Procedure

1. Mark the equator (latitude) on one orange and the prime meridian (longitude) on the other orange.  Identify those lines on a world map and globe.

 

2. Slice the orange in half along the O° latitude line (equator).

 

3. Separate the halves and investigate the term “hemisphere” as half of the sphere.  Identify the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.

 

4. Take the second orange and slice it in half along the O°longitude line (prime meridian).

 

5. Separate the halves and discuss the term “hemisphere” as half of the sphere.  Identify the Western Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere.

 

6. Mark the O° latitude (equator) and the O° longitude (prime meridian) lines on the remaining orange.  Ask students to predict how many pieces there will be when the orange is sliced.

 

7. Slice the orange along the equator and hold it together as you slice it along the prime meridian.  How many pieces are there?

 

8. Refer to a world map.

Trace the lines of the equator and the prime meridian with a pointer.  How many pieces are there?  Those pieces are either north or south of the equator (Northern Hemisphere or Southern Hemisphere) or west or east of the prime meridian (Western Hemisphere or Eastern Hemisphere).

 

©Natasha Bochkov, M.C.S., Martin Bayes, Ph.D., and Donna LaRoche, M.Ed.

The Global Orange

By Donna LaRoche

 

Materials

3 oranges

permanent marker

sharp knife