Ticky Goes to Jr. Map School

Summary

Students will become familiar with the compass rose and North - East - South - West.

Materials

• Postcard from Antarctica
• CD of song We All Live Together
• Soggy Waffle Song (pdf)
• Utah map, World Map (pdf), globe
• Props for Soggy Waffle song
• 100's Chart (pdf)
• Bingo chips, paper, markers
• Word cards: North, East, South, and West
• Map of school neighborhood

Additional Resources

Books

• Tacky the Penguin, by Helen Lester; ISBN 0-590-99451-4
• Somewhere in the Universe, by David Drew (Harcourt Achieve Big Book, 6-pack); ISBN 076351182X
• The Nystrom Block Buddy Atlas, by Charles Nystrom; ISBN 0-7825-0657-7

Additional Media

• We All Live Together Vol. 1, #1 song We All Live Together, by Greg and Steve (www.gregandsteve.com); Item YM001C
• Marilyn Linford--Your World at a Glance (visuals and CD) marilynmlinford@yahoo.com

Background for Teachers

A compass rose shows directions on a map. A key shows symbols used on a map. A grid can help locate features on a map. Labels on maps give important information.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a positive learning attitude.
5. Understand and use basic concepts and skills.
6. Communicate clearly in oral, artistic, written, and nonverbal form.

Instructional Procedures

Invitation to Learn
Ticky the penguin, who lives in a Utah zoo, gets a postcard from his cousin Tacky, who lives in Antarctica. Tacky invited him to come to see him in Antarctica. Ticky doesn't know where that is, so he asks around and decides to go to Jr. Map School. (This little story is an original story that weaves throughout the three lessons in this section.)

Instructional Procedures

1. Sing We All Live Together by Greg and Steve with map visual aids.
2. Introduce the compass rose with the Soggy Waffle Dance (Hat--North, Glove--East, T--shirt tied around hips--South, Glove--West.) Sing Soggy Waffle Song
3. Participants write N, E, S, W on the borders of paper that will go under a 100's Chart. Teacher gives directions starting with the one square. (Move three spaces south, five spaces east, etc. and class recites new number each time in tens and ones.)

Extensions

• Use a neighborhood map (with children's pictures taped where their house is) for direction game. (Matt lives east of the school. Who else lives east of the school?) Pictures help ELL and students with special needs.
• Child with N-E-S-W hat, gloves, and T-shirt can lay down on the floor of the classroom to orient North. (Label directions on classroom walls.) Draw a classroom map on the overhead that includes a compass rose.

Physical Education

• Allow several children to try the compass rose outfit to lead the class (his/her back toward the class) in directional movements.

Family Connections

• Send home 100's Chart with directions to play N-E-S-W activity as math homework.
• For math homework, have each student draw a map of his/her bedroom, including a compass rose.
• Send home neighborhood map. Have parents help student draw walking route to school. Draw an alternate route to school from his/her home.

Assessment Plan

• Observe during the 100s Chart activity.
• Observe student interaction and skill with Places on a Map. (You will need to copy the Map Grid on 11" x 17" cardstock for this activity.)