Educational Activities The Winnipeg School Division No. 1
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Social Studies Map Creation

(Originally from the Inner City Technology Goals Document – June 1997)
(adapted from: Mapping Skills Level 3-Manitoba Dept. of Education '82)

Description:

Using Paintbrush or another drawing program, student follow instructions to create a map on the computer. 

SocialStudies: Yes

TypeLessonPlan: Lesson Plan - 1 class

TechnologySkills: Drawing skills using a computer

SoftwareUsed: Paintbrush

EarlyYears: 

MiddleYears: Yes

S1-S4:

SpecificGrade:
5

Submittedby: Glenn Doncaster

E-mail: gdoncast@minet.gov.mb.ca

Details:

Preparation: No preparation is required for this lesson other than to have a list of instructions that you will read to the students. A sample is on the reverse side of this page.

Activity: Have the students start Paintbrush or other drawing program. Read each of the instructions one at a time to the students. Give them time after each instruction to draw what you have said on the computer. Be sure that they include a legend. After all the instructions have been read and the students are finished drawing put the students in small groups. Give each group a copy of the instructions. The students can then check each other’s drawings on the computer screen or on a print out.

Extensions: (Literature Links, Further Explorations, etc.)
Have the students create sets of instructions that they can then use to challenge other students or groups of students.

Make the exercise a treasure map challenge. Tell the students that an old pirate gave you the instructions verbally and now you want them to create the map. Without telling the students, the instructions could be of the school yard, with an actual "treasure" awaiting those who discover this secret.

Gold, foil covered chocolate loonies are a good treasure.

Sample Output from Students

North



Draw a paved highway diagonally on your paper from NE to SW. Draw a railway parallel to the highway on the north side. Draw a river across the centre of the page beneath the railway at a bridge and beneath the highway at a bridge to a lake which has part of its shoreline in the East. There is a marshy area where the river enters the lake. Near the highway bridge just to he NE is a small community consisting of a school, a church, a post office and seven houses along the highway. A hydro line runs parallel to he highway on the south side. Draw a gravel road from the centre of the small community to the NW about halfway to the NE corner of your map. A mine is located at this position. From the mine draw a gravel road to the river and parallel to her main highway. At the point where this road reaches the river there is a historic monument.



Filename: Social Studies Creation.htm