City Navigators: Maps
- zafirokiwi
- Jan 11
- 2 min read
Lesson Overview: "City Navigators"
Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Objective: Students will identify map features (title, key, compass rose) and use directional language (North, South, East, West, Left, Right) to give city directions.
Time: 60 Minutes
1. Engagement & Vocabulary (15 Minutes)
Read Aloud: Start with a book like Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney or Mapping Penny’s World by Loreen Leedy to introduce the concept of "bird’s-eye view".
Vocabulary Chart: Introduce key terms using the National Geographic Map Skills guide:
Compass Rose: A tool showing directions.
Map Key/Legend: A list of symbols and what they represent (e.g., a "P" for a park).
Cardinal Directions: North, South, East, West. Use the mnemonic: Never Eat Soggy Waffles.
2. Guided Exploration: Reading a City Map (20 Minutes)
Activity: Display a simplified city map (like a Twinkl City Block Worksheet) on a SMART board.
Identification: Have students come up and point to specific landmarks, the map key, and the compass rose.
Guided Practice: Ask "Where is the library?" or "What symbol is used for the hospital?". Practice relative locations: "Is the school North or South of the park?".
3. Collaborative Activity: Giving Directions (15 Minutes)
Modeling: Use the whiteboard to draw a simple route from a school to a library. Say: "Go straight for two blocks, then turn right on Main Street".
Partner Practice: Give students a local neighborhood map or a "Mystery Field Trip" worksheet.
Student A: Chooses a destination.
Student B: Gives oral directions using street names and landmarks (e.g., "Go past the blue house").
4. Wrap-Up & Assessment (10 Minutes)
Exit Ticket: Give each student a small map and ask them to write one sentence giving directions from "Home" to "Park".
Alternative Assessment: Use the British Council's Listening Exercises to see if students can follow spoken directions on a map.
More resources:
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