Harding 1

Exploring Map-Making

Focus Statement:
This lesson is being taught to 4-5-year-old preschoolers, because interactions with maps
nurtures early social studies and geography concepts. Literacy, math, art, and fine motor
skills are also big parts of the lesson. Children practice creativity as they design their
make-believe lands; they develop spatial awareness as they cut out shapes and talk about
their placements on the map; they practice literacy as they label the map’s features; and
they develop fine motor skills as they physically create and assemble their maps. The
lesson is developmentally appropriate because it is highly interdisciplinary and uses
hands-on activities and student choice to engage students in the content.

Illinois Early Learning & Development Standards:

• 17.A.ECb. Express beginning geographic thinking.
• 25.A.ECd. Visual Arts: Investigate and participate in activities using visual arts materials

Objectives:
• By the end of the lesson, when asked what a map is, students will mention or allude to the
following features of maps in their verbal explanations:
o Maps are drawings of a certain area.
o Maps show us where things are located in that area.
• By the end of the lesson, when asked what kinds of things might be shown on a map,
students will be able to name at least three topographical features that could be shown on
a map.
• By the end of the lesson, students will have created their own map showing an explicitly
stated location and at least three stagnant, labeled, topographical features.

Instructional Strategies: Learning Tasks:

Introduction (3 minutes) Introduction (3 minutes)

1. I will tell students that we are going to
learn about maps.
2. I will ask students what a map looks like.
3. I will ask students what maps help us do.
4. I will ask students what else they know
about maps.
5. I will spontaneously build off of these
comments and experiences as appropriate
to further children’s understanding about
maps.
1. Students will hear that we are going to
learn about maps.
2. Students will share what they already
know about what maps look like, what
maps help us do, and anything else they
already know about maps.
3. Students will listen for understanding as
their comments are directly responded to
by the teacher.

Teacher Modeling (7 minutes) Teacher Modeling (7 minutes)

6. I will show students several examples of 4. Students will see several different
maps. examples of maps.
7. First, I will show a map of the United 5. First, students will examine a map of the
States, and explain that it shows our United States. In a whole group

country. I will point out where we live on
the map. I will ask what kinds of things
they see on this map. We will talk about
how there are mountains, rivers, lakes,
oceans, and different colors that mean
different types of land. We will also talk
about how there are labels.
8. Then, I will show a map of the area
around Hickory Grove. I will explain that
this is a map of the area around our school
and point out where the school is shown
on the map. I will ask what other kinds of
things they see on this map. We will talk
about roads, buildings, trees, and fields.
We will also again talk about how things
are labeled.
9. Finally, I will show a map of the
classroom. I will ask if they can figure out
what things are on the map and ask how
they know. We will talk about how the
map has to be the same as the room; if
two things are next to each other in the
room, then they have to be next to each
other on the map, too. We will again talk
about how everything is labeled.
Scaffolded Practice (10 minutes)
10. I will explain to students that we are going
to have some fun making our own maps.
11. I will tell students they can make a map of
a real place or an imaginary place.
12. I will briefly show them my example.
13. I will explain that they can use any art
materials they need to put things on their
map.
14. I will explain that when they are finished
with their map, they need to explain what
everything is to a teacher so that the
teacher can help them label the things on
their map.
15. I will briefly review the directions one
more time.
16. As students work, I will answer questions,
assist, and redirect students as needed.
17. As students finish, I will help them label
the landmarks on their map.
Harding 2
discussion, they will talk about things
they see on the map and other things they
notice. They will see the mountains,
rivers, lakes, oceans, and different colors
that mean different types of land. They
will also discuss how there are labels.
6. Then, students will examine a map of the
area around Hickory Grove. They will talk
about what they see on the map. They will
see their school, roads, buildings, trees,
and fields. They will again discuss how
there are labels.
7. Finally, students will examine a map of
their own classroom. They will try to
figure out what things are on the map and
explain how they know. They will
participate in a discussion about how the
map looks the same as the room; when
two things are next to each other in the
room, then they have to be next to each
other on the map, too. They will again
discuss how everything is labeled.
Scaffolded Practice (10 minutes)
8. Students will think of a real or imaginary
place that they want to make a map of.
9. Students will view my example to get a
better understanding of what is expected
of them.
10. Students will consider what art materials
they want to use to make their map.
11. Students will understand that a teacher
will help them label the things on their
maps when they are finished.
12. Students will review the directions.
13. Students will work on their maps at the
back tables for ten minutes.
14. When students finish, they will explain
the things on their map to a teacher who
will help them label it.
15. Students who finish early may build their
lands out of blocks at the carpet until it is
time to clean up.
 Harding 3

Closing & Reflection (5 minutes) Closing & Reflection (5 minutes)

18. I will take 2 minutes to help students
clean up, collect their work, and lead them
back to their designated spots on the rug.
19. I will ask the students, “What did you
learn about maps today?” to start a review
and reflection discussion about the
activity.
20. I will ask follow up questions to guide
meaningful discussions about the concepts
of maps and students’ own work.
21. I will spontaneously build off of
comments and responses as appropriate to
further children’s understanding about the
content.
22. I will let students know that they will get
to take their maps home with them
tomorrow, after I take pictures of them so
that I can remember the cool places they
made.
16. Students will take 2 minutes to put away
the art materials or blocks, hand in their
work, and return to their designated spots
on the rug.
17. Students will reflect and discuss the work
they did today and what they learned
about maps.
18. Students will share their own thoughts, as
well as respond to questions asked by the
teacher.
19. Students will listen for understanding as
their comments are directly responded to
by the teacher.
20. Students will take their maps home with
them the next day, once the work has been
documented by the teacher.

Assessment:
1. Throughout all parts of the lesson, I will informally observe students’ comments and
actions. While students are working on their own maps, I will record my observations in
the form of anecdotal notes. I will use these notes and the following rubric to assess
student process:

Beginning Approaching Meeting Exceeding

Demonstrates Meets all “meeting”
Does not Demonstrates knowledge
knowledge that maps criteria, AND
demonstrate that maps are drawings of a
are drawings of a demonstrates
knowledge of certain area, OR that maps
certain area, AND that knowledge that maps
any correct show us where things are
maps show us where only show features
characteristics located, OR another correct
things are located in that are stagnant, OR
of maps. characteristic of maps.
that area. that maps have labels.
Experiments with use of Uses the paper as a Uses the paper as a
Effectively
the given piece of paper, base and experiments base and experiments
uses no art
but experiments with no with one additional art with more than one
materials.
other art materials. material. additional art material.

2. After the lesson, I will evaluate the maps created by students with the following rubric to
assess student product:

Beginning Approaching Meeting Exceeding

 Harding 4

Map has 0-1 Map has exactly 2 Map has at least 3 labeled, Map has at least 3
labeled, labeled, topographical features, but labeled, topographical
topographical topographical not all features on map are features, and all features
features. features. stagnant. on map are stagnant.

Note: A stagnant feature is something that is supposedly always in the same spot in the real
location, like a park bench. A non-stagnant feature is something that is not always located in that
spot in the real location, like a squirrel at a park.

Instructional Resources and Materials:

• United States map (image attached)
• Map of area surrounding Hickory Grove (image attached)
• Map of classroom (drawn by teacher)
• Example of appropriate student product (created by teacher)
• All art materials available (crayons and 15 pieces of blank paper, at minimum)
• Small colorful shapes precut by teacher (optional scaffolding)

Accommodations:
• Child with social-emotional disorder:
o If he initially refuses to make a map, suggest to him that he could make a map of
a dinosaur land or airport. If he is engaging in another imaginative situation at the
moment, suggest that he make a map of that world.
o If he still chooses not to engage in making maps, allow him to do another quiet
activity and attempt to embed this activity in his play at a different time.
• Child with social-emotional need, academic need, and language disorder:
o Allow him to work collaboratively with a teacher even more than he academically
needs, if he insists. The goal is his maximum possible participation, even if this
means the map is not representative of what he could do on his own.
o If he refuses to participate completely, allow him to spend time in the calming
center and attempt to embed this activity in his play at a different time.

References:
Artsy Momma. (2018). Make believe map craft. Retrieved from
https://artsymomma.com/make-believe-map-craft.html
Illinois State Board of Education. (2013). Illinois early learning and development
standards: For preschool 3 years old to Kindergarten enrollment age. Retrieved
from https://www.isbe.net/documents/early_learning_standards.pdf
[Search = Hickory Grove]. Google maps. Retrieved March 4, 2018 from
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8267557,-89.6203441,2382m/data=!3m1!1e3
United States Map. Google images. Retrieved March 4, 2018 from
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1366&bih=662&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=3oSc
WvTvJ4PPjwS8i7zYBg&q=world+map+with+landforms&oq=world+map+with
+land&gs_l=psy-
ab.3.0.0l2j0i67k1j0j0i30k1j0i8i30k1.68527.69014.0.71387.4.4.0.0.0.0.77.264.4.4.
0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.4.262....0.EePyxlUNQmA#imgrc=JfIlIRKlPwssfM:
 Harding 5

*Maps should be printed (or viewed electronically) larger than the following images.