Dwyer, SST 309, Page 1

SST 309 Unit Plan

By Megan Dwyer
December 2016

Dwyer, SST 309, Page 2

Table of Contents
Rationale
KUDs
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5

3
4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8

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Rationale
The purpose of this unit plan is to teach students how to give and understand directions. We
will use both directions and characteristics to describe places. Since students are living in
Michigan, it is also important that they can use cardinal directions to describe the state of
Michigan in North America and in the United States. This also helps that learn about other places
in our surrounding area.

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1. KUDs: The road map:

GLCE (coding and
wording); Verb(s)
underlined; type
of learning:
Knowledge, Skill,
Reasoning,
Product
Knowledge (K)

3-G1.01 Use cardinal directions (north, south, east, west), scale, and key or legend
to describe the relative location and characteristics of major places in the
immediate environment.

Students will know

how to give
directions

Students will
understand the
purpose of
accurate directions

Students will know

how to give
directions of
where Michigan is
located

Students will
understand why
knowing the
location of where
they live is so
important

Understand (U)

DO:
Demonstration of
Learning (DOL)

Vocabulary

I Can

Students will
North, East, South, I can describe
describe the location West, Key, Legend, the location of
and characteristics
Cardinal
things around
of something in the
Directions,
me
classroom by
Characteristics
creating a map and
description
GLCE (coding and 3-G.0.3 Use maps and cardinal directions to describe Michigans location in the
wording); Verb(s) United States and in North America.
underlined; type
of learning:
Knowledge, Skill,
Reasoning,
Product
Knowledge (K)
Understand (U)
DO:
Vocabulary
I Can
Demonstration of
Learning (DOL)

Lesson 1: Vocabulary
Lesson

Students will be able

to give complete a
worksheet giving
people from
different states
directions to
Michigan

North, East, South,

West

I can describe
the location of
Michigan

Resources Needed

Step 1
Theres a Map on My Lap!: All About Maps by Tish Rabe
Teacher will read the
book Theres a Map on My
Lap!: All About Maps by
Tish Rabe
Step 2 & 3
Attachment A

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Students will complete
attachment A in groups for
each of the following
vocabulary terms: North,
East, South, West, Key,
Legend, Cardinal
Directions, Characteristics

Step 4
Students will individually
create whatever foldable
that they want in order to
help them remember the
vocabulary words

Paper
Glue
Scissors
Markers

Step 5
Each group will be given a
different map. The groups
are asked to come up with
a different way to explain
or use each vocabulary
term in reference to their
map. The groups are then
asked to come up and
share their favorite
vocabulary term using
their map.

Maps from:
http://nationalgeographic.org/education/map-skills-elementarystudents/

Step 6
Games from:
Allow students time to
http://interactivesites.weebly.com/maps--direction.html
choose different map
Internet access
vocabulary games and play
them.

Resource Attachments, labeled A, for the lesson above.

Lesson 2: Exploring Map features and
characteristics of a place

Resources needed

Lessons:
Anticipatory Set: The teacher explores a
place on the map, using google earth. The
teacher makes sure to include the
vocabulary words from the previous day in
the conversation. Then, the teacher digs

Map from:
http://www.google.com/earth
Characteristics of that place from:
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/

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deeper into that place and describes its
characteristics by using Google Arts &
Culture. Use resource B.
Modeling: Then, the teacher pulls up a
map of the town that the school is in so
that everyone can see it. The teacher
chooses the school and describes both
where the school is located and what the
characteristics of the school are.
Guided Practice: Students break up into
groups and choose a place in the city. They
choose one place in town and draw a map
of that place. Together, each group
describes the characteristics of the place
they have chosen in front of the class.
Independent practice: Students
independently create a map key for their
groups map.
Checking for Understanding: Teacher
walks around during group time and
observes how students are working.
Teacher should address any
misunderstandings that the students have.

Supplies:
Paper
Markers
Way to display internet sites for students to all
see at once

Assessment: Each student turns in their map key at the end of class.
Rubric: (3) Students use correct symbols and vocabulary. The key makes sense for the map
that their group created. (2) Students use most vocabulary correctly and the key makes sense
for the map that their group created. (1) The vocabulary is not used correctly by the student
and their key does not make sense for the map that was created by their group.
Resource Attachments, labeled B, for the lesson above.
Lesson 3: Making maps of the classroom

Resources needed

Anticipatory Set: The teacher will read The Once Upon a

Time Map Book by B.G. Hennessy.
Modeling: Teacher shows outline of a map that they made of
the classroom to the students. Resource B is a good example
of the outline of a classroom map.
Guided Practice: Together, the teacher and students
correctly label the teachers map and create a map key to use
with it. The teacher makes sure to explain to students which
way North, East, South, and West is in the classroom.
Independent practice: Students create their own maps of
the classroom, complete with key and compass rose.

The Once Upon a Time Map

Book by B.G. Hennessy
Paper
Coloring supplies

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Checking for Understanding: Teacher walks around during
lesson and checks for student understanding and answers
any questions.
Assessment: The students will be asked to describe the teachers desk within the classroom.
They will be asked to give directions from the classroom door to the teachers desk using
cardinal directions, and asked to describe the characteristics of the desk. Use Resource C.
Rubric: (3) The student has correctly explained the location and characteristics of the
teachers desk. (2) The student has correctly explained either the location or the
characteristics of the teachers desk. (1) The student has not explained the location or the
characteristics of the desk appropriately.
Resource Attachments, labeled C and D, for the lesson above.
Lesson 4: Mapping Michigan
(Lesson modified from
http://nationalgeographic.org/activity/m
apping-your-state/ )
Anticipatory Set: Teacher shows students
the video from the resources section.
Modeling: As a class, discuss tourism and
how is keeps Michigans economy strong. Also
talk about what tourists would want to see
when they visit Michigan.
Guided Practice: In small groups, have
students research specific features of
Michigans history. Come together as a class
once the groups have finished and choose
symbols for each feature as a class. Have
students return to their groups and add
information to their maps using the symbols
and colors that the class decided on.
Independent practice: Have students create
a map for a different state using the same
method as they practiced in class.
Checking for Understanding: Pay attention
to specific student contributions to the class
discussions.

Resources needed

Pure Michigan Statewide Singalong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMtE4L
WmAtM
Michigan Map from:
http://nationalgeographic.org/topics/mapma
ker-kits/

Assessment: Collect the maps that the students make independently of a different state.
Rubric: (3) Student accurately labeled their map. (2) Some of the students labels were
correct. (1) Student did not label their map correctly.

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Lesson 5: Describing Michigans Location

Resources needed

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should use Google Earth to

guide students in finding North America on the map of the
world, The U.S.A. on the map of North America, and Michigan
on the map of The U.S.A. The teacher then will teach the
students the Cardinal Directions poem, perhaps to a catchy
tune. Use Resource E.
Modeling: The teacher will put out a giant floor map of the
United States. Using the Cardinal Directions poem, the teacher
will move around the map describing the Cardinal Directions.
Guided Practice: Together as a class, the students will all
repeat the poem and move around the map. Then, in groups,
the students will work together to label as many states as
they can on a blank map. Use Resource F.
Independent practice: Students are able to use the giant
floor map for this assignment. They are asked to describe
Michigan in four different ways in reference to different
states in the U.S.A. Use Resource G.
Checking for Understanding: The teacher will observe the
way that the students are moving around on the map during
the poem.

Access the Google Earth

Floor map of the United States
Cardinal Directions poem
(resource E)
Resource F
Resource G

Assessment: The students will be asked to turn in Resource G.

Resource Attachments, labeled E, F, G, for the lesson above.

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Resource A
What I think it means:

Picture of what I think it is:

Definition in my own words:

Examples:

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1.

2.
3.

4.

Resource B
Using Google Earth, show students a map of the location of the Eiffel Tower. Describe its
location.
a. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris, France
b. The Eiffel Tower is North of Vanves
c. The Eiffel Tower is close to La Seine
d. The Eiffel Tower is South East of Ireland
Using https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/search?q=eiffel%20tower explore
pictures and facts about the Eiffel Tower.
Using https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/streetview/toureiffel/sAHt5Gv4YGH84Q?sv_lng=2.2946970061325373&sv_lat=48.85816565109427&sv
_h=137&sv_p=0&sv_pid=Pe03wIAND2EexK9lTcxm0w&sv_z=1 explore the view from the
top of the Eiffel Tower
Describe the characteristics of the Eiffel Tower.
a. The Eiffel Tower is large
b. The Eiffel Tower is made of metal
c. The Eiffel Tower is on concrete, surrounded by a grassy field, and close to a river.

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Resource C

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Resource D
1. If a visitor walked into the classroom, how would you describe how to get to the teachers
desk? Make sure to use cardinal directions!

2. What if the visitor couldnt find the teachers desk using only your directions? How would
you describe the characteristics of the desk to help them find it?

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Resource E

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Resource F

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Works Cited
Google Arts & Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2016, from
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/
Google Earth. (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2016, from http://earth.google.com/
Hennessy, B. G., & Joyce, P. (2004). The Once Upon a Time Map Book. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick
Press.
Map Skills for Elementary Students. (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2016, from
http://nationalgeographic.org/education/map-skills-elementary-students/
Maps & Direction. (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2016, from
http://interactivesites.weebly.com/maps--direction.html
Philip, N. (2005). The Cardinal Directions. Idbury: Unknown Guest.
Rabe, T., & Ruiz, A. (2002). There's a map on my lap! New York: Random House.
S. (2012). Pure Michigan Statewide Singalong. Retrieved December 03, 2016, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMtE4LWmAtM
Society, N. G. (n.d.). MapMaker Kits. Retrieved December 03, 2016, from
http://nationalgeographic.org/topics/mapmaker-kits/
Society, N. G. (2015). Mapping Your State. Retrieved December 03, 2016, from
http://nationalgeographic.org/activity/mapping-your-state/
Zike, Dinah (2000) Foldables. New York, NY: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill