Elementary Education Program

Department of Teacher Education & Learning Sciences

Design Document for Lesson Plan

Name: ​Caroline Griffith and Sayonna Adams

Grade Level: ​2
Concept/Topic: ​Geography
Length of Lesson (in minutes): ​2, 30-45 minute long sessions

Learning Objectives​: ​What are your learning objectives? (What new understandings will the
students have as a result of this lesson? Make sure learning objectives are measurable.)

Students will be able to represent their classroom using a map containing symbols, legends, and
cardinal directions appropriately. Students will use this map in order to identify objects around
the classroom.

Under which standards from North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NC-SCOS) do these
learning objectives fall?

2.G.1​ Use geographic representations, terms and technology to process information from a
spatial perspective.
2.G.1.1​ Interpret maps of the school and community that contain symbols, legends and
cardinal directions
2.G.1.2​ Interpret the meaning of symbols and the location of physical and human features
on a map (cities, railroads, highways, countries, continents, oceans, etc.)

Key Tasks/Activities​: ​What are the key activities or tasks that you plan to use? What is your
rationale for why you have selected these particular tasks/activities to meet your learning
objectives?

First, we will read ​What Really Happened to Humpty​ by Jeanie Franz Ransom. This book takes
students through a fairy tale land and, by using the map provided in the book, students will be
able to help the detective solve a mystery. This will get students engaged and interested in maps
while exposing them to a map and its usefulness.

Then, we will be looking at a variety of maps found on

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/map-skills-elementary-students/​ in order to
identify and learn about symbols, legends, and cardinal directions. We will look at maps of the
world and maps of smaller communities in order to teach that maps can represent any size place.
As a class, we will define symbols, legends, and cardinal directions in our words and use these
definitions to talk about why each is so critical when making a map. After this discussion,
students will be given an opportunity to explore different maps of their choosing on their own for
a few minutes simply to increase their exposure to the various types of maps. This is critical
because students need to understand that maps can look very different from one another and can
even serve different purposes. Even if students are not being exposed to every type of map, they
 Elementary Education Program
Department of Teacher Education & Learning Sciences

will begin to look for these differences and note important features. We want them to understand
that maps can be used to represent both physical and human features.

For the final part of our lesson, groups of students will be given the opportunity to design their
own map of the classroom. They will have to include symbols, a legend, and cardinal directions
so that other students can read their map as well. After creating their own maps, each group will
have to give three clues to three mystery objects. With the help of the symbols, legend, and
cardinal directions, other people reading the clues should be able to identify the mystery objects.
We will do this to ensure that students know how to construct a map with all of the appropriate
elements and so that they can practice giving directions to other people using the elements of
their maps. Then, each group of students will give their map and map clues to other groups. Each
group will be tasked with using the map to identify the mystery object in the room. We will do
this in order to make sure that students know the essential elements of a map (symbols, legend,
compass) and know how to properly construct a map. When they are using others maps to locate
objects around the room, we will be evaluating how well they can read a map in a useful
situation.

Anticipating Students’ Responses​: ​How do you anticipate that students will respond to your
planned activities/tasks? This does NOT mean their response affectively, but instead their
response academically (e.g., What prior knowledge or conceptions might they bring? How do
you think they will approach or solve the task(s)?). When necessary, please insert images of
your handwritten anticipated approaches/strategies. Be specific! Use your anticipated
responses to help you plan your questions in the lesson plan.

One of the responses that we anticipate are students saying that “a map is something people use
when they get lost.” This is a common misconception that we will help students realize is a
misconception through our discussion of different types of maps (which have different uses) and
through our activity where they are locating items based on the maps their peers made. We want
them to realize that maps are useful for a lot of different reasons - not just when we are lost.
Another response we anticipate is that students will assume that North is “up” and South is
“down” because that is typically how maps they may have been exposed to are oriented. We will
be sure to show them a map that is oriented in a different way when we are looking at our
various maps in the “we do” stage of the lesson so that they can correct this misconception. We
think that students will approach the performance task in a variety of different ways. Some
students will provide lots of detail in their maps and some will keep it bare bones. We will
welcome these differences in maps because it will help support the idea that maps can look very
different from each other due to their varying purposes.

Responding to Students’ Responses:​ ​Describe how you will provide scaffolding for students
who are stuck, and describe how you will extend the thinking of students who have a firm grasp
on the target content/objectives.

Scaffolding:
● For students who are having difficulty remembering the three key things they need to
include on their maps (symbols, legend, compass), we will prompt them by asking “why
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Department of Teacher Education & Learning Sciences

do you think these items are included on a map?” so that they can begin to understand the
purposes behind them. The intent is that this will help them realize the importance of
these different map elements.
● In order to help students understand the orientation of the room, the four walls will be
labeled with north, south, east, and west so that students can accurately represent the
compass on their maps.
● For groups who are struggling to complete their maps, we will encourage them to think
about a few key elements located in the room. Then we will help guide them towards
easy symbols they can use to represent each of these elements. We will also help them
orient their maps using the directions posted on the walls (mentioned above).

Extension:
● Students who have completed the map making assignment will be given the opportunity
to look at Google Earth on a computer or iPad. There will be a short scavenger hunt that
they can try to complete using clues and the features on Google Earth.

Development of Practices among Students​: ​Which disciplinary practices does your lesson aim
to develop? (e.g., “construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others”, “develop
and use models”) How do the task(s) develop the target practice(s)?

After completing this lesson, students will be able to develop and use models to represent their
classroom. They will begin to realize that all maps really are just models and they will be able to
apply this to their own model making activity. The map making activity will help develop this
practice by giving them a hands on experience developing their very own model.

Assessment​: ​Describe your assessment plan for the targeted learning objective(s). What
specific data/information will you use, and how will that data/information tell you that the
students have/have not met the objective?

Students will work in groups to create maps of the classroom. Then, they will use the maps of
their peers to locate items within the room. We will know if students have met the map making
objective if their maps include the three key elements of maps (symbols, legend, compass) and if
their map can be used to help other groups identify their mystery object. We will know if
students can properly read a map if they are able to use the directions given by other groups to
locate a mystery item within the classroom.

Vocabulary/Language Function​: ​Define vocabulary that students will need to know in order to
access the content and goals of your lesson. Be precise and careful with your language. Please
attend to three types of vocabulary:
● Content vocabulary (e.g., obtuse, molecule, civil rights)
o Legend: a key to translate the symbols used on a map
o Symbol: an image that represents something else
o Compass: a tool that is used to find cardinal directions: north, east, south, and
west
● Academic language (e.g., represent, model, compare)
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Department of Teacher Education & Learning Sciences

o Represent: using an item to show something else

● Key non-content vocabulary that is necessary to understand the task/activity
o Physical feature: naturally occuring feature
o Human feature: man made feature

Classroom Management Plan​: ​Describe your classroom management plan. Explain how you
will motivate students to engage in the lesson, how you will set and enforce expectations, and
how you will ensure that transitions are smooth and efficient.

We will motivate students to engage in the lesson by providing ample time for their own
exploration. We will also be keeping the guidelines to their self-made maps very simple so that
they can use their own creative expression in making them. We want the maps to be unique! We
will set expectations by clearly explaining directions and making it clear that if groups are not
working well together, we can do the activity as a whole class and it will not be as fun.
Directions will also be written on the board so students can refer to them at all times. We will
make sure that transitions are smooth and efficient by having all supplies and resources ready to
go before beginning the lesson.