Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Understanding Physical Maps: The main objective is for students to acquire the ability to interpret and understand the information presented in a physical map. They should be able to identify and differentiate the characteristics of relief, hydrography, vegetation, climate, and other physical aspects of a specific location.

2. Identification of Elements in Real Maps: Students should be able to apply the knowledge acquired about physical maps to identify and locate specific elements in real maps. This includes the ability to use the legend, scale, and orientation to navigate the map.

3. Connection between Physical and Real Maps: In addition, students should be able to make the connection between the physical representation of a location on a map and the reality of that location. They should understand that a map is a simplified and schematic representation of the real world, and that certain characteristics may be enlarged, reduced, or omitted on a map.

   Secondary Objectives:

   • Stimulate Spatial Thinking: The study of physical maps is an excellent tool to develop spatial thinking. Students should be encouraged to visualize the three-dimensional space of the real world from a two-dimensional representation on a map.

   • Promote Curiosity about the World: By learning to read physical maps, students will be exposed to a wealth of information about the world around them. This can spark their curiosity and interest in learning more about different regions, countries, and continents.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Review of Previous Content: The teacher starts the lesson by reviewing the basic concepts of cartography, such as the definition of maps, their importance, and the different types of maps that exist. Additionally, the teacher may ask students about their previous experiences with maps and if they have ever had to interpret a physical map in a practical situation.

2. Problem Situation 1: Scale Challenge: The teacher presents a problem situation to the students: "Imagine you are planning a car trip from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro and you receive two maps: one on an A4 sheet of paper and another on an A1 sheet of paper. How could you use the scale of each map to estimate the distance of the trip on each of them?"

3. Problem Situation 2: Treasure Map: Next, the teacher proposes another challenge: "Imagine you found a treasure map showing an island with several mountains, rivers, and forests. How could you use the information on the map to find the treasure on the island?"

4. Contextualization: The teacher explains that map reading is an important skill that goes beyond the classroom. It is a useful skill in many everyday situations, such as planning travel routes, understanding news about natural disasters, locating places on a GPS, among others.

5. Capturing Students' Attention: To spark students' interest, the teacher can share some curiosities about maps. For example, the fact that the oldest known map was created by the Babylonians around 600 B.C., or that Google Maps is currently the largest map in the world, containing satellite images of almost every place on the planet.

6. Introduction to the Topic: Finally, the teacher introduces the topic of the lesson, map reading, explaining that physical maps represent the natural characteristics of the Earth, such as mountains, rivers, forests, and that these maps provide valuable information about the climate, vegetation, and other physical aspects of a location.

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

1. 3D Physical Map Building Activity (10 - 12 minutes)

   • Materials Needed: Cardboard, sand, glue, drawing paper, colored pencils, ruler, scissors, reference images of different types of relief (mountains, rivers, plains, etc.).

   • Preparation: Prepare small pieces of cardboard cut into different shapes to represent different types of relief. For example, triangles for mountains, rectangles for plains, etc. Spread the sand on a tray large enough to accommodate the map.

   • Step by Step:

     1. Divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students. Each group will receive a tray with sand and the necessary materials.

     2. Ask students to choose a region of the Earth to represent on their map. It can be a region they recently studied in geography class or a region of their interest.

     3. Students should research reference images of the type of relief they chose for their region and start building their map by gluing the cardboard pieces on the sand tray to represent the mountains, plains, etc.

     4. They should then use the paper and colored pencils to add details to their map, such as rivers, lakes, vegetation, etc. They should also add a legend explaining what each element on their map represents.

     5. Once the maps are completed, the groups should present their maps to the class, explaining the region they chose and what each element on their map represents.

2. Map Legend Activity (10 - 12 minutes)

   • Materials Needed: Several physical maps of different places, paper, pencils.

   • Step by Step:

     1. Distribute the physical maps to the student groups. Each group should receive a map of a different place.

     2. Ask students to study the map and identify the different elements present, such as mountains, rivers, forests, etc.

     3. Then, ask each group to create a legend for the map, explaining what each element represents. They should do this on paper, writing the name of the element and a brief description of what it represents.

     4. After all groups finish, collect the legends and mix them up. Then, distribute the legends to the groups, but not the corresponding maps.

     5. The challenge now is for each group to correctly match the legend they received with the corresponding physical map. They should do this by comparing the descriptions in the legend with the elements on the map.

     6. The group that successfully matches the legend with the map first is the winner. This exercise helps reinforce students' understanding of reading physical maps and the importance of the legend.

Return (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (3 - 4 minutes)

   • The teacher should start a group discussion where each group of students shares the solutions or conclusions found during the practical activities. Each group should have a maximum of 3 minutes to share their findings.

   • During the discussion, the teacher can encourage participation from everyone by asking questions to check students' understanding and reinforce important concepts. For example, the teacher can ask: "How did you decide on the scale to be used in the 3D map?" or "How did you use the legend to identify the elements on the physical map?"

2. Connection with Theory (2 - 3 minutes)

   • After the discussion, the teacher should make the connection between the practical activities and the theory presented at the beginning of the lesson. He should recall the concepts of physical maps, the importance of scale, legend, and orientation.

   • The teacher can then highlight how these concepts were applied during the practical activities. For example, he can say: "During the 3D map building activity, you could see how the scale can affect the representation of relief. In the legend activity, you could apply the concept of legend to identify the elements on the map."

3. Individual Reflection (1 - 2 minutes)

   • To conclude the lesson, the teacher should propose a moment of individual reflection. Students should think for a minute about the following questions:

     1. What was the most important concept learned today?
     2. What questions have not been answered yet?

   • After a minute of reflection, students can share their answers with the class, if they wish. The teacher should be open to hearing students' questions and concerns and provide additional clarifications if necessary.

4. Feedback and Closure (1 minute)

   • Finally, the teacher should thank the students for their participation and effort during the lesson. He can reinforce the importance of the skill of reading physical maps and encourage students to continue practicing this skill outside the classroom.

   • The teacher can also provide general feedback on the lesson, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. For example, he can praise the students' creativity in building the 3D map and the accuracy in the legend, but he can also suggest that students practice more the interpretation of scale and orientation.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Summary of Contents (2 - 3 minutes)

   • The teacher should start the Conclusion by recalling the main points covered during the lesson. This includes the definition of physical maps, their importance in representing the real world, the interpretation of scale, orientation, and legend, and the connection between the representation on the map and reality.
   • He can give a brief summary of each activity, highlighting what was learned and how map reading skills were practiced. For example, he can say: "In the 3D map building activity, you could see how the scale can affect the representation of relief. In the legend activity, you could apply the concept of legend to identify the elements on the map."

2. Connection between Theory, Practice, and Applications (1 - 2 minutes)

   • Next, the teacher should explain how the lesson connected theory, practice, and applications. He can highlight how the theoretical understanding of physical maps was applied during the practical activities, and how these, in turn, demonstrated the relevance and usefulness of physical maps in the real world.
   • For example, he can say: "Through the practical activities, you could see how reading physical maps can be useful in everyday situations, such as planning a trip, understanding news about natural disasters, or even finding a treasure on a treasure map!"

3. Extra Materials (1 minute)

   • The teacher should then suggest extra materials for students who want to deepen their knowledge on the topic. This may include reference books, geography websites, educational videos, interactive map games, among others.
   • For example, he can recommend the website of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), where students can find a wide variety of physical maps of Brazil and the world, or Google Earth, which allows users to virtually explore almost any place on the planet.

4. Importance of the Topic (1 minute)

   • Finally, the teacher should emphasize the importance of the topic for students' daily lives. He can explain how the skill of reading physical maps can be useful in various situations, from navigating in a new city to understanding news about climate change or natural disasters.
   • The teacher can encourage students to continue practicing reading physical maps, whether through activities like those carried out in the lesson or through everyday situations that involve the use of maps. He can say: "Reading physical maps is a valuable skill that can open up a world of possibilities for you. So, do not be afraid to explore and discover the world around you through maps!"