How to Teach the First Grade to Read a Map

A treasure hunt with a compass adds excitement to learning map reading.

First graders think in the concrete, literal, factual and absolute. So teaching them to read a map needs to start with a basic sense of direction and practice associating symbols with real world objects. It will be important to couch the symbolic and abstract concepts into hands-on activities that emphasize movement and active participation. Working with real maps will also heighten the first graders' interest and give them a better sense of how maps relate to their world.

Things You'll Need

• 1 local map for each student or pair of students
• Classroom signs: north, south, east, west
• Graph paper
• Pencils
• Crayons or markers or colored pencils
• 1 map symbol BINGO card for each student
• Collection of small objects for BINGO markers
• Bagful of real world objects that match the symbols on the BINGO cards
• Large brown paper bag

Instructions

Cardinal Directions

1. Post signs on the four walls of your classroom indicating the four cardinal directions. Ask your students to stand up and face north. Repeat for south, east and west.

2. Gather the class in one section of the room and tell them that they need to listen carefully and follow instructions. Explain that you have a special treat for them if they reach the destination. Give verbal directions such as, "Take five steps to the south. Turn right at the bookcase." Your instructions might lead to the story corner, outside or the cafeteria where you can reward them with a favorite story, a special snack or game.

3. Provide each student with a simple local map and point out the compass rose. Explain that it shows which directions on the map are north, south, east and west. Ask them to find the compass rose on their map and turn it so that the north arrow of the compass rose points to the north wall of the classroom.

4. Ask the students to put their finger on a prominent landmark marked clearly on the map, such as the school or a nearby park. Point out that the real world location is much bigger than the map would have room to show so we use symbols to stand for them.

5. Review the street names shown on the map and then give some directions, asking them to follow the route you are describing with their finger. For instance, "Walk north until you reach Oak St. urn left and walk one block. Turn right on 12th and walk four blocks. Where are you now?"

6. When the students seem to understand how to follow directions, put them in pairs and ask them to practice giving instructions to one another.

Map Symbol BINGO

1. Create nine to twelve square BINGO boards, which feature a real world object in each square, such as books, pencils, small toys, scissors, etc. Make yourself a master board of all the possible symbols. For each symbol, collect a real world sample in a brown paper bag. For example if you have a picture of a small plane on the board, find a toy plane to put in the bag.

2. Pass out game boards and BINGO markers. Explain that you are going to pull real objects out of the bag and that they have to find the symbol that matches it on their board.

3. Draw items out of the bag and ask the students to identify it and place a marker if they have such a symbol on their game board. Depending on the time constraints, you can play for BINGO or blackout.

4. Look back at the local maps again and point out that the map has a key or legend, which tells you what each symbol on the map, stands for. Ask the students to tell you what symbol this map uses to show a school, hospital, library and park.

Drawing Maps

1. Choose a nearby, familiar area such as the classroom, school or playground. Pass out graph paper and ask students to draw the basic shape of the area. For larger areas such as the school, map a small area of it, such as how to get to the office or the cafeteria, as you walk. Do not worry too much about exact scale right now.

2. Once they have the basic area sketched out, talk about what places and objects lay within that area. Work as a class to create a map key of five to seven things that should be indicated on the map. Let the students draw the key in the corner of their map. Draw in a compass rose as well to indicate the directions on this map.

3. Tell the students to use the key to draw the symbols for each location or object at the place where it is located within the boundaries they have drawn. They may need help so you can guide them to figure out, for instance, that the bookcase is located on the eastern wall in the right hand corner. Remind them they can use the compass rose and the classroom direction signs to help determine the correct map location.

4. Assign homework for the students to try mapping their bedroom, their house or their street after they have a firm grasp of symbols and directions.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep it simple and concrete for first graders. Start with maps of places with which they are very familiar so they have a strong mental picture to associate with the symbols on a map. If possible, take your students on a walk through the area you want them to map.

• To help first graders who are just learning to read a map, look for a map to show them that includes all of the following: a map key or clearly defined compass rose, street names and community landmarks. Your local Chamber of Commerce may be able to help locate or provide an appropriate map.

References

• Wright State University: College of Education and Human Services: Map Skills for First Grade: Lee A. Wones
• Rapides Parish School District: Basic Map Skills for First Grade: Regina Greene

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Internet4Classrooms.com: 1st Grade Social Studies Standards