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Name: Christina Morris  Date: March 12, 2001

Lesson Length:  30 minutes

Subject:  Social Studies  Grade Level: 2nd

Topic: Map Skills-Making a Playground Map

OBJECTIVE:

Given a sheet of paper the 2nd grade student  will draw a playground map with a map key and
directions (North, South, East, and West) listed 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-4.1.4  After looking at spatial factors, decisions (e.g., where to locate a store, house,
playground, or equipment on a playground) are made about where to locate human activities on
Earth’s surface.

National Social Studies Standards-
III People, Place, & Environments- Describe how people create places that reflect ideas,
personality, culture, and wants and needs as they design homes, playgrounds, classrooms, and the
like.

CONTEXT:

This is the fifth lesson on map skills.  We are expanding on the information that the students
received in the previous lessons on the difference between maps/globes, the directions of North,
South, East, and West, map keys, different types of maps, and giving directions.  This lesson
builds on that information by having the students create a playground map with a map key and the
directions (North, South, East, and West).  The map should be functional and should reflect each
child’s understanding of map.  This unit will have provided a basic understanding of map skills
that can easily be built upon to expand their knowledge.

MATERIALS/TECHNOLOGY:

Git Along, Old Scudder by Stephen Gammell
White Construction Paper (1 sheet per student)
Pencils
Crayons or Coloring Pencils

PROCEDURES:

Diversity:

There may be a few students who will need extra direction on creating the maps.  They will be worked with individually as questions or uncertainties arise.  I will monitor them closely to be sure that they remain on task and do not get frustrated.

Initiation-

I will do a quick review of our previous lessons because today’s lesson is going to use information from all of our  previous lessons.  Basically, I will just go over map/globe differences, directions (North, South, East, and West), map keys, and giving directions.  Today, we are going to create a playground map.  I will ask the students what items that thought of to put on their playgrounds.  We will discuss the items and list them on the board.  This will be a good way for students who forgot to think of items or who  couldn’t think of any to get ideas before they begin drawing.  Leave this list on the board as students draw.

Model-

Refer to the map in Git Along, Old Scudder and ask the students if his map is very descriptive?  Does he have a map key?  Does he show the directions (North, South, East, and West)?  Is it a good map and why?  Show the students the playground map that I have drawn on construction paper.  Ask them if they see a map key?  Do I have the directions (North, South, East, and West) listed?  Give them directions to the merry-go-round and see if they understand them.
 
Guided Practice-

Take the list that the students created of items in the playground on the board and draw them on the overhead.  Ask students where they want the items to be placed. Make a simple map key and put the directions (North, South, East, and West) on the map.  Explain that they are going to now create their own playground maps.  They must remember to include the map key and the directions (North, South, East, and West) on their maps.
 
Individual Practice-

Give each student a piece of white construction paper and have them begin drawing their maps.  Circulate around the room monitoring their progress and offering encouragement.  Once the students have completed their maps have them share them with their neighbor and practice giving directions around their playground maps.  Have the students get out their map journals and write two things they learned today about maps.
 
Closure-

We will review drawing maps.  Was it easy to draw a map?  Did you put in a lot of detail in your map?  This is the end of the map unit but each student has a foundation in which to build their map skills on.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:

Tool:  Playground map with map key and directions (North, South, East, and West)
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.