Big Idea: How can we find out about places on Earth?

Make a Book About Your Community

  California Standard 2.2 Students demonstrate map skills by describing the absolute and relative locations of people, places, and environments.

Materials: Crayon or markers, pen or pencil, stapler

 

1. Launch this list of California City Web sites. Click on the city you live in, or one that's nearby. Gather ideas of what you could draw in your book .

 
 

2. Draw three pictures of places in your community. One picture should show people. One picture should show a landform. One picture should show animals.
 
 

3. Write under each picture. Tell what's in the picture.

 
 

4. Make a cover for your book. Staple together the pages and the cover.

 
 

5. Share your book with the class.
 

 
 

All About Location

See your neighborhood from space! Enter your address and zip code and click GO. Then choose the button that says "aerial photo."

From City to Country

The U.S. Census Bureau counts all the people in America every 10 years. Click on the state of California to see how the population changed from 1990 to 2000. Did the number of children between 5 and 9 years old increase or decrease? In California, do more people live in urban areas or rural areas?

Land and Water

What do you think the land looks like underneath the San Francisco Bay? Take a look at this map made from satellite and sonar images.

Protecting Our Land

Water is one of Earth's most precious natural resources. Watch this video to learn how water naturally recycles itself. Select Auto when the screen prompts you.

Our World

Travel the world with this interactive map. Click on any area that interests you and then zoom in. Links to detailed country maps are available at the bottom of the page.

The World Comes to California

Read a story about pioneer life in Sacremento during the Gold Rush. Learn more about the different backgrounds people in California have. Then look at this pie chart about the different backgrounds of peole in California.