Amelia the Pigeon: Lesson 6 (K-2)

Grade Level: K-2

Time Estimation: Allow one class period of approximately 45 minutes.

Students will:

• Observation
• Comparing
• Describing
• Matching

Materials:

• Set of close & far photos for each group
• Sat Landsat satellite image of New York City
• Crayons
• Student Page (Coloring map of New York City)

Grouping:
The students work independently.

About the Lesson

Students investigate photos and images both close and far for different types of information.

Engage

Hand out sets of close to far pictures, giving them only cards A for each set. Ask students to identify what these items may be and if they are a close view or far away view. How do they know this?

Explore

Pass out the other half of the close to far sets of cards, cards B. Ask the students to match the close views with the corresponding far away view of each object. How do they know those objects go together?

Explain

Look at the objects that are close views. What kind of information does this give the viewer? Discuss how you have to be close to some objects to be able to obtain information (like a mail box and the pick-up times) while with others you need to be farther away to get a bigger picture to understand what the image is showing (like a banner being pulled behind a plane in the sky). Scientists use satellite images to gather information. How close they are or how far away they are helps them answer questions. Ask the students the following question for each pairs of pictures. Have each group hold up the picture that is their answer.

Mailbox picture. Which picture would you use to find out what time the mail is going to be picked up? The close picture, or far picture? Close because you can read the words on the mailbox.

Parking meter. Which picture would you use to figure out how much time is left on the meter? Close because you can read the numbers on the display.

Train. How many cars are in the train? Far because you can see all the cars.

Piano. How many black keys are on the piano? Far, because you can see all the piano keys.

Bear. How big is the bear? Far, because you can compare the size of the bear to the chair.

Expand

Pass out a copy of the Landsat image of New York City, or display as transparency. Explain that this is a picture of New York City from far away. And that we can learn more about a city by looking at it from far away.

As you review the image, ask students to color the student page with the following items in the satellite image:

• islands
• bridges
• water
• clouds
• park

Evaluate

Once you have colored the student sheet, ask the children to count the number of the following objects:

• islands
• bridges
• clouds

Ask: How does this image help you find these features? (it is far away and shows the city and what surrounds it)

By requesting this information, you can assess that the students can obtain information from the image.

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