Subject:SocialStudies,Geography

Grade:3rd
Time:45minutes
MaterialsNeeded:Maps,byWileyBlevins,whitepaperplates,pencils,pens,crayons,coloredpencils,
markers,scissors,coloredconstructionpaper,glue,ruler,postitwallpad.
PrerequisiteSkills:Abilitytositinlargegrouponrugandlistentostoryreadbyteacher,abilitytoworkin
smallgrouptocooperativelycompletegrouptask,abilitytocompromisewithclassmates,contributeto
groupdiscussionandwork,abilitytostayontaskandwithgroupuntilcompletionofthefinalproduct.
ABCDLessonObjective:
AfterlisteningtoMapsreadaloudbytheteacher,studentswillworkinpartnerstocreatetheirown
visuallyneatmapofaroomintheschool,depictingwith100%accuracythe4keyfeaturesasoutlinedon
thepostitwallpadduringthestory.
NCSSStandards:
StrandIII:People,Places,andEnvironment
Thisstandardisbeingmetbecauseinthisactivitystudentsareaskedtolookatvarioustypesofmapsand
comeupwithkeyattributesmapsmustincludewhichintroducetheminhowtousemaps,globes,andother
geographictools.Studentsalsoarerequiredtocreatetheirowncountryusingthegeneratedattributesof
mapsafterlookingatthewholeUnitedStates,whichleadsthemtobecomeawareoftheworldbeyondtheir
personallocations.
Relevance:
Thisstandardisrelevanttothelessonbecausestudentsaredeterminingthekeyattributesofmaps
fromthebook.Theythenwillreplicatethoserelevantfeaturesintheirmaps,aswellasexplaintotheir
classmatesthosekeyfeaturesandhowtheirmapmaybeused.
Procedure/Objectives:(Tellstudentswhattheyaregoingtolearn?)Time:45minutes
1. Severalroadmapswillbetapedupthroughouttheclassroompriortostudentsarrival.Oneach
table,therearepaperplates,crayons,pencils,coloredpencils,markers,constructionpaper,scissors,
rulersandglue.Askclasstojoinmeontherugforafungeographylesson!
2. Todaythirdgraderswearegoingtolearnaboutmaps.Showmeathumbsupifyouknowwhata
mapis?(Allow68secondswaittime.)Great,youcanputyourhandsdown.Nowforthoseofyou
thathadtheirthumbsup,putyourthumbupagainifyouknowwhatmapsareusedfor?(Allow68
secondswaittime.)Askforastudentwiththeirthumbuptosharewiththeirclassmateswhatthey
knowaboutmaps.Allowotherstudentstoaddtheirknowledgetothediscussiontoensureall
studentsunderstandmapsshowuswhereplacesare,andhowwecangetthere.Great,thankyoufor
sharingwhatyouknowaboutmapswithyourclassmates!
3. Ihaveafunactivityforustodayafterweallreadaboutmapstogether.First,Iamgoingtoreadyou
thisbookcalledMaps.(Showstudentsthebook.)Thirdgraders,doyouseewhatthechildrenonthe
frontofthebookaredoing?(Slowlymovethebookaroundintheairforallstudentstotakeasecond
ortwotolookatit.)Whatdoyouthinktheyredoingonthefloor?(Allow68secondswaittime.)
Whowantstosharetheirideaaboutwhatthosechildrenaredoing?Ensureyoucallonachildwho
didnotraisetheirthumbinstep2.Excellentthinking,theyaremakingamap.Afterwehaveread

4.

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9.

thisbookandbecomemapexperts,youallaregoingtomakeyourownmaps,justlikethechildren
onthecoverofthisbook.Letsreadthebooktofindoutwhatthings,orfeatures,youallwillneedto
putonyourmap.
Explaintostudentsthatyouhavethepostitwallpadbyyouasthestudentsaregoingtomakealist
ofthefeatureswelearnaboutinthebook,tomakesureyouallincludethemonyourmap.Ifyou
hearmereadaboutsomethingyouthinkyoullneedtohaveonyourmap,Iwantyoutoraiseyour
handsothegroupcandecideifitisimportantandshouldbeputonthelist.
Beginreadingthebookstartingonpage6.Astudentshouldraisetheirhandatbottomofpage,as
mapsshowusplacesandhowtogettothoseplaces.Ifnot,stopreadingandsayhmmm,does
anyoneelsethinkIjustreadsomethingaboutmapsthatisimportant?(Allow68secondswaittime.)
Letmereadthatpageagain.Studentsshouldnowraisetheirhandwiththeprompt.Ohgreat,soI
shouldwriteonmypadthatmapsshowusplaces&howtogettothoseplaces!Writemapsas
headeronpad,underlined,thenbulletpointwith:showusplacesandhowtogettothoseplaces.
Continuereading.
Atendofpage7,studentsagainshouldberaisingtheirhands.Thankyouforlisteningtomystory
andrecognizingthatsymbolsareimportantonmaps.SoIseeonthismapinthebookthesymbols
areforafarm,arailroadastreetandalake.Cansomeonehelpmewithwhatelsewemaywantto
placeonamapandthesymbolyoudliketouse?WhatkindofsymbolcouldIusetoshowthat?
Books,shelves.Thanksthirdgraders,Imgoingtolistsymbolsonourlistandshowtheexampleyou
gaveme.Writesymbolsanddrawbooklibrary.Continuereading.
Atendofpage8askstudentsifwehaveanythinginourclassthatshowsdirections.(Allow68
secondswaittime)Yes,youallareright,Ihavedirectionsuponallofourwalls!Remindmewhat
theyareagain?Joinclassinallsayingaloud,north,south,eastandwest.Andhowdoyouall
rememberthatagain?NeverEatSoggyWorms!Excellentmemorythirdgraders!Shouldweput
thatonourlist?Hmmmafterstudentssayyes,writedirectionsonlist.Drawattentiontothebig
compassroseonpage9,explainingtostudentstheycandrawthatorsimplylistthedirections
correctlylikewehaveinourclass,suchasNorthatthetop,Southatthebottom,Eastontherightand
Westontheleft.Letmeaskyouall,doyouhavetodrawthiscompassrose,pointtopictureonpage
9.No,youareright.Doyouhavetohavedirectionsneatlydisplayedonyourmap?Yes,youdo,
butyoucanjustwritethemlikewehaveinourclass.Thankyouallforbeingsofocused!
Continuereading,stoppingatthebottomofpage11.Friends,howdoyouknowwhatisonthemap
onpage10?(Allow68secondswaittime).Callonastudentwhohasnotyetparticipated.
Interesting,sowhatyouretellingmeistheylistedU.S.Ahere,pointtothemaponpage10that
showsU.S.A.;andthentheylistedMexicohere,alsopointtothat.Doyouknowwhatthatiscalled?
Howdoyouallknowinourclassroomwhereextrapencilsgo?Hmmm,didIhearsomeonesay
becausetheyarelabeled?Youareright!Labelsarealsousedonmaps.Thumbsupifthatshouldgo
onourlistplease.Allstudentsshouldhavethumbsup,writelabelsonlist.
Finishreadingthebook.ThirdgradersIwantyoualltolookatthismaponthislastpageofthe
book.Isthereafeatureonthismapthatwedonothaveonourlist?Letsreviewourlistquickly.
Firstwelistedthatmapsshowplacesandhowtogetthere.Ok,onthismapyoucanseethefood
storeandhowtogettherewiththestreetnames.Isourlistofftoagoodstart?Yeah,Ithinkitistoo!
Second,welistedmapshavesymbolsthatstandforsomething.Onthismap,canyoufindtheice
creamshop?(Allow68secondswaittime).Callonastudentwhohasnotparticipatedyettoday.
Youcan,good.Butwhatsymboldidtheyuse?Anicecreamcone,verygood!Thirdwelisteda
compassrose,ordirections.Iwantyoualltolookcloselyatthismap,arethoseonhere?(Allow8
secondswaittimewhileyouslowlyshowthewholegroupthebook).Thumbsupifyouthinkthere
aredirectionsonhere.Great!Andwhatisthefinalthingonourlistuphere?Labels,thatistrue.
Aretherelabelsonthispage?(Allow68secondswaittime.)Turntoyourrugpartnerandin

whispervoice,talkaboutanylabelsyousee.Holdbookupforallstudentstosee.Iagree,thereare
quiteafewlabelsonthismap.
10. Okthirdgraders,nowthatwehaveourlisthereiswhatyougettodo.Withyourrugpartneryou
werejusttalkingto,youaregoingtocreateyourownmapofsomethinginourpodoftheschool.So
whatcouldyoudraw?(Allow68secondswaittime.)Writeideasonwhiteboard,libraryisacross
thehall,ourownclassroom,thecenterpodofourwholesecondgradewing,thegymjustdownthe
hall.Allgreatideasthirdgraders!Canwehavemorethanonegroupdothesamethingdoyou
think?Ofcourse,thegroupscandowhattheywant.Again,letsreviewmyexpectationsforwhat
willbeneatlydisplayedonyourmap.IwantyoualltosaytheseoutloudsoIknowyouunderstand
theexpectations.Gothroughlistslowlyandaloud.Showthestudentsapaperplate,explainingthat
isgoingtobecomeyourmap.Youcanuseconstructionpaper,cuttingsymbolsoutandgluingthem
on,oryoucandrawwithcolors,coloredpencilsormarkers.Doyouhavetouseconstructionpaper?
No,youareright,youcandowhatyouwantwithyourmap.Whatmustyoualldo?(Allow68
secondswaittime)Yes,youallmustNEATLYcreateyourmapandhavethehowmanythingsfrom
ourlist?Right,4thingsonyourmap.Arethereanyquestions?Great,Iamexcitedtoseethemaps
youallcreate!Whenyouaredone,eachgroupwillshowusalltheirmap,explainwhattheyfeelis
importantontheirmapandshowyourclassmateshowtouseit.Thesemapswillbedisplayedonour
wallinthepodaftertodayforeveryonetoseewhatexpertmapmakersyouhavebecome.Any
questions?Pleaserememberourthirdgraderlearningexpectationsarethateveryoneisbeing
respectful,workingtogetherandallareparticipating.Youhave15minutes,soquietlyandquickly
gotoyourtablesandcreate!
Assessment:
(Informalassessmentongoingduringgroupwork)Clipboardcruisingwillbedonewhilegroupsare
working,checkingthefollowing:
*Areallstudentscontributing?Yes,orNo
*Areallstudentsbeingrespectful?Yes,orNo
*Arestudentscompromisingandworkingthroughtheirownproblems?Yes,orNo
*Arestudentsstayingwithgroupthroughouttheentireprojectandstayingontask?Yes,or
No
Studentswillbeassessedwiththefollowingrubric:
3allfeaturespresent& 2missing1feature,
1missing2ormore
Feature
accuratelyused
and/ornotaccurately
features,and/ornot
used
accuratelyused
Symbols
Directions
Labels
Neatness
7.DIFFERENTIATIONofContent,ProcessorProduct:
a.Adaptationforstudentswhoneedextrahelp,time,orattention?
Thosestudentsneedingadditionalassistancewillbegivenadditionaltimebeyondthe45minute
lessontofinishtheirplate.Theywillalsobeprovidedanassociateasneeded.
b.Extensionforstudentsofhighability?(Remember,giftedstudentsneedchallenge).
Thosestudentswhoneedtobechallenged,willhavetheoptionofcomparingandcontrastingmaps
theymadewitheachotheranddiscussingwiththeteachertheprimarydifferencesandreasonsforthose

differences.Thiswillbedoneafterthelesson,whilethoseneedingmoretimearecompletingtheirworkand
theteachersitswiththosestudentsforaround810minutes.
8.References:
Resources:
Paperplatemapideatakenfrom:http://literacyminute.blogspot.com/2011/09/paperplate
continents.html.
Postitwordpadexample:

Maps
*places,andhowtogetthere
*symbolsrepresentthingsonyourmap,such
asabookforthelibrary
*directions,compassrose
*labels
NEATNESS,NEATNESS,NEATNESS
Followingisanexampleofapaperplatemaptakenfromtheresource.

*mapsfromtodayslessonwillbedifferentinthattheyarenotrepresentingthecontinentsontheir
maps,butratheramapofaroomorlocationintheschool.