Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Grade Level/Subject: 3rd grade/Social

Studies

Central Focus: Applying map skills such as keys to reading and making
maps.

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective: 3.G.1.5 Summarize the

elements (cultural, demographic, economic and geographic) that define
Date submitted:
Date taught:
regions (community, state, nation and world).
Daily Lesson Objective: After learning how to read and make map keys and gathering information about their regions
(students were assigned regions prior to this lesson for a regions project), students will create a colorful and neat map and
map key for their region including at least 5 things found in their region on their map and map key.
21st Century Skills:
Academic Language Demand (Language Function and Vocabulary):
Function: Applying map skills such as keys to reading and making maps.
Symbols: A picture used to represent something
Prior Knowledge: Students should know what a map is and be able to describe what they would see on a map.

Activity
1. Focus and
Review
2. Statement
of Objective
for
Student
3. Teacher
Input

Description of Activities and Setting

By a show of hands how many of you have seen or used a map before? Can anybody
tell me what they might see on a map? (Answers can include: rivers, streets, lakes,
mountains, etc)
Explain how sometimes you might even see symbols on a map.
Today we will be learning how to read and write a map key. By the end of the lesson you
will be able to write a map key and represent the symbols from the map key on a map.
A map key is something you use to help you read a map. A key usually has symbols that
are also found on the map and what they mean written next to them. Map keys are used
to tell the reader what the symbols on the map represent. Often times symbols are used
on maps because they take up less space so more can be represented on the map.
When I look at a map and see symbols, I automatically look for a key to tell me what the
symbols mean.
Looking at this map and key I see a lot of symbols. On the key it says that the triangles
represent mountains. So I would look on the map for the triangles and know that those
were mountains. I also see an x on the map, so I would look at the key to see what that
represents. The key says that the x represents treasure. So now I know that there is
treasure on this map.
If I were going to create a map I would be sure to include a key.
If I were to draw a map of a school what could I include in it? An example to get us
started could be classrooms. So I would create a symbol to represent classrooms. My
symbol is going to be squares. So I will draw my key and put a square in it and write
next to it classroom. Then I would put squares all throughout my school to represent
classrooms.
http://www.coloringpagebook.com/wp-content/uploads/kids-treasure-map.png

Time

Then ask the students what else could I include in my school?

4. Guided
Practice

If students get stuck ask things like what is outside of a school that we could put on our
map? Who do we see when we are in schools? What about different rooms in
schools?

Put directions/ rubric on the board

5.
Independent
Practice

6.
Assessment
Methods of
all
objectives/ski
lls:

7. Closure

Give students a blank sheet of printer paper and have them draw a map of their region
they have been studying for their regions project and a key including at least 5 different
things found in their region on their map key. Must be colorful and neat.
Formative: Teacher questioning throughout
Summative: Collect students maps and determine mastery
Criteria
Included a
key

3
Included a
key

Included at
least 5
different
symbols on
your key
Colorful and
neat

Included at
least 5
different
symbols on
your key
Colorful and
neat

Included 3-4
different
symbols on
your key

Included 1-2
different
symbols on
your key

Somewhat
colorful and
neat

0
Didnt
include a
key
Included no
symbols on
your key
Not colorful
and neat

Have students share their maps with a partner at their table. Have two students share one
thing they represented on their map.

Ask: What did we learn about map keys today?

8.
Assessment
Results of
all
objectives/ski
lls:
Targeted Students
Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations:
Modifications/Accommodations:
Advanced students: Challenge them if they finish early to include
more than 5 items on their key.
Materials/Technology:
(Include any instructional materials (e.g., worksheets, assessments PowerPoint/SmartBoard slides, etc.) needed to implement the lesson at the end of the lesson plan.)

Map for Teacher Input

Smartboard for drawing map of school for guided practice
24 pieces of printer paper
Copy of instructions and rubric to put up on the board during independent practice

References:
http://www.coloringpagebook.com/wp-content/uploads/kids-treasure-map.png

Reflection on lesson: