1st – 2nd Grade – Analyze maps (purpose, audience, and symbols)
What is the purpose of a map?
Standards: 2 G 1.1 Interpret maps (symbols, legends, cardinal directions)
2 G 1.2 Meaning of symbols and location of physical and human features
Objectives: Analyze maps by describing what you see on different types of maps, describe the purpose of maps. Create your own map with important features. Compare different maps of the same area.
Essential Questions: What are maps used for? What is the audience and purpose of each kind of map? What do we find on maps? Why do maps change? How is this map unique?
Teacher Presentation / Discussion: Show a map of Lake Norman. Review the symbols of maps (roads, bodies of water, compass, the legend and symbols) Conduct a Socratic Seminar Type Questioning: What do you see? How do people read maps? What they used for? What is the message of the map? How can we describe the map? What is the most important thing about a map?
Have students analyze 2 different kinds of maps. Introduce map analysis sheet to answer the following questions:
Describe what you see. What geographic information is shown on the map? What is strange? What does not belong? What places does it show? Reflect: Why do you think it was made? What was the audience and purpose of the map? What does it tell you about the area of Lake Norman? How would the map be different today if it was made? What questions do you have? What other features do you think maps should have? How else can we map our community?
Student activity: Students will use map analysis sheet to describe the symbols, physical features, and human features of the map (parks, roads, businesses, the Lake, etc…) Have students share their observations and questions as a team to the class.
Extension Activities:
1. Create your own Lake Norman Map. Using a blank Lake Norman map with just physical features and roads, have students add details of importance for them as students.
2. Choose two maps and compare the features. Be sure to include the purpose for the maps, and the audience.
3. Create a map that you envision Lake Norman to look like in 10-20 years.
November_2004_Lake_Norman_Magazine (link to article that has a map of the Catawba River and Lake Norman)