to the outline map based on your mental map of Ohio and the region.

Preview

Learning About the Physical Geography of Ohio

Physical Features of Ohio

Physical features are natural geographic features, like mountains, plains, bays, lakes, and rivers. During this challenge you will be locating major physical features in the state of Ohio using a coordinates and a map grid (similar to the game of Battleship. Much of Ohios lands were carved out by glaciers during the last Ice Age, but the southeastern part of the state was not (refer the map to the left). At the end of the lesson, your teacher may use Google Earth or similar program to help students more precisely locate the physical features with coordinates called lines of latitude and longitude and view them from an aerial and/or birds eye view.

Directions

1. Get your copy of the Physical Features Map of Ohio and Description Chart for the Ohio Mapping Lab, Challenge 1.

2. Select one of the physical features listed below. Find it on a physical map of Ohio using the coordi-nates provided (such as A1). Using Coordinates is a way to find features absolute location.

3. Describe the relative location of each physical feature in the space provide below on the Description Chart for Challenge 1 by using cardinal directions and by referencing landmarks. Be sure to write in complete sentences.

4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you have found and described all physical features.

Example

Challenge 1 Ohio

Major Ohio Land Regions

Physical Feature Coordinates Description

Ohio River (C1, D1, D2, D3, D4, C4, C5, B5)

The Ohio River forms the southern and southwestern border of Ohio.

Learning About the Physical Geography of Ohio

Physical Feature Coordinates Description

Lake Erie A2, A3, A4

Hocking Hills C3

William H. Harsha Lake C1, D1

Grand Lake St. Marys B1

Campbell Hill B2

Scioto River B2, C2, C3, D2

Sandusky Bay A3

Great Black Swamp A1, A2, B1

Great Miami River B2, B1, C1

Kellys Island A3

Lake Plain A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1

Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau

B4, B5, C3, C4, C5, D3, D4

Lexington Plain D2

Till Plain B1, B2, C1, C2

Glaciated Allegheny A4,A5, B3, B4, B5

OHIO MAPPING LAB Challenge 1

Learning About the Physical Geography of Ohio

OHIO MAPPING LAB Challenge 1

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

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Glacia

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Lake Pl

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Till Plain

Lexington

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Hocking Hills

Learning About the Human Geography of Ohio

Human Features in Ohio

Human features are geographic features that were constructed or created by people. Some human fea-tures were built a long time ago (800 BC - 100 AD), like the Great Serpent Mound, while others have a more recent history. In Challenge 2, a set of latitude and longitude coordinates is given for each human feature. The coordinates listed are as close to the city or human feature as possible (Note: Major Cities are marked either with a star or a dot). At the end of the lesson, your teacher may use Google Earth or similar program to help students more precisely lo-cate the human features and view them from an ae-rial and/or birds eye view.

Directions 1. Get your copy of the unlabeled Human Features Map of Ohio (a.k.a. Political Map) and Record Sheet for

Mapping Lab, Challenge 2. 2. Select one of the Human features (cities, counties, human made structures, etc) listed on the Record

Sheet for Challenge 2. Find it on the political map of Ohio by using the provided latitude and longitude coordinates (they will get you close to its absolute location).

3. Record the name of the county in which each Human Feature is located. 4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you have recorded counties for each human feature.

Example

Challenge 2 Ohio

Physical Feature Coordinates Counties

Columbus 40N, 83 W

Franklin

The Great Serpent Mound is an example of an ancient human feature.

Extension Activity

In 1806, the U.S. Government agreed to build the National Road from Cumberland, Maryland to the frontier lands in the West. By the 1838, the Na-tional Road reached Vandalia, Illinois, but funding for the project was cut in 1840 due to the in-creased use of railroads. The National Road was a macadam road, which consisted of three layers of crushed stones with a top coat of a limestone dust to bind the gravel together.

Activity 1: Using the map to the left and the Hu-man Features of Ohio Map for Challenge 2, iden-tify the latitude line that the National Road roughly follows across the state.

Activity 2: Construct a timeline that shows how transportation in Ohio has changed from fron-tier times to today. Activity 3: Go to http://www.buckeyetraffic.org/ and record your observations of Ohios cur-rent interstate highway system, using data from webcams, road sensors, construction alerts, and traffic reports.

http://www.buckeyetraffic.org/

Learning About the Human Geography of Ohio Physical Feature Coordinates County

Cincinnati 39N, 84.5W

Cleveland 41.5N, 81.5W

Akron 41N, 81.5W

Marietta 39.5N, 81.5W

Zanesville 40N, 82W

Portsmouth 38.5N, 83 W

Dayton 40N, 84W

Toledo 42N, 84W

Lima 41N, 84W

Sandusky 41.5N, 83W

Ohio Amish Communities

40.5N, 82W and 38.5N, 83.5W

Serpent Mound 39N, 83.5W

Fort Ancient 39.5N, 84W

Newark Earthworks 40N, 82.5W

Hopewell Mound Group 39.5N, 83W

OHIO MAPPING LAB Challenge 2

Learning About the Human Geography of Ohio

OHIO MAPPING LAB Challenge 2

40o N

39o N

41o N 41o N

40o N

39o N

84o W 81o W

84o W

83o W

82o W

81o W

82o W 83o W

42o N 42o N

Fort Ancient

Serpent Mound

Newark Earth Works

Hopewell Mounds

Amish

Com

muni

ties

Amish

Com

munit

ies

Using Geography Skills to Answer Where?

1. Look carefully at each map your teacher projects. For each map, discuss the three questions below with your partner. Be prepared to respond if your teacher calls on you. What are at least 3 key symbols or colors on the map? What do they

represent? What key information does this map show? Is this information about physical geography or human geography?

2. Get a copy of the challenge card for Challenge 3 from your teacher. 3. Read the question on your card. Scan the names of the research stations to

determine which one has the map you need to answer the question. 4. Go to that station and note any information or locations that will help you

answer the question.* 5. Once you have all the information you need to answer the question, return

to your desk. Get your table for the Ohio Mapping Lab, Challenge 3. Find the row with the number that matches your question. Circle the name of the map you used to find your answer. Write the answer in a complete sentence.

6. Bring your Challenge 3 table to the teacher. If your answer is correct, get a

new Challenge 3 card, and repeat steps 3-6. * Please note that the locations on the Place Cards 1-5 are approximate.

Location grids were placed over maps found on the internet.

Challenge 3 Ohio

OHIO MAPPING LAB Challenge 3

Using Geography Skills to Answer Where?

Ohio Challenge 3 1 Which regions of Ohio have the best soil and climate for growing crops?

Ohio Challenge 3 2 What percentage of Ohios lands can support deciduous trees and vegetation?

Ohio Challenge 3 3 Which landform makes up the western region of Ohio?

Ohio Challenge 3 4 Which areas have the longest growing season in Ohio? How long is growing season in these