Content focus:

Students explore the features of different maps. They develop an understanding of how to read and interpret a map. Students learn about the importance identifying familiar places located on a map and what features a map may include.

Geographical concepts:

• Place: the significance of places and what they are like. For example:places students live in and belong to and why they are important.
• Space: the significance of location and spatial distribution, and ways people organise and manage the spaces that we live in. For example: location of a place in relation to other familiar places.
• Environment: the significance of the environment in human life, and the important interrelationships between humans and the environment. For example, how and why places should be looked after.

Key inquiry questions:

• What are maps used for?
• Where are places located in my local environment?
• How do we read maps and identify where places are found?

Outcomes:
A student:

• identifies places and develops an understanding of the importance of places to people
• communicates geographical information and uses geographical tools.
  

Inquiry skills:
Acquiring geographical information

• pose geographical questions
• record geographical data and information

Processing geographical information

• draw conclusions based on discussions of observations

Communicating geographical information

• present information
• listen to others
• draws picture maps

Geographical tools:
Maps

• pictorial maps

Fieldwork

• observing and recording data

Spatial technologies

• digital maps and aerial photographs

Visual representations

• photographs, illustrations, story books, multimedia

Lessons and worksheets:

Lesson 1: Exploring maps :: Resource Sheet 1 :: Worksheet 1 :: Resource Sheet 2
Lesson 2: Our local environment :: Worksheet 1
Lesson 3: An introduction to pictorial maps :: Resource sheet 1
Lesson 4: My school’s community
Lesson 5: Going to the zoo :: Resource Sheet 1 :: Resource Sheet 2 :: Worksheet 1
Lesson 6: Grid references :: Resource Sheet 1 :: Worksheet 1
Lesson 7: Where in the world :: Worksheet 1
Lesson 8: Creating your own map :: Resource Sheet 1
Lesson 9: Treasure hunt