Geography Lesson Plan

Creating maps with My Map Book

Grade: 1
Subject: Geography Maps and their components

Objectives and Background Knowledge needed
a) Objective: Given blank sheets of paper students will be able to draw a map of our
first grade classroom the map will include labels, a title, and color.

b) Goals of the lesson:
Students will understand the importance of maps and why we use them
Students will learn about the aspects of a map such as a key, scale, and
compass
Students will be able to see that maps can be created in many different ways
Students will learn that there can be maps for many different purposes

c) Background Knowledge: The background knowledge that students need for this
lesson include:
Students will have some basic idea of a map and some of its uses
Based off of our word walls and classroom labels students will be able to
recognize the words North, East, South, and West
Students will understand how to work in cooperative groups
Students will know how to make predictions in a story with providing
reasoning to their predictions
2. NCSS Standard
People, Places, and Environments: construct and use mental maps of locales, regions, and the world
that demonstrate understanding of relative location, direction, size, and shape;



3. Materials, Procedures, and Assessment
a) Materials
The book My Map Book
Whiteboard and markers
Pre made groups of like ability
Crayons
Markers
White printer paper
White card stalk paper (for individual maps)
Pencils
ELMO
Carpet space

b) Procedures
Direct Instruction (25 min):
The direct instruction will be time for me to read the story My Map Book By Sara
Fanelli. I will ask questions before, during, and after the reading to guide students
in the understanding and allow them to make connections. Students will be seated
on the carpet as I read the story.

Questions before reading:
(Holing the book up) what do you notice about the cover of our book?
Can someone make a prediction of what our book is going to be about
Why do you think the author may have written this book?
Why do we use maps?

Questions during reading:
Page one, have you ever seen a map to a treasure?!
Page two, what do you notice about this page? (window, labels, its of a
bedroom)
Page three, have you ever made a family map?
Page four, our class has a map of the day, we call it our schedule, where
else have you seen a map of the day?
Page six, does this map look very neat and organized? (NO!) Do maps
always have to be organized and neat?
Page six, why might be it helpful if a map is neatly organized
Page seven, what do you notice about this page? (Details, labels, of a
neighborhood, colorful, people on the map etc. )
Page nine, what can you notice about this page, what is it a map of?
Page ten, could you make a map of your face, touch your nose if you
could!
Page eleven; has anyone ever been on the seaside of an ocean? Does this
look like an accurate map?

Questions after reading:
Why do you think I choose to read you this story?
What did you learn from this story?
Would you be able to create a map of your bedroom after reading this
story?
What did you enjoy about this story?

After reading the story I will do direct instruction and allow for students to
contribute their ideas as I instruct.
Today boys and girls we are going to make maps of our classroom! (draw square
on white board) lets make a quick sketch of our classroom. Draw a compass on
the board, we know that our windows are on the north wall, so looking at our
compass can someone tell me where to draw our windows? Now I might draw or
desks (looking around the room then back at the board) draw some desks.
Continue drawing, ask students for help of where to put items in the classroom.
Once the rough sketch is done ask students what might be missing from our map?
(a title, labels, detail-color) Once those are added discuss the importance of why
we have labels on maps and why maps should be titled, allow for students to
contribute their thoughts.


Guided Practice (15 min):
Now that I made a map and you all helped me label parts of our map it is your turn to create a
map in groups. You will be in groups of three and I want you to work together to create a map of
our classroom with as much detail as you can. I want you to use labels, create a title for your
map, use color and detail, and use your compass to figure out where things should be placed.
Remember our walls of windows are on the north wall. Boys and girls this is a short activity so I
want you all to use your time effectively and stay on task I will be walking around and I expect
you to be on task.

I will have pre made groups that are for like ability, students of lower ability will be seated close
to the map drawn on the board, students of high ability will be asked questions when I circulate
to draw on their background knowledge and high order thinking skills.

I will walk about the classroom and clipboards cruise and assist students/ groups who may need
assistance.
After 13 minutes of groups working together I will pull the class back together and ask for two-
three groups to present their map on the ELMO and peers may ask questions about why they
chose to add or label certain things.

Extension Activity/Independent Practice (25 min)
I saw some awesome maps that you made in your groups! Now its time for you to create your
own classroom map, these maps will be displayed outside of our classroom for everyone to see! I
want you to use lots of detail and color with your maps. Every map should have a compass,
labels of items in the classroom, and a creative title. You can use the book to help you think of
ideas; you can use crayons, markers, pencils, and pens, whatever you want. I want your map to
be an accurate map of your classroom but I also want you to show your creativity when making
your map, just like our author and illustrator did when making the book My Map Book.

When students are working on their map I will circulate around the classroom and assist students
who may need more help. When I circulate around I will also ensure that students are on task.

b) Grouping: This lesson will feature whole-group as I read the story aloud and draw
and example of a map, then students will be in small groups there were pre made
groups that are for like ability, students of lower ability will be seated close to the
map drawn on the board, students of high ability will be asked questions when I
circulate to draw on their background knowledge and high order thinking skills, then
students will work independently on their very own map as I walk around and assist
students who may need additional help.

c) Modifications
Advanced students:
For advanced students who finish their individual map assignment early I have come up
with a fun activity. The cover page of the My Map Book has a scavenger hunt for children
to complete. I will have printed out copies of this activity. If an advance group finishes up
early they can create individual maps of their hearts, and refer to page 8 of the book My
Map Book.

Scavenger hunt activity:


Students needing extra help:
When students are working in small groups they are grouped by like ability, I will
have my group(s) of students who may need more assistance sit close by the
board, which has a map drawn on it. They can refer to the map on the board for
extra assistance.
When students are working individually I might have students of lower ability
already have the windows labeled on their map so they can work from there of
where the rest of the classroom items are to be labeled. I will also sear them near
the door so they can have a who view of the classroom and can easily replicate it.
When I circulate around I will make sure to check that the student is not too
frustrated or confused by the assignment.

Assessment:
I will assess students individual maps by using a check list.

The students map has a title__________
The students map includes a compass___________
The student used labels (at least 3) to identify objects in the classroom.
____________
The student used color on their map ______

Comments:

d) Citation of References
http://www.socialstudies.org/standards
Fanelli, Sara. My Map Book. New York: HarperCollins, 1995. Print.
Information gathered from Pedagogy was used for creating groups