• identity, model, symbols

Students will know that:

• objects and people exist in relationship to one another.

Students will:

• create and interpret simple maps of familiar spaces.

Students will:

• value maps as tools and sources of information.

Suggested Approaches

• Introduce mapping skills by learning necessary vocabulary, by looking at things from directly overhead, and interpreting simple maps of familiar spaces.
• Display a simple, uncluttered map or globe in the classroom. If no simple maps are available, draw one showing the continents and oceans. Use it whenever the opportunity presents itself.
• Have students draw maps of the tops of their desks, their lockers, a section of the classroom. Introduce various appropriate symbols as the need arises.
• Compare the students' maps with the map of the world. Point out similarities like the use of symbols and comparative size, and differences like the areas represented.
• Have the students look through various books and atlases to ind stories or pictures of children in different countries. Have children share their pictures and locate the country on the globe or map. Guide the discussion around the commonalities of children and families.

Introduce mapping skills by learning about relationships words such as up, down, across, near, far, through, under, and over. Students may move around the room describing their relation to various objects. Use pattern writing to describe these relationships.

Have some students bring some toy models (e.g., farm, gas station, doll house, zoo). Describe the relationships of objects in the model.

Have the students pretend to be in a blimp hovering over one of the models. With the class create a `map' of it. Decide cooperatively on the symbols to be used. Point out how the size of the map determines the size of the symbols and their relative positions. Use another model. Follow the same procedure allowing students to take turns drawing the symbols.

When the students are ready, have them work in partners or on their own. Have them place some objects on a desk and draw a map of it. Have them draw a map of the classroom.

Using a map for finding treasure

Use a map of the classroom for a treasure hunt. Have three students leave the room at one time. Hide three candies somewhere in the room. Ask the students to come in. Show them on the map where the `treasure' is. Take turns until all students have had a turn to hide and to find the `treasure'.

Mapping other areas

Take the students out on the playground. Ask them to identify all the different things they see there. Have them imagine they are floating on a cloud above and ask them to visualize how each of the things mentioned might look. Decide on symbols to use to represent the different items. Have students working together to draw a large map of the playground.

The teacher may ask students to draw maps of their bedrooms, or the main floor of their homes .

Suggested Resources
(listed in other bibliographies and catalogues)

Boot Weather Judith Vigna (ELA)
Wheel Away! Ann Dayle Dodds (ELA)
GAIA An Atlas of Planet Management (Sci) (pictures)
GAIA Peace Atlas (picture of earth from space)
Somewhere Today is a magazine that can be subscribed to free of charge from
Youth Editions
P.O. Box 1310
Postal Station B
Hull, PQ J8X 3Y1

Fabric globes of the earth (called Hug-a-planet) are available from UNICEF.

Use the model unit, p. 237 - 253 in Arts Education: A Curriculum Guide for Grade 1 to develop understandings about the natural and constructed environment.