HASS · Year 2 · People and Places Around Us · Term 4

Creating a Map of Our School

Students will work collaboratively to create a simple map of their school grounds, incorporating symbols and cardinal directions.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS2S03
• AC9HASS2K04

About This Topic

Creating a Map of Our School guides Year 2 students to represent their school grounds using symbols and cardinal directions. They identify key features like playgrounds, classrooms, and paths, then choose simple symbols to show them clearly. Adding north arrows helps orient the map, making it useful for navigation. This aligns with AC9HASS2S03 for creating place representations and AC9HASS2K04 for recognising place features and spatial information.

In HASS, this topic builds foundational spatial skills for understanding community environments. Students discuss what makes a map accurate and practical, practicing collaboration and decision-making. They learn maps communicate location and purpose, connecting to everyday tasks like finding the canteen or office.

Active learning suits this topic perfectly. When students walk the grounds, sketch features firsthand, and negotiate symbols in groups, they grasp conventions through direct experience. Building a shared map fosters ownership and corrects errors naturally, making concepts stick.

Key Questions

1. What important features of our school grounds need to be shown on a map to make it useful?
2. How would you choose the best symbols to represent the different parts of our school on a map?
3. How can our class work together to create an accurate and clear map of the school?

Learning Objectives

• Design a key with symbols to represent at least five distinct features of the school grounds.
• Construct a map of the school grounds that includes a north arrow and at least three cardinal directions.
• Evaluate the clarity and accuracy of a peer's map by identifying missing features or unclear symbols.
• Collaborate with peers to synthesize individual map elements into a single, unified class map.

Before You Start

Identifying Common Objects and Places

Why: Students need to be able to recognize and name common objects and places within their school environment before they can represent them spatially.

Basic Shapes and Drawing

Why: The ability to draw simple shapes is fundamental for creating symbols and sketching the layout of the school grounds.

Key Vocabulary

Symbol	A small picture or shape used on a map to represent a real object or place, like a tree or a building.
Cardinal Directions	The four main points on a compass: North, South, East, and West, used to show direction on a map.
Key	A list on a map that explains what each symbol stands for, also called a legend.
Feature	An important or noticeable part of the school grounds, such as the playground, the main entrance, or a garden.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Maps show places exactly as they look, with everything the same size.

What to Teach Instead

Maps use symbols and scale to represent relative positions, not photos. Walking the grounds and sketching helps students compare real sizes to map versions. Group assembly reveals why conventions matter for clarity.

Common Misconception

Symbols can be any drawing; they do not need to be agreed upon.

What to Teach Instead

Standard symbols ensure everyone understands the map. Pair design and class voting activities show the value of consensus. Sharing maps for navigation reinforces clear communication.

Common Misconception

Cardinal directions point the same way everywhere on a map.

What to Teach Instead

Maps have an orientation arrow to show north consistently. Hands-on hunts using the map correct confusion by linking directions to real paths. Peer teaching during reviews solidifies this.

Active Learning Ideas

Field Walk: Grounds Exploration

Take the class on a 10-minute walk around school grounds. Give each student a clipboard to sketch 4-5 features and note directions from a starting point. Regroup to share and list all features identified.

30 min·Whole Class

Pairs: Symbol Design Challenge

In pairs, students draw 8 symbols for common school features like swings or library. Pairs present one symbol per feature; class votes on favourites. Compile symbols into a class key.

25 min·Pairs

Small Groups: Map Assembly

Divide large paper into school sections. Each group adds their section with symbols, labels, and direction arrows. Connect sections and add title, key, and scale bar.

45 min·Small Groups

Individual: Map Navigation Hunt

Students use the class map to follow directions to 5 hidden items around school. Record findings and check against map. Discuss any confusions as a class.

20 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Urban planners use maps and symbols to design new neighborhoods, showing where parks, roads, and buildings will be located for people to navigate easily.
• Cartographers, mapmakers, create detailed maps for hikers and emergency services, using specific symbols for trails, water sources, and hazards to ensure safety and efficient travel.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Give each student a small piece of paper. Ask them to draw one symbol for a school feature (e.g., a tree, a door) and write its name. Then, ask them to write one sentence explaining why a key is important for a map.

Quick Check

As students work in groups, circulate and ask them to point to the north arrow on their developing map. Ask: 'How do you know which way is north?' Observe their ability to identify and explain the orientation.

Peer Assessment

After initial map creation, have students swap their individual sketches with a partner. Prompt them: 'Look at your partner's map. Can you find the library? Is the symbol clear? Is there anything missing?' Students share one positive comment and one suggestion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you introduce cardinal directions for Year 2 map making?

Start with a simple compass rose on the board, linking north to classroom windows or playground views. Practice with body turns: face north, then east. During field walks, use verbal cues like 'turn right to south' to buildings. Reinforce with map hunts where students follow directions to features. This builds intuitive spatial sense over sessions.

What key features should Year 2 students include on a school map?

Prioritise familiar, useful spots: classrooms, toilets, oval, library, office, and paths. Let students vote on additions via class discussion to ensure relevance. Include symbols, north arrow, title, and key. This makes the map practical for daily use and teaches purposeful representation.

How to ensure collaboration in creating a class school map?

Assign roles like sketcher, symbol placer, and labeler in groups. Rotate roles for fairness. Use a shared large paper map where groups contribute sections, then review together. Address disagreements through voting or teacher mediation. Display the final map for ongoing feedback.

How can active learning improve understanding of maps in HASS?

Active approaches like school walks, symbol brainstorming in pairs, and group map building let students experience spatial concepts directly. They touch features, negotiate representations, and test maps in hunts, turning abstract ideas into personal knowledge. This boosts retention, corrects misconceptions through trial, and increases engagement via ownership of the class product.