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Department of Geography
Texas Alliance for Geographic Education

Grades 3-5

Spatial Thinking About Maps This executive summary and report analyzes publications from the most prominent researchers in spatial thinking in geography and Earth sciences and summarizes major findings and curricular recommendations. (NGS)

Thinking Skills in Geography Learn how to engage elementary students in geographic analytical thinking.

3rd GRADE

Mama Panya's Pancakes Lesson (PDF, 625KB)
SS TEKS 1(7)B, 3(6)B Students analyze the text in "Mama Panya's pancakes" a village tale from Kenya. Using this information, students create maps that depict the cultural/economic behaviors in other parts of the world, through the eyes of a chosen character(s) in the texts.
We All Went on Safari Lesson (PDF, 267KB)
SS TEKS K(11)A, K(12)AB, 1(5)B, 1(15)A, 2(7)D, 3(5)B, 6(4)C In this activity, students will analyze text from "We all went on safari." Using this information, students will create maps that depict the physical features and animals that inhabit the region, Tanzania.

4th GRADE

Spatial Skills (ZIP, 5.11MB)
Local to Global Spatial Skills: Texas Independence Trail (PDF, 1.46MB)
SS TEKS 4(3)A, 4(6)B, 4(21)B
Local to Global Places and Regions: Texas (PDF, 760KB)
SS TEKS 7(9)A
Local to Global Human Systems: Texas Population (PDF, 1.93MB)
SS TEKS 4(8)ABC
Local to Global Environment and Society: Picture Analysis (PDF, 1.3MB)
SS TEKS 4(9)ABC, 7(10)A
The Geographic Influences of Texas Settlement (PDF, 1.12MB)
<p>G8: The lesson is an analysis of various maps of Texas between 1821-1861 that will be used to show the settlement and development of Texas by various ethnic groups.</p>
Patrón de Asentamiento GeoInquiry (PDF, 674KB)
SS TEKS 4(8)C, 5(8)ABC (In Spanish) Using ArcGIS Online, explore the relationship between the location of surface water and US population settlement patterns.
Producción de Energía GeoInquiry (PDF, 692KB)
SS TEKS 4(12)B, 5(13)B (In Spanish) Using ArcGIS Online, students will learn about energy production and consumption in the United States.
School Atlas of Texas 2001 (PDF, 39.9MB)
Texas Counties Map (PDF, 215KB)
Texas Outline Map (PDF, 313KB)
Texas Rivers Map (PDF, 361KB)
Texas Rivers Map - Not Labeled (PDF, 358KB)

5th GRADE

GeoInquiry_Explorando Elevacion con Lewis y Clark (PDF, 488KB)
SS TEKS 5(4)D, 5(6)A. (In Spanish) Explore the route that Lewis and Clark followed and identify elevation levels throughout the regions of the United States.
Patrón de Asentamiento GeoInquiry (PDF, 674KB)
SS TEKS 4(8)C, 5(8)ABC (In Spanish) Using ArcGIS Online, explore the relationship between the location of surface water and US population settlement patterns.
Producción de Energía GeoInquiry (PDF, 692KB)
SS TEKS 4(12)B, 5(13)B (In Spanish) Using ArcGIS Online, students will learn about energy production and consumption in the United States.
United States Outline Map (PDF, 270KB)

Esri GeoInquiries Upper Elementary (external)

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