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Name: Christina Morris  Date: March 5, 2001
Lesson Length:  30 minutes
Subject:  Social Studies  Grade Level: 2nd
Topic: Map Skills-Different Maps and Map Keys

OBJECTIVE:

Given a map with a map key the 2nd grade student will answer five questions using the
map with 100% accuracy.

CONNECTIONS:

Kentucky Learner Goals-
2.19  Students recognize and understand the relationship between people and geography and
apply their knowledge in real-life situations.

Kentucky Core Content-
SS-E-4.1.1  Simple physical, political, and thematic maps, globes, charts, photographs, aerial
photography, and graphs can be used to find and explain locations and display information

National Social Studies Standards-
III People, Place, & Environments- Use appropriate resources, data sources, and geographic tools
such as atlases, data bases, grid systems, charts, graphs, and maps to generate, manipulate, and
interpret information.

CONTEXT:

This is the third lesson on map skills.  We are expanding on the information that the students
received in the previous lessons on the difference between maps/globes and North, South, East,
and West directions.  This lesson builds on that information by locating objects on a map using a
map key.  Students will show their level of comprehension of maps by completing the questions
on the worksheet.  This lesson is being used to build to the final lesson in the unit which is
creating a map of the playground.  The students will have to create a map key on their maps.

MATERIALS/TECHNOLOGY

Teacher created map with map key
Weekly Reader Map called What is a Map?
Git Along, Old Scudder by Stephen Gammell
Neighborhoods and Community Overhead Map
United States Map
Various Maps (school evacuation map, map of the mall, map of house, etc.)

PROCEDURES:

Diversity:

A few students may have difficulty comprehending that the symbols in the map key represent objects on the map.  I will monitor them carefully so that they do not become frustrated.  They may need one to one help.

Initiation-

Our last lesson covered North, South, East, and West.  I will do a quick review with the United States map.  I will ask the class which direction we would have to go if we wanted to go to Canada, Tennessee, California, and West Virginia.  Today, we are going to study map keys and different types of maps.  Refer back to Old Scudder’s map in the book and see if he had a map key.  Ask students to name types of maps they have seen.  Explain that maps are not only for travel but they can be used to show the layout of a new house, evacuation procedures, store location in a mall, and many other layouts.

Model:

Maps cannot show every item there is on the map.  Therefore, symbols, signs, patterns, and colors are designated to represent certain places.  Each map may have different symbols so there is not one map key for all maps. A  map key is created  for each map so that  we know what the symbols mean and can read the map.  Show the examples of the different maps and the map keys represented on each one.  Show some map keys and ask the students what they think the symbols represent.  Write their responses on
the board.  Then show them the maps  and let them see if they were right or wrong.

Guided Practice-

As a class, we will look at the Weekly Reader map.  I will cover up the map key and see if the students can determine what the symbols on the map represent.  I will write their suggestions on the chalkboard.  Then I will uncover the map key and we will compare the class’s key to the map key.  The class will discuss which one they think is best and why. I will then  hang the teacher created map with map key on the chalkboard.  As a group we will discuss the map and the different items in the map key.  We will
locate the number of restaurants on the map.

Individual Practice-

The students will use the poster map to answer the following questions with 100% accuracy:
 
   1. How many schools are there on the map?
   2. What is the symbol for the Post Office?
   3. How many runways are there at the airport?
   4. Is the airport in the East or the West?
   5. How many picnic tables are there in the park?
 
The questions will be asked orally and the students will write their responses down on a sheet of paper.  After students finish answering the questions, we will do a quick review and then they will be asked to get out their map journals and write down two things they learned about maps today.
 
Closure-

We will review that there are different types of maps and what a map key is through verbal questions and answers.  Give a preview of the next lesson on giving directions around the school.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:

Tool:  Teacher created map and map key with questions
Criteria: 100% accuracy

REFLECTION/ANALYSIS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING:

LESSON EXTENSION/FOLLOW-UP

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

 Gammell, S. (1983).  Git along, Old Scudder.  New York:  Lothrop, Lee & Shepard
Books.