Treasure Map

GEOGRAPHY: MAP SKILLS                                              

 Treasure Hunt

By: Lauren Nixon

(Adapted from: Using a Map to Find Hidden Treasure, Social Studies Alive! My Community)

Lesson #: 1 of 3                

Focus: To introduce how a map and the map components: symbols, and a map key/legend, can help the reader identify objects found on the map and locate items.

Prior knowledge: Students will need to use writing and reading skills.

Time Allotted: 45 Minutes

GOALS:

1. SOCIAL STUDIES/GEOGRAPHY

• Students will view and draw simple maps and pictures to locate, describe, and show movement among places. (Oregon Geography Standard SS.03.GE.01)

2.  LITERACY

• Common Core Goal (CCG): Read to Perform a Task: Find, understand, and use specific information in a variety of texts across the subject areas to perform a task. (Common Core Goal: second grade)
• Oregon Standards by Design (second grade):  Students will interpret information from diagrams and tables to answer related questions. (Oregon Language Art Standard EL.02.RE.24)

Objectives:

1.1    Following a class discussion on how to read a map and a map key, students will be able to use a classroom map and map key to correctly locate the hidden treasure with their group.

1.2 Following an explanation of how to read a map and map key, students will use a map key to locate features on a map and answer 7 out of 7 questions correctly on their “Reading a Map: Nature Park” worksheet.

 2.1 After an lesson on how to read a map and map key, students will be able to use a map to locate answers to questions from a text on their “Reading a Map: Nature Park”, answering 7 out   of 7 questions correctly.

Pre-Requisite Knowledge or Skills

Students will need to use writing, and reading skills.

Materials: 

• Large Map of Classroom
•  Treasure chest
• Sticky Notes (“X” marks)
• Stickers 24 or more (Treasure)
•  “Reading a Map: Nature park” worksheet
• Black marker
• Sentence strips (vocabulary: map, map key, and symbol)

 Preparation: Prior to lesson, the instructor will draw a map of the classroom, approximately 3” x 3”, and hide the treasure (stickers) in an area of the room where students will not likely look in.

                                                       Procedure

Teacher Does……..		Students Do…….
Time 5 min.	Anticipatory Set: The instructor will tell the students that there is a treasure hidden within the classroom and they have one minute to locate the treasure.  Before the students start searching the instructor gives specific expectations of students’ behavior while searching. (e.g. student are to move around the room using indoor voices, walking calmly around the room, not going through any desks, and if anything is moved then it needs to be put right back).   The teacher will also show how they want the students to stop searching, by clapping a rhythm, and explaining their expectations that students are to turn to face the teacher and freeze to wait for further instruction. After the students search for 1 minute the instructor will then suggest that a map would help them find the treasure.	Anticipatory Set: The students will demonstrate how to properly search for the treasure by walking around the carpet and then turning to face the teacher and freezing to listen to instruction. Following the practice students will search the classroom for the hidden treasure for approximately 1 minute. After the 1 minute the students will come to the carpet in order to learn how to read a map.
15 min.	Teaching: The teacher shows the classroom map that has no map key. They then explain that a map is a drawing of a real place and what it looks like from above. The instructor also displays the vocabulary word and definition on a sentence strip. The instructor points out the title of the map and asks the students what the different shapes represent. The instructor will than ask for the student’s to share with the class what they believe the symbols represented. While the students are sharing their ideas the teaching is writing/drawing the pictures of the symbols. The teacher points out that the pictures on the map are called symbols and explain that symbols represent real things and that the map key/ legend shows what the symbols on a map stand for. (Also present vocabulary word and definition on sentence strips) Teacher explains that maps, symbols and map keys can help use locate objects in a given place.	Teaching: Students will pair up and share their opinions on what the symbols might represent.     Students will share their opinions with the rest of the class about what the symbols might represent         Students listen to instruction and say the new vocabulary words, symbol, and map key with the teacher.
5 min.	Group Application: The instructor asks questions related to the classroom map and locations of objects in the room.	Group Application: Students use the map, symbols, and map key in order to answer the instructor’s questions on the location of objects in the classroom map.
20 min.	Independent Application The teacher will create groups by the table group number that students sit at, in order to give the class a second chance at finding the treasure. The instructor goes over the rules and expectations of the class while they search for the treasure.           (Work as a group, once you find the treasure pick up a “nature park” worksheet and work at your desk while the rest of the class has their turn). The instructor will mark an X on the classroom map to show the location of the treasure. After each group goes the teacher moves the treasure and X to a different location. While the students work independently on their “nature park” worksheet, the instructor works with students in order to answer questions and help with reading.	Independent Application The students work with their group to find the treasure using the map of the class. Students work independently at their desk on the “nature park” worksheet.
5 min.	Closure: Re-enforcement of knowledge on map reading skills. The instructors will ask students how the map of the classroom helped them, what maps show and the important tools that maps have and the types of information they give.	Closure: Students participate in the classroom discussion of what maps show and the tools that maps have to help us learn about the place.