:Atlas (Y8)
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Approach: One to one  Level: Year 8
Focus: Understanding and using an atlas
Resources: Book: Phillip's Atlas of New Zealand and the World, recording book, 2 maps, 2 name cards
1.5MB
Questions / instructions:

Hand student the atlas.
Here is an atlas of New Zealand and the World.
[click on images to enlarge.]		 Atlas1


% responses
2005 ('01)
Y4
Y8
1. Why might people find this book useful?
good for finding out where places are
92
Have a few minutes to look through this atlas, then I’ll ask you to find some things.
Allow time.
The index in a book tells us where information can be found.		  
2. Where would you find the World Index in this atlas? Tell me how you found it.
  
Record if student found the World Index or not.
If the student can’t find the index, show them.
found World Index
 
92

Hand student card – Guam.
[click on images to enlarge.]

3. How would you find a map of Guam in this atlas? Show me where it is and tell me how you found this map.

Record if student found Guam or not.    
Atlas2
  
located map of Guam
 
83
used index to find map
 
91
used co-odinates to find Guam on map
 
82
Hand student card – Doughboy Bay.
Show student where the New Zealand Index is found in the atlas (p15).
[click on images to enlarge.]

4. Using the New Zealand Index look up Doughboy Bay. What map number and position does it give?

Record map number and position given.    
Atlas3
  
map number found
 
98
co-ordinates given correctly
 
97
5. Using the map number and position try to find Doughboy Bay in this atlas. When you have found it show me.
  
Record if the student found Doughboy Bay or not.
found Doughboy Bay on the map
 
88
Let’s look at two maps about New Zealand.
Hand student the two maps of New Zealand.
[same as for Year 4 version on adjacent page]		  
6. What is different about the information on these two maps?    
Record student’s answer.		  
 
mentioned one map is taken from the satellite
 
36
mentioned map uses colour to show height of mountains, rivers, lakes
 
30
mentioned one map has names of places on it
 
86
mentioned one map has clouds and weather systems on it
 
66
mentioned anything else relevant to maps
 
29
Total score:
11–12
 
15
9–10
 
51
7–8
 
23
5–6
 
6
3–4
 
4
0–2
 
1

Commentary:
The year 8 students were, on the whole, highly successful in using the atlas to find particular places. Compared to year 4 students (see Atlas Y4), they were substantially more successful in identifying multiple distinguishing features of two different types of map.
 
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