Although math and reading skills are the basis of learning, developing other intellectual skills are just as important. Technology and the wonderful products that it affords has encouraged our society to rely on them for many basic skills of the past. Map reading and map making are skills that need to be nurtured with or without a GPS.
Map-making can help develop spatial awareness between objects. In this lesson your children will be making a map of their yard. It is important to discuss with them how a map works and that it looks different than a photograph you might take from your porch.
Have children close their eyes and pretend they are flying over their property from an airplane or a hot air balloon and looking down. They can pretend they are cardinals flying over looking for a nesting spot or food to eat. What does everything look like from above? This is how you would draw objects on your map.
Outdoor Activity
- Gather everyone together to go on a walk or run around the outside of the house. Older children can join this activity for mapping review and a different view of what your property looks like.
- Let each child take mental notes on where trees, shrubs, flowers, and grassy areas are.
- Is your property square, rectangular or a different shape. Older children can spin off to looking at a survey of your property.
- What time of day is it and where is the sun at that time. Learning to read a compass can come into play here. Which part of your house does the sun rise and set?
Indoor Activity
- Give each person a blank sheet of copy paper or white construction paper. Bring out pencils, crayons and colored pencils for drawing.
- Instruct them to start with the house. Draw the house from an above or aerial view.
- Once the house is placed, have the children fill in where all the trees, grass, bushes, shrubs, flowers, etc. are in the front, side and backyard. Draw using similar colors to what the plants are, especially what color the blooms would be.
- Older students can add a legend with symbols to their map as well. All children can participate in that according to age level and how far you want to take this lesson.
Outdoor Activity
Take another walk around the yard with the maps.
- Did anyone miss anything?
- Is there something they want to add?
- Take photographs of your yard before you make changes with plants.
- Take notes of any wildlife you see already and where they are.
- Use a field guide to identify unknown plants, trees, and shrubs.
Excerpts from the book, Math Adventures have been provided by Cheryl Bastian.
Click to return to ESSENTIAL MEMBERS HOME