Text Set

By: Millie Kidder-Goshorn

Grade: 1

Theme: Ordinal Direction and Map Skills

Subject: Social Studies

Rationale: The text sources that have been carefully chosen are
based off of the steps into learning about maps. The transition of
these linguistic and non-linguistic texts flow between understanding
cardinal directions (north, south, east, west), the use of a compass,
understanding that maps help determine directions and location of a
specific area, symbols on a map, understanding a birds eye view
and how to make a map of his or her own.

Guiding Concepts: In order for students to understand cardinal

directions, the importance of a map, and how to read a map, the
instruction must be scaffolded by the size of the map being
discussed and viewed.
Every day, people use ordinal directions and apply them to a walk
down the street or to the largeness of our globe. The understanding

Rosies Walk by Pat

Hutchins

Hutchins, P. (1968). Rosie's Walk. New York, NY:

Macmillan.
Fiction picture book
Linguistic piece

Rosies Walk is a story about a hen who goes on a walk

and is followed by a fox. The picture book shows the chicken
going to all of these different places and how she gets back
home. This book is at a DRA 10. Ive chosen this text because
it is the perfect introduction to the unit of maps. Students
would be asked to predict where she is going next, where was
she last, how did she get to this spot, how will she get back
home? It is giving the students a grasp on direction and how
to talk about direction, without directly instructing so.

Franklins
Neighborhood by
Paulette Bourgeois

Bourgeois, P. (1999). Franklin's

Neighborhood. New York, New York:
Scholastic Inc.
Fiction picture Book
Linguistic piece

In the story, Franklins Neighborhood,

Franklin needs to choose his favorite thing
about his neighborhood, but he cant decide
what to choose. So, he goes out and
explores his neighborhood to decide what
his favorite place is. This text is at a DRA of
18. This book is chosen and important to the
unit because it has advanced the student
from exploring through a walk into a venture
through a neighborhood. Later in the unit,
the students will be mapping their own
neighborhood or bedroom, so this is a great
text to be able to relate to. Students would

Me on the Map by Joan

Sweeney
Sweeney, J. (1996). Me on the Map.
New York, New York: Crown.
Fiction picture book
Linguistic piece
This is a picture book about a girl
who shows the map of her room, then the
map of her room within in her whole
house, then the map of her house in her
town, all the way until she shows the
map of the world. This text is at a DRA
level of 16.
This book has been chosen, not only for
the bright and clear pictures or simplistic
text, but because it shows students the
growth of a map of a room all the way to
a map of the world, all in a birds eye
view! The student is able to visualize his
or her room, house, town, world, through

Maps & Globes by Jack

Knowlton
Knowlton, J. (1985). Maps & Globes. New
York, New York: HarperCollins. (Original
work published )
Nonfiction picture Book
Linguistic piece
This nonfiction picture book describes and
provides visuals of different maps and places
within our world. While showing where different
countries are located, this text also points out
where the oceans are, where deserts are located,
and how to find your way through your own
town. Knowltons text is easy to read and
provides students with facts and explanations.
The DRA level of this text is about a 18-20. I
really like this text because I think it is a great
break from relying on a textbook for factual
information on maps and globes. It is a great
book to read aloud or to break down and use

Following the Map Reading A-Z

A-Z, R. (). Following the Map. : .
Realistic Fiction
Linguistic piece
In this Reading A-Z book, Following the Map, Kelly
is given a compass by her mother and has to use a
compass to lead herself to her birthday surprise. This
book is a Level F, which is equivalent to a DRA of 10.
When I was in my kindergarten placement, I used this
book for my high guided reading small group. I
remember thinking how this text would be a nice
supplement to a unit on learning direction or how to
use a compass. So, it has come in hand for this
assignment! This text encourages a student to make
the connection between a compass and direction, with
the highlighted vocabulary words being: north, south,
east, west, compass and map. This Reading A-Z book
would be perfect for our on grade level guided
reading group and would help solidify the concept of
ordinal direction and how to use a map. The text also

Follow That Map! A First Book

of Mapping Skills by Scot
Ritchie

Ritchie, S. (2009). Follow That Map! A

First Look At Mapping Skills. Johnson
City, TN: National Geographic School
Publishing :.
Realistic Fiction picture book (with factual
information and comic strip graphics)
Linguistic piece

Follow That Map! A First Look At

Mapping Skills, is an interactive picture
book that explains and shows the different
key concepts to mapping. Students
engage with the main character, Sally, as
she searches for Max and Ollie (a cat and
a dog). This book is at a DRA level of 24.
This book would be for an above grade
level first grader, since the text is at an
on-level second grade reading level.
Ritchies text asks the reader to use the

Our World Now &

Then by Joy Masoff
Masoff, J. (2010). Explore the
World. Our World: Then & Now
(). Weston, CT: Five Ponds
Press.
Textbook
Linguistic piece
Our World Now & Then is a
textbook. This textbook has
multiple chapters covering the
social studies standards of first
grade. The readability of this text
is about at a fourth grade level, so
this would be used as a teacher
source. This text highlights key
terms that students need to know
about maps. The pages to the left
could be projected on a smart

Cardinal Directions by
Class of Kinders

Cardinal Direction. (2014, January 1). .

Retrieved January 1, 2014, from
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Produ
ct/FREEBIE-Cardinal-Directions-Song-Soci
al-Studies-for-Young-Students-645903
Poem/Song
Linguistic piece
Cardinal Directions is a poem/song which
goes to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little
Star. It was found under the Class of Kinders
account on teacherspayteachers.com. Once the
students have been introduced to north, south,
east and west, this would be a great song to
then implement into instruction. It would be
teacher led, so the readability would become
easier because of rhyming that goes along with
it. This song also introduces the discussions
about temperature changes in the north and
the south, where the oceans are located in
relation to us, etc. This song could open up an
opportunity for students to visualize or draw

Reading Maps on
BrainPOP Jr.

Reading Maps. (n.d.). . Retrieved , from

http://www.brainpopjr.com/socialstudi
es/geography/readingmaps/
Informative Video
Non-linguistic piece
The video, Reading Maps, is on
BrainPOPjr.com and is under the Social
Studies category. This website gears towards
K-2, so the videos are very appropriate for a
first grader. The video discusses what a map
is, what a globe is, what a map key is, what a
compass is, and what a map scale is. This
would be a good video to introduce the unit
with, or end the unit with. It has some
information that does not pertain to a first
grader, however it never hurts to provide
students with that extra information! This
website is great because the class can watch
the video then participate in a quiz or
interactive activity afterwards, still as a
whole group.

The Cardinal Directions

Song by Adam
Crossley

Crossley, A. (2012, December

12). The Cardinal Directions
Song. . Retrieved , from
https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=UeeLivQH7Ok
Song
Non-lingusitic piece

On youtube.com, Adam
Crossley has created a channel
dedicated to songs about
geography. This song is 2:34,
which is perfect amount of time
and shows the words on the
video. While first graders
wouldnt be able to read this on
their own, with a teachers
guidance and practicing the song,
they would be able to memorize
it. The video is beneficial because
it provides different ways to
remember north, south, east and

Map of the United

States Puzzle

Map of the United States by Milton Bradley

Bradley, M. Map of the United States
Puzzle
Non-linguistic piece
The Map of the United States puzzle by Milton Bradley
is a colorful, fifty piece puzzle. The puzzle pieces are
medium-large, which makes it perfect for the age group of
first graders. During my kindergarten placement, the
students absolutely loved completing this puzzle. Puzzles
encourage students to work physically, cognitively and
emotionally. Students have to twist and turn the pieces so
they fit, think actively about solving the puzzle, being patient
and working with peers through finishing the puzzle.
For this unit, this would be a great activity to give
students during reading centers or when a group of students
has finished earlier than the other students. I would make
sure that each student gets a chance to complete the puzzle.
While the student isnt expected to know all of the 50 states,
it allows for students to become more familiar with how our
united states looks on a map, as well as an opportunity to
practice reading the names of the states. This can then lead
into a discussion about which states students have been to
and what they have done in those states.
* I had trouble citing this because I do not own it! There isnt
much information online about where it was created, etc. I
contacted my kindergarten teacher but he said it is in his
classroom, thirty minutes away from him!

A Globe

A globe would be a great tool to use

during this unit because students can
interact with it. The teacher would be
able to explain and show the students
where the United States of America is,
which part of the globe shows the water,
etc. Students would learn and
understand that a globe is a 3-D map
and learn to identify where our country
is located on the map.