K-2 Resources in Maps101

Dear Educators,

Maps101 is an appropriate resource for all grade levels, K-12. This week, we are focusing on content that is especially beneficial to students from kindergarten through second grade. Of course, students in upper elementary may also benefit from these resources as well. We strive to create content that teachers can level up or level down as needed, to fit the wide variety of learning levels within grades.

The link below will directly take you to the K-2 Field Trip Collection. There you will find additional Field Trips for this age group, such as “Parks Are Fun” and “All About Maps.” K-2 students should be able to read these with minimal help.

The Early Learner Collection has even more Field Trips for elementary students. This collection features engaging topics, such as fossils, monarch butterflies, life under the sea, and more. 

Note that you should preview these Field Trips to ensure they are level-appropriate for your learners. Even kindergarten students can enjoy the images, however. Some K-2 students will be able to read the information, but most can participate if the content is read aloud. Field Trips are especially stunning projected on a board. You can show students how the images relate to the provided map.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES USING
THIS WEEK’S MAPS101 CONTENT: 

Listing Use the “My Country” Field Trip to have students identify the topics discussed. They should create a list of the titles of each slide in the bottom channel. Explain to students that these titles help explain what they will be learning about. Then, conduct a classroom vote of which topic from the list students are most interested in. Encourage students to draw an example of their favorite topic. Display student drawings in class.

Illustrating Have students review the My Neighborhood map. Using it as an example, have students draw maps of the neighborhood where your school is located. If necessary and able, take a quick outdoor walk around the school and encourage students to point out landmarks to include on their maps.

Identifying After reading the “Community Helpers” GNN Junior article, encourage students to identify other community helpers in your area. Make sure students understand what jobs these people do and how they benefit the community.