Direction and Location By Shannon Knight Year 2

Students having issues with directions? Are your students having trouble with directions, location and interpreting maps? Well look no further. Here is a resource package created specifically by a pre-service teacher to meet these needs of year 2 students.

The issue Students dont know directions and can’t interpret maps In the early years of a child’s life they are exposed to language, taught and guided by their family and society. This allows opportunities for words to be misused. The mathematical learning issue that has been identified is that learners are misusing mathematical terms, concepts and language. This is most evident in the early schooling years, and if it’s not taught correctly, students will have much difficulty in their senior years. In year 2 students learn to interpret maps and follow directions to arrive at certain locations and/or positions. Therefore, it is critical that students learn and understand the correct terms associated with directions, locations, maps and positions, as well as their correct meanings.

Direction and Location Resource pack This resource package is alligned with the Australian Curriculum, and has been designed to meet the standards needed to be achieved by the learners. The content descriptor taken from the Australian curriculum (2014) « interpret simple maps of familiar locations and identify the relative positions of key features (ACMMG044), » has been used as the foundation for this resource pack. This content descirptor has been taken from the ‘Measurement and Geometry strand.’

So why use this resource pack? Booker, Bond, Sparrow & Swan (2010, p. 465) say that “children need to be introduced to and use everyday words for positions such as behind, in front, next to, and on top of.” This is why there are posters, flash cards and hand-outs incorporating these words, plus many more. By having them as posters students can create a class word wall, then they are there, clearly visible, available for all students to use. Siemon et al. (2011, p. 465) suggest that in the classroom the story book We’re going on a bear hunt could be an effect tool as students can identify words associated with direction and location. This hasn’t been incorporated in my resource package, however, it would be an excellent tool to add. Booker et al. (2010) suggest an activity that involves students to have a 100’s board, and students need to devise routes from one number to another using directional language. Here came the idea of activity 1 and 2; where students are using directional language to devise routes and follow instructions. Booker et al. (2010, p. 467) continue to say that “not only can there be connections to other areas of mathematics such as number, there are also connections within geometry strands.”

Siemon et al. (2011, p. 178) continues and says “the ability to read and interpret maps is an essential part of being numerate.” Siemon et al. (2011, p. 178) also explains that “when students use maps they are developing the numeracy skills associated with the use of scale, coordinate grid references, and reading and interpreting keys and legends.” Activity 3 requires students to look at a simple map of a town and follow the teachers’ directional language. This map is designed to be provided to the students, for the reason that when students are asked to draw their own map often their home is the first thing they draw and this is central and enlarged on the page (Booker et al., 2010). Or students may draw the side view of some objects and a bird’s eye view of other objects (Booker et al., 2010). Therefore, by providing students with the map they are able to see what a map should look like. This will then prepare them for the additional formative assessment task.

Diverse means different (Dictionary, 2014) Diverse means different (Dictionary, 2014). Therefore, diverse learners are learners who simply learn a different way from the normal standard classroom approach (Siemon et al., 2011). Many students have trouble and “hate maths” simply because of the students and teachers own beliefs, socio economic status, the type of mathematic activities presented, and structures and grouping. All of these factors can impact on ones feeling towards mathematics. In the classroom the curriculum needs to be diversified by altering the activities to suit different levels of learning, the activity should not be changed completely. Siemon et al. (2011, p. 145) agrees by stating “we consider approaches to planning that enable all learners to engage in mathematics lessons, experiencing the same tasks and joining in the mathematics conversation of the classroom.” It is important to have all students engaged in the one activity, but at different levels. “Teaching for diverse learners is just good teaching” (Siemon et al., 2011, p. 149). We need to cater for gender difference, talented learners, hearing, vision and other sensory impairments and learning disabilities.

Siemon et al. (2011) continues to explain the important of concluding the lesson, by saying how crucial it is that students are given the opportunity at the end of the lesson to reflect on what has been learnt. In the resource package is an explicit lesson template and also a PowerPoint slide template. On both of these templates are sections where the teacher can plan for a ‘reflect and review’ activity at the conclusion of the lesson. The activities in the resource pack have been designed to cater for all students who are experiencing this learning issue. Activity 1 (Dice Moves) can be altered by only using two dice and by making the grid a lot smaller. Here the students are still dong the exact same activity, however, it has just been modified. Activity 2 (Barrier) can be modified by using more simple images, or letting the students see the image for 10 seconds or so before starting. Activity 3 (Town Map), the town map itself can be altered by making it a lot more simple and less complex, the teacher can also demonstrate the directions on the whiteboard. The formative assessment task is already set to be interpreted by the student’s level of learning. In saying that, the teacher can sit with the diverse learners and provide extra assistance.

Direction and Location Resource pack

What is in the Resource pack? 12 sets of picture cards for the ‘Barrier’ activity, and seven sets of ‘Die Moves’ activity sheet Dice, magnets, film clips, songs, image cards Maps Flash Cards Posters Blank templates to allow for customisation, class set of map templates (different themes)

What is in the Resource pack? Cont. 7 sets! Enough to have six groups Each dice represents a different direction. Students roll the dice, the number showing is the number of places they move, then depending on what coloured dice they just used to roll, depends on what direction they move. Activity 1 – Dice Moves

What is in the Resource pack? Cont. Students work in pairs. The aim is for students A to describe their image card as best as possible using directions only. Student B has to draw what student A is describing to them. Students are not aloud to see each others work until student B is finished. Activity 2 - Barrier 12 sets! And each set contains 4 cards.

What is in the Resource pack? Cont. Each student is given a copy of the ‘Town Map’ sheet. The teacher reads out a set of directional instructions using directional and location language. Students are to follow along and find/navigate their way on the map. This can also be used as a pairs or groups activity, or as a test. A class set = One per students! Activity 3 – My Town Map

What is in the Resource pack? Cont. This task requires students to create their own map and write their own directions from point A to point B. Their map can be of any theme, such as a pirate map, a map of a town etc. Students are to decorate their map, make if colourful and presentable. A variety of themes. And a class set! Assessment Task

Additional (digital) Resources Here are a number of digital resources that can be used in conjunction with the physical resources in the pack. The pedagogical approach to these resources is up the techer. They can be used as part of a lesson, as a fast finishers activity, a fun activity at the end of the lesson or a task to complete in the morning before school. 1) YouTube clip – song about directions (Dream English Kids, 2011) http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Vgyer0IauyQ

Additional Resources cont. 2) “The Direction Song” (ESL KidsStuff, 2013) http://www.eslkidstuff.com /blog/songs/the-directions-song#sthash.ioTjhwD1.dpbs

Additional Resources cont. 3) Study Ladder games (Study Ladder, 2013) http://www.studyladder.com.au/resources/teacher/mathematics?section=44

Additional Resources cont. 4) Interactive game – Welcome to Adventure Island (National Geographic Education, 1996-2014) http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/multimedia/interactive/maps-tools-adventure-island/kd/?ar_a=3

Additional Resources cont. 5) Interactive directional games (TSL Education, 2011) http://www.iboard.co.uk/activities/path/understanding-shape-and-space_position-and-direction/subject/maths

(Pinterest, 2011)

References Australian, Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2014). Mathematics. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/mathematics/Curriculum/F-10#level2 Booker, G., Bond, D., Sparrow, L., & Swan, P. (2010). Teaching primary mathematics. French Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia. Dictionary. (2014). Diverse. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diverse?s=t Dream English Kids. (2011, Sep 14). Move left! Directions song for kids [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgyer0IauyQ ESL KidsStuff. (2013). The directions song. Retrieved from http://www.eslkidstuff.com/blog/songs/the-directions-song#sthash.ioTjhwD1.dpbs National Geographic Education. (1996-2014). Adventure Land. Retrieved from http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/multimedia/interactive/maps-tools-adventure-island/kd/?ar_a=3 Pinterest. (2011). Our education system. Retrieved from http://www.pinterest.com/pin/306104105893602249/ Siemon, D., Beswick, K., Brady, K., Clark, J., Faragher, R. & Warren, E. (2011). Teaching Mathematics: Foundations to middle years. Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press. Study Ladder. (2013). Location and transformation – interpret simple maps. Retrieved from http://www.studyladder.com.au/resources/teacher/mathematics?section=44 TSL Education. (2011). Activity finder. Retrieved from http://www.iboard.co.uk/activities/path/understanding-shape-and-space_position-and-direction/subject/maths Zipf, R. (2014). Professional Responsibilities [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-courses, EDCU11022 Numeracy in Action, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au