|| Key points || Lesson objectives || Materials needed for this lesson || Suggestions for teaching this lesson ||
|| Suggested subjects for discussion or writing exercises ||

Key points

• The appearance of objects change as the view point changes.

• More objects can be seen from a higher point of view.

Lesson Objectives

• Students will learn how objects change in appearance depending on the perspective from which they are viewed. This prepares students to understand the overhead perspective offered by most maps.

Materials needed for this lesson

• Illustration 2 , showing a view of the park from above the ground.

Suggestions for teaching this lesson

(30-minute lesson)

• To begin the lesson, review illustration 1 and go on to illustration 2. Initiate a discussion about the new point of view of the same park. Ask the students where Nikki is and discuss ways that a person could see a park from the same angle. One could achieve a similar view from:

  • a tower
  • a plane
  • a tall building
  • the top of a ferris wheel

• Read the second part of the tale in the story box.

• Point out the following features in illustration 1: The tree outside the park, the front gate to the park, the top of the clock, and the top of the carousel. Next, show illustration 2 and point out how these features have changed. For example, one can now see both the side and the top of these items. Note that with the tree, you now see less of the trunk and branches.

Suggested subjects for discussion or writing exercises

• Write a story about climbing a hill and what you saw when you got to the top of the hill.

• Are there any tall buildings close to your school? What might you see from the top of these buildings?

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This online edition contains full text from the original publication. Some images have been modified or added to improve the scientific visualization of information. The PDF format reproduces the printed publication and will be better for creating overlay and overhead transparencies. To view and print PDF's install the Acrobat® Reader, available at no charge from Adobe Systems. This document has undergone official review and approval for publications established by the National Mapping Division, U.S. Geological Survey.

Map Adventures, PDF version