Global Explorers: Our Changing World · 6th Class

Active learning ideas

Map Projections: Representing a Sphere

Active learning works well for map projections because students need to physically engage with the concept of representing a three-dimensional world in two dimensions. By moving, building, and discussing, they connect abstract lines and symbols to real landscapes, making the abstract concrete.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Maps, Globes and Graph Work
• NCCA: Primary - Using Maps

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 40 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Great Map Scavenger Hunt

In small groups, students use a local OS map to find specific features using 6-figure grid references. They must identify a church, a bridge, and a specific height above sea level, recording the symbol and name for each.

Explain why all flat maps distort the Earth's surface.

Facilitation Tip

During The Great Map Scavenger Hunt, circulate with a checklist to ensure all groups interpret grid references correctly before moving to the next clue.

What to look for

Provide students with images of three different map projections (e.g., Mercator, Gall-Peters, a world map from an atlas). Ask them to write one sentence explaining the main advantage of each projection and one sentence explaining its main disadvantage.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 45 min · Individual

Simulation Game: Contour Clay Models

Students look at a simple contour map of a hill and recreate it using layers of playdough or clay. Each layer represents a 10-meter interval, helping them visualize how close lines represent steep slopes and wide lines represent gentle ones.

Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of different map projections.

Facilitation Tip

When making Contour Clay Models, demonstrate how to slice the model vertically to reveal the cross-section that matches the contour lines.

What to look for

Display a world map and ask students to identify which type of distortion (area, shape, distance, or direction) is most evident in the representation of Africa compared to Greenland. Have them justify their answer by referencing the projection's characteristics.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Route Planning

Pairs are given a starting point and a destination on a map. They must plan the 'easiest' walking route, taking into account distance (using the scale) and elevation (avoiding steep hills), then explain their choice to another pair.

Evaluate the suitability of various map projections for specific geographical tasks.

Facilitation Tip

In Route Planning, assign roles (navigator, recorder, timekeeper) to keep all students accountable for their shared decisions.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If you were designing a map for a global climate change conference, which type of map projection would you choose and why? Consider what information is most critical for delegates to understand.' Facilitate a class discussion where students defend their choices.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should start with students’ lived experiences, like walking local paths or looking at familiar hills, to build intuition about elevation and slope. Avoid front-loading too much technical vocabulary; instead, introduce terms like ‘contour interval’ or ‘grid reference’ only after students have encountered the concepts naturally. Research shows that students grasp distortion best through direct comparison of projections side by side, not through abstract explanations.

Successful learning is visible when students can confidently use grid references to locate features, explain how contour lines show slope and elevation, and justify why different projections distort reality in specific ways. They should also discuss the purpose of each projection rather than memorize its name.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During The Great Map Scavenger Hunt, watch for students who treat contour lines as physical paths on the ground.

  Pause the hunt and have students trace the contour lines with their fingers while looking at a nearby hill or a classroom 3D model. Ask them to describe what the lines represent in real terms.

• During Route Planning, watch for students who assume the top of the map always points uphill.

  Ask pairs to check spot heights along their route and mark the direction of the slope. Have them explain to another pair why a river might flow toward the top of the map.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Simulation Game
• Think-Pair-Share