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Lesson Plans For Teachers

Where in the World is Hawai'i?

Objectives:
Students will:

  • Compare a globe and a two-dimensional world map and see that they both represent the planet earth.
  • Locate the Hawaiian Islands on the globe or world map.
  • Describe how Hawaii's geographical position is unique.

Materials:
  • large world map
  • globe (3-4 would be ideal)
  • tape measure
  • ruler or yard stick
  • individual student world maps (see Appendix)

Teacher Information:
See An Underwater Guide to Hawaii by Ann Fielding and Ed Robinson p. 15 for concise information on Hawaii's geographic isolation.

Presentation:
Introduce the globe and world map.
For many young children, use of maps is a new skill. Using the globe first, students can see that it is a model of the planet Earth. Give the children time to explore with the globe, noting land and water features. Globes are wonderful, but hard to carry around, so people called cartographers make maps on paper which is also a kind of model of the world. Give the children time to explore the globe and the map together. Point out some of the larger land masses on the globe and see if the students can locate these features on the map. Point to land and water to make sure students see how these are represented. Ask the students places they have visited and locate them on the world map.

Locate the Hawaiian Islands on the world map.
This map shows every place on Earth, including the place where we live. Encourage students to think about the place where they live. Is it one island or a group of islands? Are the islands connected or is each surrounded by water? Are our islands big or small compared with places like the mainland? After some discussion, ask for a volunteer who would like to locate Hawaii on the world map. Most students will be suprised at how tiny the Hawaiian Islands appear on the world map, especially if they have spent their whole lives here!

Discuss Hawaii's unique geographical location.
Ask the students what they notice about the location of Hawaii on the map? Someone is sure to notice that it is far from most other places. Can you find other islands or land that is as far away from any other land? As students offer responses, use a tape measure or yard stick to measure the distances between land masses they have suggested. No other islands are as far away from all other land as Hawaii. We say that the Hawaiian Islands are isolated because they are so far from other land.

Ask students how they think the plants and animals that live in Hawaii could get here long, long ago before there were planes or boats or even people coming to these islands. Encourage them to think about that question in preparation for the next presentation.

Extentions:
Using individual student world maps, have students locate and color the Hawaiian islands on their own. Each student should come up with a statement describing how Hawaii's location in the world is special or unique.