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Subject:  Social Studies, Geography

Grade: 3rd

Time: 45 minutes

Materials Needed:  Maps, by Wiley Blevins, white paper plates, pencils, pens, crayons, colored pencils,

markers, scissors, colored construction paper, glue, ruler, post it wall pad.

Prerequisite Skills: Ability to sit in large group on rug and listen to story read by teacher, ability to work in

small group to cooperatively complete group task, ability to compromise with classmates, contribute to

group discussion and work, ability to stay on task and with group until completion of the final product.

A B C D Lesson Objective:

After listening to Maps read aloud by the teacher, students will work in partners to create their own

visually neat map of a room in the school, depicting with 100% accuracy the 4 key features as outlined on

the post it wall pad during the story.

NCSS Standards:Strand III: People, Places, and Environment

This standard is being met because in this activity students are asked to look at various types of maps and

come up with key attributes maps must include which introduce them in how “to use maps, globes, and other

geographic tools.” Students also are required to create their own country using the generated attributes of

maps after looking at the whole United States, which leads them to become “aware of the world beyond their

personal locations.”

Relevance:

This standard is relevant to the lesson because students are determining the key attributes of maps

from the book. They then will replicate those relevant features in their maps, as well as explain to theirclassmates those key features and how their map may be used.

Procedure/Objectives: (Tell students what they are going to learn?)  Time: 45 minutes1. Several road maps will be taped up throughout the classroom prior to student’s arrival. On each

table, there are paper plates, crayons, pencils, colored pencils, markers, construction paper, scissors,

rulers and glue. Ask class to join me on the rug for a fun geography lesson!

2. Today third graders we are going to learn about maps. Show me a thumbs up if you know what a

map is? (Allow 6-8 seconds wait time.) Great, you can put your hands down. Now for those of you

that had their thumbs up, put your thumb up again if you know what maps are used for? (Allow 6-8

seconds wait time.) Ask for a student with their thumb up to share with their classmates what they

know about maps. Allow other students to add their knowledge to the discussion to ensure all

students understand maps show us where places are, and how we can get there. Great, thank you for

sharing what you know about maps with your classmates!

3. I have a fun activity for us today after we all read about maps together. First, I am going to read you

this book called Maps. (Show students the book.) Third graders, do you see what the children on the

front of the book are doing? (Slowly move the book around in the air for all students to take a second

or two to look at it.) What do you think they’re doing on the floor? (Allow 6-8 seconds wait time.)

Who wants to share their idea about what those children are doing? Ensure you call on a child who

did not raise their thumb in step 2. Excellent thinking, they are making a map. After we have read

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this book and become map experts, you all are going to make your own maps, just like the children

on the cover of this book. Let’s read the book to find out what things, or features, you all will need to

put on your map.

4. Explain to students that you have the post it wall pad by you as the students are going to make a list

of the features we learn about in the book, to make sure you all include them on your map.  If you

hear me read about something you think you’ll need to have on your map, I want you to raise your

hand so the group can decide if it is important and should be put on the list.

5. Begin reading the book starting on page 6. A student should raise their hand at bottom of page, asmaps show us places and how to get to those places. If not, stop reading and say hmmm, does

anyone else think I just read something about maps that is important? (Allow 6-8 seconds wait time.)

Let me read that page again. Students should now raise their hand with the prompt. Oh great, so I

should write on my pad that maps show us places & how to get to those places! Write maps as

header on pad, underlined, then bullet point with: show us places and how to get to those places.

Continue reading.

6. At end of page 7, students again should be raising their hands. Thank you for listening to my story

and recognizing that symbols are important on maps. So I see on this map in the book the symbols

are for a farm, a railroad a street and a lake. Can someone help me with what else we may want to

place on a map and the symbol you’d like to use? What kind of symbol could I use to show that?

Books, shelves. Thanks third graders, I’m going to list symbols on our list and show the example you

gave me. Write symbols and draw book library. Continue reading.

7. At end of page 8 ask students if we have anything in our class that shows directions. (Allow 6-8

seconds wait time) Yes, you all are right, I have directions up on all of our walls! Remind me what

they are again? Join class in all saying aloud, north, south, east and west. And how do you all

remember that again? Never Eat Soggy Worms! Excellent memory third graders! Should we put

that on our list? Hmmm…after students say yes, write directions on list. Draw attention to the big

compass rose on page 9, explaining to students they can draw that or simply list the directions

correctly like we have in our class, such as North at the top, South at the bottom, East on the right and

West on the left. Let me ask you all, do you have to draw this compass rose, point to picture on page

9. No, you are right. Do you have to have directions neatly displayed on your map? Yes, you do,but you can just write them like we have in our class. Thank you all for being so focused!

8. Continue reading, stopping at the bottom of page 11. Friends, how do you know what is on the map

on page 10? (Allow 6-8 seconds wait time). Call on a student who has not yet participated.

Interesting, so what you’re telling me is they listed U.S.A here, point to the map on page 10 that

shows U.S.A.; and then they listed Mexico here, also point to that. Do you know what that is called?

How do you all know in our classroom where extra pencils go? Hmmm, did I hear someone say

because they are labeled? You are right! Labels are also used on maps. Thumbs up if that should go

on our list please. All students should have thumbs up, write labels on list.

9. Finish reading the book. Third graders I want you all to look at this map on this last page of the

book. Is there a feature on this map that we do not have on our list? Let’s review our list quickly.

First we listed that maps show places and how to get there. Ok, on this map you can see the food

store and how to get there with the street names. Is our list off to a good start? Yeah, I think it is too!

Second, we listed maps have symbols that stand for something. On this map, can you find the ice

cream shop? (Allow 6-8 seconds wait time). Call on a student who has not participated yet today.

You can, good. But what symbol did they use? An ice cream cone, very good! Third we listed a

compass rose, or directions. I want you all to look closely at this map, are those on here? (Allow 8

seconds wait time while you slowly show the whole group the book). Thumbs up if you think there

are directions on here. Great! And what is the final thing on our list up here? Labels, that is true.

Are there labels on this page? (Allow 6-8 seconds wait time.) Turn to your rug partner and in

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whisper voice, talk about any labels you see. Hold book up for all students to see. I agree, there are

quite a few labels on this map.

10. Ok third graders, now that we have our list here is what you get to do. With your rug partner you

were just talking to, you are going to create your own map of something in our pod of the school. So

what could you draw? (Allow 6-8seconds wait time.) Write ideas on white board, library is across

the hall, our own classroom, the center pod of our whole second grade wing, the gym just down the

hall. All great ideas third graders! Can we have more than one group do the same thing do you

think? Of course, the groups can do what they want. Again, let’s review my expectations for whatwill be neatly displayed on your map. I want you all to say these out loud so I know you understand

the expectations. Go through list slowly and aloud. Show the students a paper plate, explaining that

is going to become your map. You can use construction paper, cutting symbols out and gluing them

on, or you can draw with colors, colored pencils or markers. Do you have to use construction paper?

No, you are right, you can do what you want with your map. What must you all do? (Allow 6-8

seconds wait time) Yes, you all must NEATLY create your map and have the how many things from

our list? Right, 4 things on your map. Are there any questions? Great, I am excited to see the maps

you all create! When you are done, each group will show us all their map, explain what they feel is

important on their map and show your classmates how to use it. These maps will be displayed on our

wall in the pod after today for everyone to see what expert map makers you have become. Any

questions? Please remember our third grader learning expectations are that everyone is being

respectful, working together and all are participating. You have 15 minutes, so quietly and quickly

go to your tables and create!

Assessment:

(Informal assessment ongoing during group work) Clipboard cruising will be done while groups are

working, checking the following:

*Are all students contributing? Yes, or No

*Are all students being respectful? Yes, or No

*Are students compromising and working through their own problems? Yes, or No

*Are students staying with group throughout the entire project and staying on task? Yes, orNo

Students will be assessed with the following rubric:

Feature

3-all features present &

accurately used

2-missing 1 feature,

and/or not accurately

used

1-missing 2 or more

features,and/or not

accurately used

Symbols

Directions

Labels

Neatness

7. DIFFERENTIATION of Content, Process or Product:

a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention?

Those students needing additional assistance will be given additional time beyond the 45 minute

lesson to finish their plate. They will also be provided an associate as needed.

b. Extension for students of high ability? (Remember, gifted students need challenge).

Those students who need to be challenged, will have the option of comparing and contrasting maps

they made with each other and discussing with the teacher the primary differences and reasons for those

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differences. This will be done after the lesson, while those needing more time are completing their work and

the teacher sits with those students for around 8-10 minutes.

8. References:

Resources:

Paper plate map idea taken from: http://literacyminute.blogspot.com/2011/09/paper-plate-

continents.html.

Post it word pad example:

Maps

*places, and how to get there

*symbols- represent things on your map, such

as a book for the library*directions, compass rose

*labels

NEATNESS, NEATNESS, NEATNESS

Following is an example of a paper plate map taken from the resource.

*maps from today’s lesson will be different in that they are not representing the continents on their

maps, but rather a map of a room or location in the school.