-Brittany's+Page-

Basic Map Reading Skills and Identification

The lesson plan I chose is one designed to teach children about various map symbols and keys and also help them recognize landmarks. The activity is to blow up a map of the area (Eugene, in our case) and teach what certain symbols mean according to the map. This lesson will build gradually so that children will be introduced to how they read a key, discuss as a class using the large map, create a map of their own, and finally use what they have learned to locate where they live and where their friends live on a map. The lesson will start with an introduction to symbols and signs to familiarize students with these new terms. Children should be able to recognize what lakes, parks, schools, etc look like and identify them on the map as a class. Once they have been introduced, students will be instructed to create a map of their own. This map can be made up or real and should contain many of the symbols talked about. Finally, students will use a milk carton to represent their house. They will be expected to locate where their house would be on the class map using all of the things they have just learned about map symbols. When the activity is completed, students will be assessed by the map they have created and their ability to locate their house on the map. Their map should include appropriate use of map symbols and have a well thought out and explained key. They will also be assessed on their ability to use landmarks and symbols to locate their house on the class map.

This lesson plan will allow students to understand spacial whereabouts and be able to identify and locate various landmarks using the symbols they have just learned about. This meets the national standards and the benchmarks set by the state of Oregon.



Comments (By Marcia) - I really like the lesson you chose. Students will easily be able to relate the map activities to their own ‘real life’ experiences. This lesson could be extended to a larger scale by introducing incrementally larger maps for example the county then state followed by country, world and even solar system. This would also be a good lead-in to lessons discovery relative scale on maps.

Comments (By Monica) - I agree with Marcia: this lesson is a great way to introduce features of the map because it relates the concepts to what they already understand. I think it could also be useful to have students practice using maps the way that adults do in real life, to figure out how to get somewhere. Students could pair off and practice giving directions from one child's house to the other using the map. They could also plan a "field trip," writing directions from the school to their chosen destination.

Jump to: PLN 4 Main Page -Amber's Page- -Gary's Page- -Marcia's Page- -Monica's Page-