By: Rebecca Williams; June 15, 1997, Benjamin Franklin Elementary; Terre Haute, IN 47807

Purpose:

In order to better understand a citizen of Mexico, students will compare the effect that temperature has on the daily life of a citizen in Mexico City, Mexico as compared to Indianapolis, Indiana.

Grades: K-1

Geography Standards addressed:

• #1) How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
• #2) How to use mental maps to organize information about people, places and environments in a spatial context.
• #3) How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth’s surface.
• #4) The physical and human characteristics of places.
• #14) How human actions modify the physical environment.
• #15) How physical systems affect human systems.

Materials:

• -Access to internet
• -Map of Mexico
• -Chart/graph paper -Map of Indiana
• -Markers -Map of North America

Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, students will be able to :

• 1. compare temperatures in different cities,
• 2. compare activities as related to temperatures, and
• 3. compare weather patterns and its effect on temperatures.

Background:

This activity will be part of a 1 - 2 week thematic unit covering Mexico.

 Procedures:

• 1. Students will use the map of Mexico to find the capitol city.
• 2. Students will use the map of Indiana to find Indianapolis.
• 3. Students will use the map of North America to find the USA.
• 4. Students will use the map of North America to find Mexico.
• 5. Students will use the map of North America to find Mexico City and Indianapolis.
• 6. Students will chart the weather for Mexico City (High, Low, Conditions) taken from the web site: http://www.city.net/countries/mexico/
• 7. Students will chart the weather for Indianapolis (High, Low, Conditions) taken from the web site: http://www.city.net/countries/united_states/indiana/#cities
• 8. Students will compare/contrast temperatures in the different cities.
• 9. Students will compare/contrast activities as related to temperatures.
• 10. Students will compare weather conditions and its effect on temperature.

Evaluation:

Students will evaluate temperatures and how they effect the activities of the daily life of citizens.

Adaptations/Extensions:

• 1. Math: Students can find the differences between the Highs or students can find the differences between the Lows.
• 2. Science: Students can predict how rain and other weather patterns affect the temperature.
• 3. Language: Students can write about the temperatures and weather patterns. And students can write their predictions about the weather.
• 4. Fine Arts: Students can draw weather maps including weather symbols.
• 5. Social Studies: Teachers can introduce the climate zones, allowing students to predict temperatures in these zones. Students can use the map of North America to find other cities in each climate zone.

Students can access other web sites to find temperatures of other cities in the climate zones to compare with their predictions.

Web Sites Accessed:

• http://www.city.net/countries/mexico/
• http://www.city.net/countries/united_states/indiana/#cities