This investigation teaches that physical and human features are used to characterize places on Earth. Since types of both features are visible from space, students will use NASA images to complete several activities: matching images to geographic... (View More) places, matching images to the features described in verses of "America the Beautiful" then attaching those images to the appropriate areas on a hand-drawn outline map of the U.S. and finally, writing their own poem to describe those images. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. This is Investigation 2 of four found in the Grades K-4 Module 3 of Mission Geography. Note: The authors recommend that students first complete Investigation 1 in this Module (What Are Physical and Human-Made Features?) to acquaint them with identifying features.The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the four investigations in Module 3, while related, can be done independently. Please see Investigation 1 of this module for a two-page module overview and list of all standards addressed. (View Less)

Photos and images taken from the space shuttle are used to show unusual paths, such as those created by smoke, camel tracks, lava flows, and river deltas. After observing and discussing the images, students will record their observations, and draw... (View More) conclusions about the origin and nature of the paths. Additionally, students are introduced to one-way (rivers, jet stream) and two-way (roads, bird flyways) paths. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. This is Investigation 3 of four found in the Grades K-4 Module 4 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the four investigations in Module 4, while related, can be done independently. Please see Investigation 1 of this module for a two-page module overview and list of all standards addressed. (View Less)