Follow That Map!: A First Look at Mapping Skills written & illustrated by Scot Ritchie, is a great introduction on how to use a map.
Follow That Map starts off with a getting started page. It gives kid friendly examples and definitions of different parts of a map from a compass rose to a legend. “The compass rose on a map will always point north. Some compass roses show all four cardinal directions-north, south, east, west.” Sally and her friends notice that her cat and dog are missing. They decide to find them. They use different types of maps to go searching for the missing pets. Each map focuses on a different part of a map. They start off using a map of the park, proceed to use a trail, city, and a country map. It even incorporates a look at a weather map, treasure map, and topographical map. “A topographical map shows the natural features of the landscape. You can use this kind of map to find rolling hills, low-lying lakes, or high mountains.” It even includes steps on how to create your own map.
Curriculum Connections
Follow That Map is a great resource when you are studying maps. It incorporates different symbols, and gives students a look at different types of maps. It is connected to VA SOL Social Studies Geography 1.4(a) & (b). The student will develop map skills by a.) recognizing basic map skills, including refernces to land water, cities, and roads; b.) using cardinal directions on maps.
Additional Resources
- Getting to Know Your City: An Introduction to Map Skills is a lesson plan that has a couple of different ideas to help students with their map skills.
- Determining Direction with a Map is an activity that students can do on the computer using their map skills.
- Using this Daisy worksheet, students will practice following directions and finding grid coordinates.
- The Key’s the Key is a song students can learn about the importance of the key on a map.
- Students can use Google Earth to see a bird’s eye view of their house using Compass Rose Google Earth.
General Information
Book: Follow that Map!: A First Look at Mapping Skills
Author:Scot Ritchie
Illustrator: Scot Ritchie
Publisher:Kids Can Press, Limited
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 32 pages
Grade Range: 1-5
ISBN: 9781554532742