What Is a Map?

Overview

In this first lesson of Mapping My World, the student explores maps as representations of real or imagined places. Through teacher modelling, discussion, and a shared chart, the student notices that maps have purposes and features such as titles, symbols, and keys.

Learning intentions

• WALT explain what a map represents.
• WALT identify a map’s title, symbols, and key.
• WALT talk about a map I have seen and what it was used for.
• WALT notice that different maps can have different purposes.

Success criteria

• I can explain that a map represents a place.
• I can find a title, symbols, and a key on a simple map.
• I can talk about one map I have seen.
• I can say how two maps might be used differently.

Curriculum links

• Geography — using simple maps of familiar surroundings to identify features.
• Geography — using spatial tools and mapping to discuss places and why they are important.
• Social Sciences practices — asking questions, observing, describing, and communicating ideas about places.
• Communication and language practices — using drawings, symbols, talk, and simple subject vocabulary to share understanding.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: What could this be? Teacher shows a photograph of a familiar place and then a simple map of that place in the introduction and hook slides, asking, “How are these pictures different?” The student observes, predicts, and explains what each image might help someone do.

2. 5–12 min · What is a map? Teacher explains that a map is a drawing or representation of a place, viewed as though looking from above; show a child-friendly local map and an imaginary map in the map examples slides. The student points to familiar features and discusses why someone might use each map, such as finding a playground, planning a route, or exploring an imaginary island.

3. 12–20 min · Spot the features. Teacher models how to find a title, symbols, and key, using a large, uncluttered map and the examples in the map-feature teaching slides; introduce each feature with a gesture and a simple verbal explanation. The student locates each feature, matches a symbol to its meaning, and explains that the key tells us what symbols mean.

4. 20–32 min · Explore and compare. Teacher places two different maps where they can be viewed clearly and uses the prompts in the exploration prompt slides: “What place does this show?”, “What is its purpose?”, and “What is the same or different?” The student explores the maps with a magnifier if useful, identifies features, and talks through one similarity and one difference with one-to-one prompting as needed.

5. 32–40 min · Shared map-feature chart. Teacher records the student’s ideas on the map-feature chart worksheet, creating a shared chart with the headings Feature, What it looks like, and What it helps us do. The student contributes drawings or words for a title, symbol, and key, then adds the name or drawing of one map they have seen.

6. 40–45 min · Review and exit response. Teacher returns to the final questions in the review and exit slides and asks the student to complete the sentence, “A map represents ___.” The student gives an oral or drawn response and identifies one map feature and one reason people use maps.

Resources

• the What Is a Map? slide deck
• the shared map-feature chart worksheet
• One child-friendly local map
• One simple imaginary map
• Photograph of a familiar school or playground place
• Real objects or photographs representing map features, such as a playground, tree, road, or building
• Pointer, magnifier, pencils, and coloured pencils
• Large-print, uncluttered map with sans-serif labels and a cream background
• Chart paper or whiteboard and marker

Assessment

• During map exploration, ask the student to point to the title, a symbol, and the key, then explain what each does. Note whether the student can identify features independently or needs prompting.
• Listen for the idea that a map represents a place, rather than being the place itself. Record the student’s words or drawing on the shared chart.
• Use the final oral or drawn response as an exit check: the student names one map feature, explains its purpose, and identifies one map they have seen.

Differentiation

• Support understanding with real objects, photographs, gestures, repeated modelling, and a simple visual vocabulary card showing map, title, symbol, and key. Offer one-to-one prompting and accept pointing, drawing, or oral responses.
• For dyslexia-friendly access, use a large-print, uncluttered map, a sans-serif font, cream background, strong spacing, minimal text, and adult-read instructions. Avoid requiring the student to copy lengthy words.
• Use sentence starters such as “A map represents…”, “The title tells me…”, and “The key shows…”; scribe the student’s ideas when needed.
• For extension, ask the student to compare the local and imaginary maps and explain how their purposes differ. Invite them to suggest one new symbol and explain what it would mean.