Map Reading

Date: March 23, 1997

Grade Level(s): 2, 3

Subject(s)

• Social Studies/Geography

Description:

Earlier lessons included students identifying their location in the world beginning from the broad perspective of the world and narrowing to their country, state, city, neighborhood, & home. Direction words and compass rose have been defined. This lesson covers map symbols and landmarks in part one and in part two students use this information to help them locate their home on a map.

Goal:

This lesson will help students with map reading skills by asking them to locate their home on a city map and participate in related activities.

Objectives:

1. Practice map reading skills
2. Locate their home, school and other familiar landmarks on a city map
3. Identify who lives in similar neighborhoods & where students live in comparison to school
4. Define map symbols

Preparation:

1. Blow up a map of the city and have attached to bulletin board.
2. Include a compass rose and a key.
3. Cover a small milk carton to represent the school.
4. Have a push pin ready with a flag attached to it that is labeled school.

Identify and define conventional map symbols Understand basic spatial concepts and themes of geography

Materials:

1. Make a chart or transparency that has a sample key with many symbols
2. Individual sized milk cartons for each student
3. Push pins and self stick labels
4. Construction paper

Part I

1. Show students a city map that has been blown up & attached to the bulletin board
2. Review your cities location in the state of & country of, the compass rose & direction words. Point to a street on the map and ask according to the compass which direction does this street go.
3. Discuss the work landmark and its meaning. Next point out a landmark on the map such as a lake. Ask students to describe what a lake looks like. Have a volunteer come to the chalkboard and draw a picture that could represent a lake.
4. Talk about a few other landmarks, such as a river, park, airport, etc.
5. State that those landmarks (the work lake, park, airport) are represented by symbols
6. Ask how they think they could be represented through drawing
7. Use an opaque projector or chart to demonstrate a sample key that a cartographer might use. Symbols should represent those landmarks just discussed as well as others such as railroad, bridge, hospital, school, etc.
8. Challenge students to design a map. It could be related to a story they're reading or one they are familiar with such as the three little pigs. They need to use a key at the bottom of their map identifying the symbols used, and should use at least three symbols on their map.

Part 2

1. Display a covered milk carton and tell them that this represents our school. Staple it to the perimeter of the map on the bulletin board.
2. Ask them where our school would be located on the map - ask how can we find it using landmarks or using our key. Label its location on the map with a push pin which has a school flag attached to it.
3. Tell students that each will have an opportunity to construct their own (milk carton) house. Remind them to label their house and when completed you staple them to the perimeter of the bulletin board.
4. When each student has their house completed they should take a self stick tab, put their initials on it and attach it to a pin so that it looks like a flag. They must locate their home on the bulletin board map and place the flag pin at its proper location.

Assessment:

Part 1:

The map students produce will have an appropriate key explaining the symbols used on their map.

Part 2:

Informally assess by noting whether students can find their home location on the city map and whether they use landmarks to do so.

Students identify the cluster (if any) of students living close to one another. Students can state who lives furthest from school and who lives closest.