Curry School of Education

Rebecca Lee
Kindergarten
Yancey Elementary School, Sarah Dwyer
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Topic: Map Skills
Understandings:
Certain words help up describe where people, places, and things are located.
The location of people, places, and things can be described in terms of their relationship to other
people, places, and things.
Essential Questions:
What words are used to describe the location of people, places, and things?
Primary Content Objectives:
Students will know:

Comprehend the following positional words:

o Near
o Far
o Above
o Below
o Left
o Right
o Behind
o In Front of
o Around
o Over
o Past
o Across
How to use a map while using it to find a location
How to find a place according to its relationship to other objects

Students will be able to do:

Use positional words to find a particular location

Work with a partner in order to find the treasure.

Language or other related objectives:

Students will be able to correctly use and comprehend the words

o Near
o Far
o Above
o Below
o Left
o Right
o Across
o Past
o Around
o Over

Related state or national standards:

VA SOL Social Studies K.3 - The student will describe the relative location of people, places,
and things by using positional words, with emphasis on near/far, above/below, left/right, and
behind/in front of.
VA SOL Social Studies K.4 - The student will use simple maps and globes to
a) develop an awareness that a map is a drawing of a place to show where things are located
Assessment:
The students will be assessed on their ability to discover the hidden treasure. The treasure will be
hidden somewhere outside the school and each partner team will be given a map that describes
the location of the treasure using positional words. Students will be assessed on if they follow the
positional words in order to find the treasure.
Materials and Resources:

Each partner group will have their own pirate map that describes where they can find the
hidden treasure.
Hidden Treasure a pencil and eraser

Key Academic Vocabulary and Definitions:

Near an object close to someone or something in the distance

o Students point to an object close to them
Far a great distance
o Students point to an object a great distance away from them
Above in a high place
o Students point to the ceiling of the classroom
2

Below in a lower place

o Students point to the floor
Left the side of the body where your finger and the thumb make an L
o Student holds up left arm and shows that the left hand makes an L
Right the side of the body where your finger and thumb make a backwards L
o Student holds up right arm and shows that the right hand makes a backwards L
Behind an object that is located towards the back of the body
o Students points to an object behind their backs
In Front Of an object that is located towards the front of the body
o Students point to an object in front of their body
Across to move in front of or past an object
o Students move their finger from one side of their body to the next
Past to move in front of an object
o Students move their finger from one side of their body to the next
Note: Students have been taught that across and past have similar meanings
Around to move along the perimeter of an object
o Students move their fingers in a circle
Over to move over the top of an object
o Students show going over an object with their fingers

Lesson Procedures:
1. Introduction: Whole Group Introduction
a. I will introduce the lesson by reminding students that we have been learning about
maps lately and have been practicing using words that help us understand where
people, places, and things are located.
b. Next, I will say, Lets practice some of those words now. Can you show me
which direction is leftright?
i. Can you show me which direction is above usbelow us?
ii. Can you show me something that is near to usfar away from us?
iii. Can you show me how I might go across the classroom?
iv. Can you show me how I might go around the classroom?
c. After reviewing the words, I will explain to the students the activity for the day. I
will explain that today, they are going to work with a partner on finding a hidden
treasure by using a map and the words that we have been practicing.
d. I will explain that a couple sets of partners are going to go with a teacher and
follow their maps inside and outside of the school. These maps have the words we
have been practicing on them and will lead them to a hidden treasure.
e. I will explain that it is their job to listen to and work together with their teacher
and partner to find the treasure.

f. Next, I will say, Lets look at one of the maps on the board so that can practice
using the maps.
g. I will ask the students to turn to their board spots and look at the board. I will
begin asking students questions like the following:
i. What do you notice about this map?
ii. Do you see any words you recognize on the map?
iii. Do you see any places you recognize on the map?
iv. Where do you think the map leads you?
v. How do you think you will follow the map?
vi. What will be your strategy to finding the treasure?
h. After showing the students the maps and having them analyze one of the maps, I
will begin partnering them up with classmates.
i. Once everyone is partnered up, I will go over the expectations again. I will
explain that they will
i. Work with their partner to find the treasure
ii. Ask a teacher for help if they dont understand the words on the map
iii. Stay with the teacher their group is assigned to
iv. Return to the classroom once they find the treasure
j. Next, I will explain that we are now going to get with our partners and teacher
and look at the maps for a few minutes before beginning our adventure.
2. Small Group Investigation
a. After the students have looked at the maps for a few minutes, I will line the
students up with their partners and teachers and release them to begin their
treasure hunts.
b. I will take one group, Ms. Dwyer will take another, and Mrs. Meadows will take
another group.
c. Finding the treasure should take the students approximately 15 minutes.
d. After finding the treasure, they should return back to the classroom.
3. Closure:
a. Once all of the students have returned to the classroom, I will gather the students
on the carpet to discuss the activity they just did.
b. I will ask questions like the following:
i. Did you find the treasure hunt challenging or hard?
ii. Did you find the treasure hunt easy?
iii. Why was it hard? Why was it easy?
iv. Did you work well with your partner?
v. What words did you see on the map?
vi. Did the words help you find the treasure?
c. Next, I will release the students back to their seats to transition to the next part of
the day.

Accommodations for individual differences:

When pairing students together, I will pair students according to their ability to
work cooperatively. For example, I know N.R. has a difficult time working well
with others so I will pair her with a student that is very helpful and patient. This
will help the students work together well and will avoid behavior problems
among students that do not work well with others.
I will ask that the teachers working with the small groups to monitor students
closely ensuring that they understand the map and can navigate the school easily.
I will ask the teacher to push the students to use the words while looking at the
maps.
I will make different versions of the map so that some of them are easier for
students than others. Students who show a high understanding of positional words
will receive more challenging maps than those who show a low understanding of
positional words.