Lesson Plan Social Science

Me On The Map
Katie Tessier
11.3.15
Domain/Curricular Structure:
Social Science
Goal/Concepts to be explored:
Students will use symbols and a legend to label and identify parts of a map based on their room.
Objectives/Indicators:
Standard 1-1: The student will demonstrate an understanding of how families interact with
their environment both locally and globally.
1-1.1 Identify a familiar area of the neighborhood or local community on a simple map, using
the legend and basic map symbols.

Content/Rationale:
Students have recently started a unit on maps and the standard of being able to identify a
familiar area using the legend and basic symbols will be practiced using the familiar area of their
bedroom. Students will practice creating a basic map of their rooms, and creating a legend to
identify the objects in their room. This experience will be extended later to practice identifying
various objects around their neighborhood and school using similar symbols and legends.
Students have also already read the book Me On The Map which shows pictures of a young
girl drawing a picture of her room and identifying it on a map, which familiarizes them with the
idea of using and reading maps.
Professional Resources:
Map Keys by Rebecca Aberg
Me On The Map Booklet from Teachers Pay Teachers

Materials:
Map Keys by Rebecca Aberg
Me On The Map Booklet from
Pencils
Crayons
SmartBoard
Procedures:

 Teacher will introduce unit after a brain break to transition from previous activity.
Teacher will remind students that they are learning about maps this week and call
on a few students and utilize simultaneous response to refresh students on what they
learned about maps yesterday.
When students have been refreshed, teacher will inform students that they will be
learning about map keys today.
Teacher will ask if anyone knows what a map key is and allow 2-4 responses.
Teacher will then state that students will learn about map keys through the book
Map Keys.
Teacher reads book Map Keys
Teacher will ask students what they noticed about map keys from the book.
Allow response time.
Teacher will state that map keys are also called legends.
Teacher will then introduce the activity for the day - creating their own map of
their room and creating a legend to identify the objects in the room.
Teacher will model the activity for the students and show the students an example.
Teacher will emphasize the importance of using a map key to identify the objects
because it would be difficult to draw full size representations of the objects in any given
area.
Teacher will dismiss students by learning club to work in their Me on the Map
booklets already located at their desks.
Teacher will leave the outline of the legend with some key-words available for the
students to see on the SmartBoard.
Teacher will walk around the room and monitor student creations and assist as
needed.
Students will be given approximately 15 minutes to work on this assignment.
After the students have completed their maps the teacher will have students clean
their areas and meet back on the mat.
Teacher will ask the students what some of the symbols were that they used to
identify various features in their room and allow share time.
Teacher will then inform students that they will use this activity as practice to help
them better understand and utilize map legends and symbols to read maps of the school
and the community later.
Teacher will use a brain break to transition to the next activity.

Differentiated Teaching Strategies:

Students will be instructed in two different ways: whole group and independent work. Teacher
will be available for assistance and to urge students to work to their personal best as the activity
goes on. The activity also allows for differentiation through choice as it allows students to create
their maps and legends in the ways that each individual student would like, but also incorporates
a model and a word bank for those students who may need help getting started and spelling.

Assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their ability to create a legend that identifies the objects in
their drawing of their room. Students will not be assessed based on the creativity of their maps,
but on their ability to successfully create and use a legend and symbols to show where each
object is located in their room and what the objects are. Students will use this information and
practice to better understand why legends are on maps and to be able to read and recognize
legends when the unit covers reading a map of a local area.