Reading MapsA Fourth Grade Geography Lesson

Monica Ferraro

What is the lesson? How will it be used?• The lesson is based on the activity presented through SMART Exchange that creates an interactive approach to learning the and properly using the different elements of maps• The reason for implementing this particular lesson is to introduce to

fourth grade students how to read maps, prior to be exposed to different maps throughout their geography lessons in the upcoming year

• Smart Board activity source (http://exchange.smarttech.com/search.html?subject=Geography#page=2)

What the lesson teaches:• How to read the keys or legends to maps, including directions (NSEW)• How to understand the distance between two plotted points on the

map• How to distinguish the different elements of land depicted on maps• Understanding the lines that outline the land under different

territories Reading the different marking of importance (names of locations)

After introducing the different elements of a map, the activity allows students to interact with the display and then to fill in missing pieces of the map, practice directionality, and differentiate the different types of land and territory within the maps

After taking time to introduce the topics, review/interact with the lesson, the next step is to assess the child’s ability. This SMART lesson allows for recall which calls upon the students to think back and to then restate what they have learned:

How to allow for creativity/individuality within the lesson?Give students a chance to fill out this “Make Your Own Map” worksheet. Students can design their own territory, marking it with the different elements they learned during the Smart Board Activity

Worksheet source:

This worksheet was downloaded as a “free teacher resource” from this website:

http://www.actiontracker.org.uk/pages/useful_resources/

How does this lesson promote Universal Design?

Promotes creativity through allowing the students to be individuals, and to take charge of the material they have learned

The format of the SMART board allows for a mixture of learning for students of several different learning styles through visual display, hands on games, and through memorization

This activity allows students to build on knowledge through different steps, allowing all students to learn at their own pace as they move through the learning process

Learning Objectives Met:

1. Does the student understand directionality when looking at/reading a map?

2. Does the student show a level of comprehension in regards to the differentiation of different types of land?

3. Is the student able to recognize and differentiate the markings of territory?

4. Does the student demonstrate creativity and enthusiasm when individually creating their own map, utilizing what they learned about maps?

If the answer is yes to these questions, than the lesson can be considered successful in teaching students to read maps