1. To locate Brazil on a world map and globe.

2. To describe Brazil's location in terms of the continent, hemispheres, latitude and longitude it is found in, and in relation to other countries in South America.

Standards Addressed:

1. Uses maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.

2. Focuses on a geographic look at South America.

3. Uses a variety of map, globes, atlases, and other geographic tools to locate countries in the Western Hemisphere

4. Develops use of the Internet as a research tool.

5. Participates in group meetings.

6. Prepares and delivers presentations.

Materials: computers with internet capabilities,world map, map of South America, map of Brazil

Setting:

Introduction of vocabulary words and their use in locating specific places on a map may be presented as a whole class lesson. The activity specific to describing Brazil's location would be an activity for the "Brazil Location Cooperative Learning Group." Roles will include researcherswho will find information online using web sites chosen by the teacher, recorder who will record the important information found by the researchers (information may be recorded using a word processing application such as Learning Company's Student Writing Center or Microsoft Word), illustrators who will be responsible to find online photos and maps (from web sites that will be prescreened by the teacher) or create illustrations of the topics researched by the group using a drawing and painting application such as Kidpix, reporters, who share the information with the class both in oral reports and in written reports, and web designerswho will place the textual information, maps, and graphics onto a web site for the class Virtual Travel Brochure.

Vocabulary:

Dictionary.com may be used to define the following vocabulary words. 

computers with internet capabilities, world map, map of South America, map of Brazil, globe

Motivation:
 
 

If you wanted to meet a friend at our school, how would describe the location of the meeting place? Point to a location on a map or globe that is in the middle of an ocean. How would you describe this location to another person? Use vocabulary words such as hemisphere, latitude,and longitude to describe the location.

Development:

1. Use the map shown here 

http://maps.com/learn/101-content/skl-degree.html

At this site students will find information to develop an understanding of what latitude and longitude are.

http://media.maps.com/images/downloads/World-Map-1200.gif

Use this site to get maps, online map games, outline maps, map skills, interactive maps, and a world atlas.

http://maps.com/learn/101-content/o-southa.html

Outline map of South America showing latitude and longitudinal lines.

http://nationbynation.com/Brazil/Geo.html

This site provides textual information describing Brazil's location.
 
 

2. Complete the table. 

Students share information with class via oral and written reports. Maps and globes will be included as visual aids in the presentations.

Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated on their ability to work cooperatively, use the Internet to find information about Brazil's location, their comprehensiveness in the description of Brazil's location, the usage of the vocabulary words in their presentation, their choice and use of visual aids, and their ability to communicate the information in their reports to the class in their presentation.
 
 

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