USGS Geography - Educational Materials

USGS Geography Educational Materials

The Geography Discipline has created educational resources in a variety of media explaining the mapping sciences and earth resources. Visit the product list Educational Materials from the U.S. Geological Survey for an indepth list of materials available from the USGS. For more information call toll-free 1-888-ASK-USGS or visit the ask.usgs.gov Web site.

The HTML version contains the same information as the paper version but is presented in a different format.

PDF format reproduces the look of the printed publication. To view and print the PDF version, you must obtain and install the Acrobat® Reader, available at no charge from Adobe Systems. Note that PDF files tend to be of relatively large size. Downloading such files from the Internet to your computer via modem may take up to several minutes. Additionally, the quality of illustrations in printed PDF documents will generally be lower than that of the original paper document.

Teaching Packets

Map Adventures

This packet, for kindergarten through 3rd grade, has a large poster of an imaginary amusement park, 7 lesson plans, 2 activity sheets, 16 black-and-white illustrations, and a teacher's information sheet. The packet teaches children how to understand and use maps.

What Do Maps Show?

This teaching packet with four accompanying lessons and a colorful poster is appropriate for grades 4-8. The poster shows several views of Salt Lake City and, combined with the lessons, teaches students basic geographic and cartographic skills.

Exploring caves

This packet for kindergarten through 3rd grade covers geology, cartography, and hydrology in a lighthearted story of Bat who teaches two lost children various lessons as he guides them out of the cave to safety. Poster is available for a nominal sum, call 1-888-ASK-USGS for more information.

Global Change

This grades 4-6 teaching packet covers four themes: time, change, natural cycles, and the Earth as home. It includes a two-sided color poster, three activities, and a teacher guide.

Volcanoes!

This teaching packet for grades 4-8 includes a two-sided color poster, teachers guide and six lesson plans. It answers fundamental questions about volcanoes through the story of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Exploring Maps

This packet includes two annotated posters, a teaching guide, and four activity sheets appropriate for grades 7-12. The goal of these materials is to assist students in learning basic mapmaking and map-reading skills. The images and activities in the packet can be used in various courses, including geography, history, math, art, English, and the sciences.

Some other sources of educational information available from the USGS are:

U.S. Department of the Interior — U.S. Geological Survey — 509 National Center, Reston, VA 20192, USA
URL: http:// egsc.usgs.gov /isb/pubs/pubslists/edu.html — Page Maintainer: USGS Eastern Region PSC 4
Page Contact Information: Web Administrator
Last modified: 10:06:09 Thu 10 Aug 2006 — USGS Privacy Policy and Disclaimers — Accessibility

	The USGS learning web at www.usgs.gov/education.
	Earthquake Hazards Program educational site at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/.
	Water Resources education resources site at water.usgs.gov/education.html .
	The Biological Resources education site at biology.usgs.gov/features/learningrm/learning_room.html.
	Geologic Discipline education and outreach site at geology.er.usgs.gov/outreach.html.

	Map Adventures This packet, for kindergarten through 3rd grade, has a large poster of an imaginary amusement park, 7 lesson plans, 2 activity sheets, 16 black-and-white illustrations, and a teacher's information sheet. The packet teaches children how to understand and use maps.
	What Do Maps Show? This teaching packet with four accompanying lessons and a colorful poster is appropriate for grades 4-8. The poster shows several views of Salt Lake City and, combined with the lessons, teaches students basic geographic and cartographic skills.
	Exploring caves This packet for kindergarten through 3rd grade covers geology, cartography, and hydrology in a lighthearted story of Bat who teaches two lost children various lessons as he guides them out of the cave to safety. Poster is available for a nominal sum, call 1-888-ASK-USGS for more information.
	Global Change This grades 4-6 teaching packet covers four themes: time, change, natural cycles, and the Earth as home. It includes a two-sided color poster, three activities, and a teacher guide.
	Volcanoes! This teaching packet for grades 4-8 includes a two-sided color poster, teachers guide and six lesson plans. It answers fundamental questions about volcanoes through the story of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
	Exploring Maps This packet includes two annotated posters, a teaching guide, and four activity sheets appropriate for grades 7-12. The goal of these materials is to assist students in learning basic mapmaking and map-reading skills. The images and activities in the packet can be used in various courses, including geography, history, math, art, English, and the sciences.