Understanding Directions

Overview

This is lesson 2 of 8 in Mapping My World. Students build on their awareness of familiar places by learning to use simple directional language—left, right, up, and down—to describe movement between landmarks. They practise giving and following directions safely with a partner, preparing them to use directions on simple maps.

Learning intentions

• WALT follow and give simple directions.
• We are learning to use the words left, right, up, and down.
• We are learning to describe where something is in relation to a landmark.
• We are learning to listen carefully and check whether directions make sense.

Success criteria

• I can show left, right, up, and down.
• I can follow a partner’s simple directions.
• I can accurately give directions using a landmark.
• I can use a full sentence to explain where to go.

Curriculum links

• Geography — Practices: spatial tools and mapping: using simple maps of immediate surroundings to identify school and playground features.
• Geography — Human activity at the coast: locating New Zealand, nearby islands, and surrounding bodies of water on maps as part of the wider unit.
• Social sciences capability: using spatial language, symbols, and simple representations to communicate about places.
• Te Mātaiaho learning approaches: talking, collaborating, observing, and applying learning in a familiar context.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and movement warm-up. Open with the direction discovery slides and ask, “If our classroom were a map, how could we tell someone where to go?” Model a few actions, such as pointing left, right, up, and down. Students copy the actions, then turn to a partner and show one direction without speaking for the partner to identify.

2. 5–12 min · Explicit teaching. Use the direction arrows and display the words left, right, up, and down. Connect each word to a clear body movement, explaining that left and right are sides, while up and down show movement or position. Students practise the actions and repeat the vocabulary. Check understanding by calling directions in a varied order and noticing who responds accurately.

3. 12–20 min · Teacher modelling. Place three or four familiar landmarks around a clear floor space, such as a chair for the “library”, a cone for the “gate”, and a book for the “garden”. Demonstrate: “Start at the gate. Move right to the tree.” Think aloud about facing the same way and using the landmark as a reference. Invite students to identify the starting point, direction, and destination. Revisit the direction discovery slides for the model example and listening reminders.

4. 20–32 min · Partner direction game. Arrange students in four pairs. Give each pair directional cards and a small set of classroom landmark cards or objects. One student is the guide and one is the mover. The guide chooses a starting landmark and gives one or two directions, such as, “Start at the cone. Move left to the chair.” The mover follows the directions without the guide pointing. Partners swap roles after each turn. Circulate, prompting students to speak clearly and use one direction at a time. Students needing additional visual support follow the coloured arrows placed on the floor.

5. 32–40 min · Independent application. Distribute the direction practice worksheet. Students draw arrows or complete simple paths between pictured landmarks, then write or dictate one direction for a partner to follow. Pause halfway for a partner check: the listener follows the direction with a finger or counter and says whether they reached the intended landmark. Use the direction discovery slides to show the worksheet instructions and a worked example.

6. 40–45 min · Plenary and exit check. Ask students to demonstrate one direction and complete the sentence, “From the ___, move ___ to the ___.” Invite two pairs to share directions while the class checks them. Finish with the traffic-light check-in exit ticket slips; students choose STOP, SLOW, or GO and respond to the short prompts. Collect responses to identify who needs more practice in the next lesson.

Resources

• the direction discovery slides
• the direction practice worksheet
• Directional word and arrow cards
• Coloured arrows for the floor
• Four to six familiar classroom landmarks or picture cards
• Cones, counters, or small objects
• Pencils, crayons, and clipboards
• Clear floor space

Assessment

• Observe responses during the warm-up and check whether students distinguish left, right, up, and down.
• During partner work, listen for accurate direction vocabulary, a clear starting landmark, and a stated destination.
• Review the worksheet and exit ticket to identify students who can give directions independently and those requiring visual or oral support.

Differentiation

• Support learners with coloured floor arrows, matching coloured directional cards, gesture prompts, and repeated modelling. Allow them to point, draw, or say a direction before writing it.
• Keep partners facing the same way and use only one-step directions initially. Provide sentence frames such as, “Start at the ___. Move ___ to the ___.”
• Offer dyslexia-friendly options: use a clear sans-serif font, large print, generous spacing, uncluttered worksheet pages, symbols beside direction words, and the option to respond orally or with drawings.
• For EAL learners, pair each direction word with a consistent gesture, picture, and teacher model. Check meaning through actions rather than relying only on verbal explanation.
• Encourage advanced learners to give two- or three-step directions and use full sentences, for example, “From the gate, move right to the chair, then move down to the book.”