Colombia shares borders with five countries and is located in the northwest of South America. The lesson plan reviews Colombia's borders and location, as well as maritime borders and a dispute between Colombia and Nicaragua over islands in the Caribbean Sea. Students will label a map, act out the border dispute, and answer worksheet questions about Colombia's neighboring countries, cardinal directions, size, and maritime boundaries.

1. Lesson Plan Social Studies
“Colombia and its location in the World”
Morning Routine
Greetings and Prayer
Good Morning Song
Today is______, Yesterday was______, Tomorrow will be______
Feedback
Review
-Borders of Colombia-Have students
-Location of Colombia
-North, south, east, west (directions)
-New vocabulary (border n. - natural or artificial line separating two pieces of land, resource n. -
available supply of materials, goods, or services. Resources can be natural or human.
Introduction to New Material
Maritime Limits- Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Haiti
Explain the concept of borders by showing the students the political map of Colombia. Ask the
students, “What does this line mean?” The line signifies a border. Explain the division of power between
departments and all of Colombia. Teacher shares the story of her brother to explain the maritime limits
of Colombia.
For a long time, Colombia and Nicaragua have been fighting for control over islands in the
Caribbean Sea as well as maritime borders. Colombia says the islands of San Andres and Providencia
belong to them. Nicaragua disagrees saying the islands are closer to Nicaragua and should belong to
them. This conflict has been resolved by the International Court of Justice in 2012. The ruling gave
Colombia control of the islands, but it gave Nicaragua more sea territory. The people of San Andres and
Providencia fish in the disputed waters that now belong to Nicaragua. The brother in law of Patricia was
arrested and held in jail for 7 months for fishing in waters near his home belonging to Nicaragua. The
Islets of Roncador, Quitasueno, Serrana, Serranilla, Bajo Nuevo, Cayo Bolivar and Alburquerque are
Colombia's.
Students act out fight between Colombia and Nicaragua over the islands and maritime limits in
the Caribbean Sea.
Practice and Eval

2. Tape, sticky tack, signs for N/S/E/W, 3 big papers for border of Colombia, location of Colombia,
and maritime limits of Colombia, worksheet
1) Name the 5 countries that border Colombia.
a. Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, & Brazil
2) What is the location of Colombia in South America?
a. Colombia is located in the northwest of South America
3) Name the 4 cardinal directions and draw them correctly
a. North, South, East, West
4) What is the area of Colombia in square kilometers?
a. 1,141,748 km²
5) What is the longitude and latitude of Colombia?
a. 4.5833° N, 74.0667° W
6) What are Colombia’s maritime borders?
a. Colombia established its maritime boundaries with neighboring countries through seven
(7) agreements on the Caribbean Sea (Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua,
the Dominican Republic and Panama) and three (3) on the Pacific Ocean (Costa Rica,
Ecuador y Panama).
b. http://www.cancilleria.gov.co/en/colombia/sovereignty/maritime
7) What was Colombia and Nicaragua fighting over>
a. San Andres and Providencia
8) What are maritime borders?
a. Borders over water