1. Integrated Literacy Assignment
Jessica Lind

2. 2-G1.0.2
Use maps to describe the spatial organization of the local community by applying concepts including relative location and using distance, direction, and scale.

3. Books
Kat loves maps! She loves to make maps for everything. Her room, her block, her town, even her heart. When she gives Jack a map it leads to a surprise! After taking twists and turns through Trucktown and going over bridges and under tunnels, Jack finds out what it is. An art show of all of Kat's maps!
A boy and his father draw a map of key places around town, and then use it to find their way to the ice cream shop.

4. Books
Lisa and her dog, Penny, learn the basics of mapmaking in this delightful sequel to Measuring Penny Lisa's class is learning how to make maps. The teacher says they can make maps of anyplace, so Lisa starts with her bedroom. She includes all the things that people will need to read the map, such as a scale and a key to the symbols she has used.  Her dog, Penny, helps with the map. This gives Lisa an idea: Why not map Penny's world? Making maps is so much fun that Lisa and Penny decide to visit some of the exotic places that they've drawn-but they won't forget to take a map along!
Illustrated in full color. In this playful introduction to maps and geography, step by simple step, a young girl shows readers herself on a map of her room, her room on the map of her house, her house on the map of her street--all the way to her country on a map of the world. Once the reader is familiar with the maps, she demonstrates how readers can find their own country, state, and town--all the way back to their room--on each colorful map. Easy-to-read text, bright artwork, and charming details give children a lot to search for and will have them eager to help navigate on the next family vacation.  

5. Books
The Cat in the Hat introduces beginning readers to maps–the different kinds (city, state, world, topographic, temperature, terrain, etc.); their formats (flat, globe, atlas, puzzle); the tools we use to read them (symbols, scales, grids, compasses); and funny facts about the places they show us (“Michigan looks like a scarf and a mitten! Louisiana looks like a chair you can sit in!”).
Maps are about far more than getting from a to b. Maps can help children understand and explore both their everyday environment and faraway places. With an appealing search-and-find technique, Follow That Map! is an interactive picture book that explains and demonstrates key mapping concepts. Kids will enjoy following Sally and her friends as they search for Max and Ollie, a mischievous dog and cat on the lam from the backyard. Sally and friends take an imaginative trip through the neighborhood, city and country, around the world and beyond. Kids can join in the search for Max and Ollie, who are hiding somewhere in every map. An activity at the end of the book shows children how to make a map of their bedroom.
This book of maps is a visual feast for readers of all ages, with lavishly drawn illustrations from the incomparable Mizielinskis. It features not only borders, cities, rivers, and peaks, but also places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, iconic animals and plants, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with every region of our planet.

6. Lesson plan idea
Pointing North, South, East and West
I used this game to teach students the four main directions (east, west, south, north).
Simply divide the class into groups of 4 students. Tell each group that each student must choose one fixed direction (i.e the first student chooses east, other chooses north..etc). Point to one part of the room and say "This is the north".
The groups should then organize themselves so that the 'north' child is also pointing north and the other children are all in the correct positions, pointing to the correct position. The fastest group is the winner!
This game could also be extended to include north-east / south-east / north-west and south-west (with eight children in each group).
Hope you like it. My students loved it so much. They had so much fun!
Here are some suggested variations / extensions from visitors to Teaching Ideas:
They all have to stand facing me which is north. I take them through the 90 degree turns - east, south, west. We then add in NE, SE, SW and NW. Once they've got the idea we get faster and I shout out random directions. If they turn the wrong way or hesitate too long they're out and have to sit down. A great active learning activity.
A fun extension for this is to label your classroom with north, south, east, west and play "4 Corners". Teacher starts by covering her eyes and counting to 10 or to 100 by tens and students must all go to one of the four places. Teacher calls out one direction and whomever is there, is out. Those students return to their seats and watch as the game is played again. Teacher covers eyes and counts out again, students move quietly to a new direction. When only 4-6 students are left, have them try to split up to separate directions (only 1 or 2 at a place) so they won't all be knocked out at once and to determine a winner. Winner gets to count and call out directions for the next round. This is also a fun game to play to learn the four oceans. Kids love it!

7. Poetry
North East South West  Song for Learning the Cardinal Directions  Ron Brown
If you’re looking at a compass,  Globe or map. And you’re trying to find out Just where you’re at.
Here’s a little rhyme  That’ll save you time. It’s a little bit gross But I’m sure you won’t mind.
Never Eat Slimy Worms...
...Directions!

8. Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbFIhmTd3iY&feature =kp
Teacher and the Rockbots-How to Read A Map

9. Games http://www.funenglishgames.com/readinggames/directions.htm l
Map Routes & Directions Game
Check out this fun directions game. Practice following instructions while completing a number of different challenges. Read the instructions carefully and give directions in the correct order. Plot the shortest possible map routes between locations such as a park, school, café, swimming pool and skate park. Achieve the goals by clicking on sections of road and using the quickest possible route on the interactive map of the town. Learn to follow instructions, complete as many tasks as you can and have fun with this great English activity for kids.

10. Web Sites That Support the GLCE
Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD

11. Maps
Kids’ Road Atlas
Kids’ U.S. Road Atlas

12. Works Cited
Shulevitz, U. (2008). How I Learned Geography (First ed.). N.p.: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.
McGowan, K., & Richards, K. (2008). Kids' Road Atlas. Skokie, IL: Rand McNally.
McNally, R. (1992). Kids' U.S. Road Atlas. Skokie, IL: Rand McNally & Company.
Leedy, L. (2003). Mapping Penny's World. New York, NY: Square Fish.
Sweeney, J. (1998). Me on the Map. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books.
Rabe, T. (2002). There's a Map on My Lap!: All About Maps (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library). New York, NY: Random House Books for Young Readers.
Ritchie, S. (2009). Follow That Map!: A First Book of Mapping Skills. Toronto, Canada: Kids Can Press.
Mizielinska, A., & Mizielinski, D. (2013). Maps. N.p.: Big Picture Press.
Scieszka, J. (2011). Kat's Maps (Jon Scieszka's Trucktown. New York, NY: Simon Spotlight.
McKay, S. (2007). My Town (We Both Read - Level K (Quality)). San Anselmo, CA: Treasure Bay.
Mousa, S. Pointing North, South, East and West. In Teaching Ideas. Retrieved February 11, 2014, from
Brown, R. (n.d.). North East South West. In Songs For Teaching. Retrieved February 11, 2014, from
How To Read A Map. (2008, January 18). In Teacher and the Rockbots. Retrieved February 11, 2014, from
Map Routes & Directions Game. (n.d.). In Fun English Games. Retrieved February 11, 2014, from
Unit 2: Where is My Community and What is it Like There?. (n.d.). In Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD. Retrieved February 11, 2014, from