Follow That Map! A First Look at Mapping Skills

Transcription

1 Follow That Map! A First Look at Mapping Skills Lynn Kelley and Jodie Winship University of West Alabama Tina Turner Taylorville Primary School In Follow That Map! A First Look at Mapping Skills, a group of five diverse children search for their pets and take an exciting trip through the neighborhood, city and country, around the world and into space in an attempt to locate their missing dog and cat. This book presents key mapping concepts and serves as an introduction to maps. The lesson challenges students to explore different types of maps and early map concepts as they create their own book of maps. This lesson is recommended for grades one through three and should be completed in a week. NCSS Notable Trade Book Title Book Summary NCSS Standards Follow That Map! A First Look at Mapping Skills by Scot Ritchie (Notable, 2010) Tonawanda, NY Ages 6-8 ISBN Recommended for Grades 1-3 This lesson is designed for five, 35 minute periods. In Follow That Map! A First Look at Mapping Skills a group of five diverse children search for their pets, a naughty dog and cat that have escaped from the backyard. Key mapping concepts are demonstrated and explained as the friends take an exciting trip through the neighborhood, city and country, around the world and into space. The concepts introduced in this book are: map, compass rose, scale bar, map legend or key, symbol, landmark, and routes. This book serves not only as an interesting read to introduce maps, different types of maps, and map skills, but also as an excellent resource on maps. III. People, Places, and Environments Materials Follow That Map! A First Look at Mapping Skills Me on the Map An assortment of all types of maps Art Paper or Construction Paper (large) Pencils Crayons Markers File folders Stapler Glue 1. Students will state there are different types of maps. Volume 8 Number Summer 2013

2 Objectives Procedures Exploratory Introduction Lesson Development: 2. Students will define for the following words: maps, neighborhood, city, state, country, continent, world, and universe. 3. Students will define and be able to use: legends, compass rose, and scale. 1) Ask, "Have you ever drawn a map? What did you include on your map? Discuss. 2) Working in small groups, have students explore different types of maps and list things to be included on a map. 3) Have groups share with the class and make a class chart (see Figure 1). What is on a map? Figure 1. Class Map Characteristics Chart 1) Read the book Follow That Map. 2) After reading the book, review the pages and encourage the students to identify the different types of maps and the different characteristics included on each of these maps. List. Types of Maps Things on Maps Volume 8 Number Summer 2013

3 Solar System World State Neighborhood Home Social Studies Research and Practice Figure 2. Types of Maps 3) Revisit the chart (see Figure 1) to compare it to the list (see Figure 2). Discuss. 4) Over the next few days have students revisit the page in the book that correlates to a specific map. The students will create the following maps: House or school map from a file folder (see Figure 4). Neighborhood map (see Figure 6). State map with city marked (see Figure 7). World map with their home country and continent indicated (see Figure 8). Map of the solar system (see Figure 9). 5) Have students revisit the chart (Figure 2) and possibly add scale, a compass rose, and a legend to their maps. Expansion 1) Using the maps that students have created let each student generate his/her own book of maps. Take 5 large sheets of art or construction paper and layer them in steps 1 inch apart. Fold left end back and staple to make a large step book. Label (see Figure 3). Figure 3. Step Book Pages. 2) Attach each map to the appropriate page of the step book. 3) Create a cover and ask students to personalize it: s Book of Maps (see Figure 5). 4) Ask students to share their books. Volume 8 Number Summer 2013

4 Figure 4. Ms. Turner observes a student creating her Home Map from a file folder. Figure 5. Book Cover for a Student s Book. Volume 8 Number Summer 2013

5 Figure 6. Neighborhood Map. Volume 8 Number Summer 2013

6 Figure 7. State Map. Volume 8 Number Summer 2013

7 Figure 8. World Map. Figure 9. Map of the Solar System. Volume 8 Number Summer 2013

8 Assessment As students share their maps, complete the checklist found in Figure 10. Objective yes no Definition of maps. There are different types of maps. Definition of neighborhood. Definition of city. Definition of state. Definition of country. Definition of continent. Definition of world. Definition of legend. Definition of scale. Definition of compass rose. Definition of solar system. Figure 10. Assessment Checklist. Suggested Extension Activities 1) Make salt dough maps. The Squidoo website has several different recipes for Salt Dough and directions for making a salt dough map. 2) Learn to use a GPS. View the GPS video on the AMSTI site. 3) Learn to use a compass. View the Compass Video on the AMSTI site. 4) Go Geocaching. The Geocaching website and the UWA Geocaching wiki will give you all the information needed to take your students on a GPS treasure hunt. Volume 8 Number Summer 2013

9 Authors Bio Lynn Kelley is an Assistant Professor at the University of West Alabama. She has taught grades preschool through college over the past 36 years. Dr. Kelley has published both practice and research manuscripts based on her work with young children and pre-service teachers. Jodie Winship is an Assistant Professor at the University of West Alabama. Prior to teaching at the University of West Alabama, she taught Special education for 21 years. Her research interests include: best inclusive practices, classroom management, differentiated instruction, parent involvement, and pre-service teacher development. Tina Turner is a teacher at Taylorville Primary School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She has taught grade kindergarten through second and served as the extended day director for Taylorville Primary School. Her research interests include parent involvement through take home journals and read-alouds. Volume 8 Number Summer 2013