Developing Mapping: Skills

• Mapping Skills are best developed in the immediate environment at any age
• Children as young as three years old have the ability to develop mapping skills – they have been way
finding from a crawling stage , drawing as soon as they could hold a crayon, interpreting a view
,whether their own or an image as soon as they could see, making plan views when playing imaginary
‘place’ games

Pre Mapping Skills (N/R)

Use a Paint program to enable creativity/ discuss local views with the IAW
Direction and Location
• developing awareness of right/left ,up down, behind/in front (Hunt the thimble, PE directions)
• describing routes as they travel them and afterwards responding to directions on signs
Plan view
• looking down on things – (toy layouts, table settings),
• looking at views from an elevated point - (view from an upper window)….
• identifying objects projected on the OHP (end of day teaser)
• Draw round shapes making a model
Relative distance
• developing awareness of things that are nearer / farther away - ‘Grandmothers footsteps’
Relative size
• developing awareness of things that are bigger / smaller . - nested dolls/boxes; between
themselves,
Symbols
• using and recognising symbols for areas around the classroom/school - putting symbols for
rooms on a plan to help a newcomer. Make imaginary maps

Early Mapping Skills {R/Yr 1)

Start using Local Studies (based upon a paint program) with picture symbols (see handout)
Create and use models of immediate environment
The Models
• classroom e.g. in a shoe box
• school building and grounds e.g. using cardboard boxes and coloured sugar paper
• other environments e.g. in sand tray, using lego, on road mats
• a part of the local area or an imaginary town

The Activities:
Initially:
• discuss where things belong in the model
• how aspects of the environment can be represented
• the appropriate size of parts of the model
• describe routes around the model
• describe/identify where places are on the model
• spend time looking down on the model and discuss looking down from a plane, high building
etc
Leading onto:
• locate photos and labels of the environment e.g. a door, on the correct place on the model
• locate symbols for the environment e.g. a drinking fountain, on the correct place on the model
• draw round the base of items on the model, remove items from the model, leaving a map
• repeat some of the activities above but using aerial views e.g. from Multimap imported into
Local Studies

Mapping Skills (Yr l/Yr 2)-

Develop understanding of different environments using Local Studies projects + your own
In the classroom
• draw a sign-post plan of the classroom (see handout)
• on an outline plan of the classroom with some key features shown, add further key features
Around the school:
• follow a simple map around part of the school site e.g. the school building - add emotive faces
• sequence a set of photos to show the correct order along a route round the school ( potential
audience a late newcomer)
• match photos of the building and grounds to a.large plan - again for a newcomer e.g
new teacher in and around the local area
• draw their route to school or a route from school to a particular locality e.g. Clissold, Springfield
Park or Abney Parks This could be emotive e.g. likes and dislikes , or sounds, or colours or
interesting features for the child. This will probably entail discussion and explanation
(literacy/oracy skills)
• record information on a simple map of a row of houses e.g. Filey Road
• record information along either side of a linear map of a street e.g. the high street shops and
other building use
• follow a simple route along local streets e.g. show how to reach Springfield Park from school
• identify key features of the local area on a map using aerial photograph and map (good use of
Multimap.com) .
Match photos to their symbol on the map (1: 1250 scale or 1:25,000 ( Explorer map ) .

Mapping Skills at KS2 continue similarly but using material from a wider local area and from
comparable distant areas using the capabilities of the Local Studies mapping package.
(see chart from Foley and Janikoun) separate handout
IF by some mischance mapping skills have not been maintained fairly continuously through KS1 similar
activities should be followed in a similar sequence e.g. emotive map + aerial view; map drawn for giving
information to a new person; map read for showing the route to a local place and talking about local
features; matching photos to map and expressing opinions about the feature – this latter can be a review
of previous knowledge using the IAW in a plenary session. There is no need to do the journey from home
to school in every year!.
 Map Drawing in the Local Area

R/Year1 Draw a map of their route from home to school or from school to a shop or library. Discuss
this whilst drawing
Make a model of their classroom and/ or make a map from this model
Year 1/2 Route to school or shop as above but expect some labels – even if only likes and dislikes =
emots
On a simple large scale plan of their classroom showing some of the features e.g. doors,
teacher's desk, reading area, put additional features e.g. sink, display table or colour
according to use ( home corner, computer area, model area and so on. This is a first ‘land
use’ map
Year 2/3 Make a sign post map in their classroom or another room to show other places in school
and the neighbourhood
Year 3/4 Add features to an outline map of their school playground or local park - both an affective
map as well as a ‘land use’ map
Draw a part of their local area using symbols to indicate certain aspects e.g .PO, church,
pub, market area
Year 4/5 Make a sign post map in from the playground ogf the local area indicating relative
distances Design some changes for a area they know well e.g. a local park using a large
scale map or an aerial photograph as a starting point
Year 5/6 Make a sketch map in a defined area e.g. a park not previously used.
Year 6 Make a more accurate map using distances and scale ( see Zig Zag example)

Map Using in the Local Area

R/Yr 1 Use an outline map of the school to identify stopping points

Use a large scale model or plan of the school to discuss features and routes
Year1/2 Use a simple large scale map of a row of houses in a local street to mark information
about the houses e.g. colour of door; presence or absence of satellite dish
Year 2/3 Using a large scale street plan or 1:1250 map. follow a route to a local feature e.g. shops
or library, marking stopping places or points of interest
Year 3/4 Mark key features of the local area e.g. school, park, row of shops, war memorial, phone
kiosk, on a street map
On a 1:1250 map of part of the local area they know well e.g. immediately outside the
school, Springfield Park , identify what the various symbols mean
Year 4/5 Do a land use map of part of the local area on a 1:1250 map e.g. showing houses, shops,
work places, facilities, open space.
Locate key "features and routes of a wider local ~ea on a 1:10,000 map. ( e.g. Multimap)
Year 5/6 Describe what you would pass on a route to another place e.g. Epping Forest , using a
!;25,000 map ( Explorer) or 1:50,000 map. ( Landranger) or to the Reservoirs and New
River, or to Alexander Park…..
Describe what that place is like using aerial photograph and maps of different scales and
style.
Year 6 Describe a route with greater accuracy using a scale to estimate distances ,
Using a 1:50,000 map, discuss why roads and railways follow the routes they do.
Tip ask yourselves why you go to Spring field Park and not Clissold park and then
discuss if the A10 is a barrier to movement in the local area
To this sequence of activities add to or note those which can be used with thinking skills and with the
seven intelligences.

Early map activities in the Foundation Stage

Environmental awareness Knowledge and understanding of the world
• play with toy vehicles, people and animals on large floor playmat maps, using roads and paths with Lego et
al town and country features
• make model layouts of places with toy furniture, buildings, vehicles, people and animals, which they can
imagine themselves in and talk about as they play
• be able to play in a child-scale model environment in the playground, with road layouts and shops painted
on the wall or boards that can be brought out and placed around the roads and talk about what they see
and the way they go, using words like turn, left, forward, etc
• go on walks in the area immediately around the school and talk about the features they pass how they feel
about them, colours, sounds, patterns, smells .Retrace those routes on other occasions pointing out
features they notice which are familiar or new to them
• Make drawings of the models and routes

Wayfinding
Opportunities should be provided for young children to:
• place buildings on large sheets of paper, which they can draw roads and paths between to drive toy
vehicles along
• go on walks in the area immediately around the school and talk about the way they are going, then retrace
those routes on other occasions showing the way

Basic map competencies

Opportunities should be provided for young children to:
• look at large-scale oblique and vertical aerial photographs of the local area, talk about features they can
see and trace routes along roads
• talk about what they can see on a large full-colour picture map of a fun place, such as a leisure park
• play with a large-scale map, drawn as a vertical view of the furniture in a room in school or of the features
in a play area, then take the map into that area to find the features and point them out on the map and in
the room
• use a colour-based co-ordinates to find items on a grid layout
• play with a softball or inflatable globe and floor playmat showing the country and the world

Map interpretation skills

• use a large-scale plan of a room, with just a few items of furniture in the room and on the map to play a
treasure hunt game, where they are shown the hidden treasure on the plan and have to go to find it
Developing mapping experience during key stage 1:
Years 1 and 2
Environmental awareness

Opportunities should be provided for young primary children to:

• talk about the features in the local environment and in other environments they know
• undertake fieldwork on occasions in the school grounds and local neighbourhood to identify and describe
local features
• sort toy vehicles, animals, buildings, etc (of different sizes) and group them according to relative size and
explain their grouping, using terms like larger, smaller, etc
• make a model, using road strips and toy buildings that shows features in an area, perhaps one that they are
familiar with, then talk about what is in the model

Wayfinding
Opportunities should be provided for young primary children to:
• play games and listen carefully to instructions which require them to follow directions using words like right,
back, half-turn, etc, then to give directions using these terms, in the classroom and school grounds
• talk about the relative location of themselves and features they can see in the school grounds using words
and phrases such as in front of, nearby, behind, etc
• make or use a model to walk a person or navigate a vehicle around talking about the directions faced and
turned
• draw picture maps of places or routes with which they are familiar and of places they come across in stories
or make up from their imagination

Basic map competencies

Opportunities should be provided for young primary children to:
• draw round the base of toy and life-size objects, remove the item and realise that the shape on the paper is
the plan-view of the object
• be introduced to the use of symbols, which might be a grey colour for a road and a building shape for a
house, to make their own maps of routes or places that they know
• use a large-scale map of their classroom, school grounds and the area around the school to identify features
and talk about what is where
• use a large-scale map of the school building and grounds or the area immediately around the school to lead
the way around and point out features on the map and in the area
• use alpha-numeric co-ordinates to give grid references on picture maps and plans of familiar places
• estimate relative distances, using terms such as nearer than, further away
• talk about the use of maps for finding the way and showing the world
• look at and talk about what they see in atlas maps, floormat maps of the country and the world and to look
for major global features on world maps, such as continents
Map interpretation skills

Opportunities should be provided for young primary children to:

• look at an oblique aerial photograph of their local area and point out features they recognise, then look at a
large scale vertical aerial photograph of the same area and identify features, and then see if they can
locate the same features on both photographs
• look at a large scale vertical aerial photograph and similar scale outline map of the main features to find
the same features on the photograph and map
• on tracing paper, trace features on a large-scale vertical aerial photograph, colour and/or name the
features, then identify them when the photograph is removed

Extending mapping experience during key stage 2:

Years 3 and 4
Environmental awareness

Opportunities should be provided for primary children to:

• talk about and compare knowledge of different features in places and environments they have visited or
know of
• use fieldtrips in the school grounds, local area and further afield to identify and describe features and areas,
e.g. streets, they know and which are new to them
• make a model to show part of the local area, e.g. a park or a shopping street, or of an imaginary
environment, such as an island

Wayfinding

Opportunities should be provided for primary children to:

• in the school grounds and local neighbourhood walk routes noting directions turned and giving instructions
about which way to go using directional language accurately
• describe journeys they have been on and routes they have followed using appropriate directional language
• draw their own plans and map of such features as a table, a room and an outside area, like the playground,
that they can see and move around in while they draw, being encouraged to be as accurate as possible
• draw maps of familiar places, like the area around home, or routes, such as the way to the shops from home
• start to use some conventional symbols when making their own maps of real or imaginary places and
provide a key

Basic map competencies

Opportunities should be provided for primary children to:

• be introduced to the reasons for having a key for a map they draw and to start to include a key on any maps
they draw to show what the pictures, shapes and colours they use mean
• using a plan of their classroom or the school grounds, add features that are missing to the map and add a
key to show what they are
• be introduced to conventional map symbols and use them with appropriate maps to find features, such as
roads, buildings, water, etc., in the key and on the map
• use a metre ruler or trundle wheel to measure straight line distances in their classroom, the school building
and the playground reasonably accurately
 • use a scale bar to measure straight line distances on a large-scale map
• use letter/number and four-figure co-ordinates to give grid references on maps
• use a directional compass in their school grounds to find the four compass points and to use the points of
the compass to give directions on a map
• look for different types of feature on atlas maps, e.g. city, country, sea
• use maps of a range of scales, including street and atlas maps to find places and to note directions from one
place to another

Map interpretation skills

Opportunities should be provided for primary children to:

• orientate a large-scale plan of their classroom, the school building or grounds to the area it shows to identify
where features are and to show the way around
• recognise features in the school grounds or local area shown in photographs and find these features on a
map of the same area
• use a large-scale map and/or a street map of the area around the school to identify features and routes in
the environment between places
• identify features and routes on both a large-scale vertical aerial photograph and a similar scale map of their
own locality
• compare a globe with a world map and talk about how each is helpful

Extending mapping experience during key stage 2:

Years 5 and 6
Environmental awareness

Opportunities should be provided for older primary children to:

• through fieldwork locally and elsewhere extend their awareness of a variety of features of different types and
scales in the environment
• use appropriate geographical terms to describe features

Wayfinding

Opportunities should be provided for older primary children to:

• use appropriate spatial language to give and follow instructions about routes in the school grounds and
beyond in safe places
• make reasonably accurate scaled maps of the classroom and school grounds, using measurements they
have made
• make a reasonably accurate model of the school and/or part of the local area

Basic map competencies

Opportunities should be provided for older primary children to:

• draw plans and use symbols with a key to show features on maps
• use the scale bar to help measure both straight line and winding distances between two points on maps,
including local area maps, street maps and road atlases
 • become aware that some symbols on small-scale maps are in disproportionate size to the real features they
represent, such as roads on road maps
• draw acceptably accurate map of familiar places and routes, while on fieldwork and from memory
• use the points of the compass to give and follow directions on a map and during fieldwork
• discuss the purpose of the information they will see provided with a map, including the title, key, grid co-
ordinates, compass line or rose and scale bar
• use four-figure and six-figure grid references to locate features on maps
• use a map index with its map to identify locations
• use the contents page in an atlas to find specific pages
• develop their understanding of the real distances that they measure on large-scale maps, particularly in their
school grounds and local area
• follow a route on a map from the description of features, direction and distance
• become aware from the layer tints on relief maps and the contour lines on medium scale conventional maps
that the landscape shown is not flat
• identify features on atlas maps, eg coastline

Map interpretation skills

Opportunities should be provided for older primary children to:

• orientate a large-scale map of a local area, using landmarks and compass points
• use a large-scale conventional map to find the way around an area and relate their position and features
they see to their location on the map
• see how the same features are shown by symbols on maps of different scales
• discuss the way that symbols become more general about what they show as the scale of maps decreases
• make a sketch map to show some important features on a published map
• annotate an outline map of the area shown in a vertical aerial photograph to name a variety of the features
• point out and discuss some patterns that maps show, such as a road pattern or the distribution of villages
and towns
• use a variety of maps to locate features and places and to describe directions from place to place
• compare maps showing the same area at different scales and with different purposes and describe some of
the information that can be discovered by using these maps together

Source : Various articles by Simon Catling see also The GA web site
http://www.geography.org.uk/projects/gtip/thinkpieces/makingmaps/