Ordnance Survey Symbols and Features

Active learning helps students grasp Ordnance Survey symbols because mapping requires spatial reasoning and tactile engagement. Moving between physical stations and outdoor spaces builds memory through movement and discussion, which static worksheets cannot achieve.

• 6th Class
• Global Explorers: Our Changing World
• 4 activities
• 20 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the purpose of at least five common Ordnance Survey symbols, explaining their representation of landscape features.
2. Differentiate between natural and man-made features by classifying at least ten symbols found on an Ordnance Survey map.
3. Construct a clear and accurate legend for a provided map section, including symbol, description, and feature type.
4. Compare the visual representation of a specific feature (e.g., a river) across different map scales using Ordnance Survey symbols.
5. Identify the real-world location or object corresponding to at least eight different Ordnance Survey symbols on a given map.

Stations Rotation

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Symbol Identification Stations

Prepare four stations with OS map snippets, symbol glossaries, feature photos, and blank legends. Groups match symbols to images, explain purposes, and add to legends. Rotate every 10 minutes, then share one insight per group.

Prepare & details

Analyze the meaning and purpose of various Ordnance Survey map symbols.

Facilitation Tip: While students work at Symbol Identification Stations, circulate with a checklist to note which symbols they confuse most often, so you can address these during the next whole-class discussion.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Stations Rotation

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Outdoor Hunt: Feature Symbol Scavenger

Provide laminated OS symbol sheets and clipboards. Pairs search school grounds for matches like paths or trees, sketch or photo evidence, and note natural versus man-made. Debrief with class map overlay.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between natural and man-made features represented on a map.

Facilitation Tip: During the Outdoor Hunt, pair students with different strengths—one strong reader to interpret symbols and one confident navigator to locate features.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Collaborative Problem-Solving

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Collaborative Problem-Solving: Custom Legend Challenge

Distribute local OS map excerpts. Small groups list 10 features, draw symbols, create a color-coded legend, and present to class for feedback. Vote on clearest legends.

Prepare & details

Construct a legend for a given section of an Ordnance Survey map.

Facilitation Tip: For the Symbol Relay Race, set a timer and rotate teams every two minutes, so students practice rapid symbol recognition under pressure.

Setup: Groups at tables with problem materials

Materials: Problem packet, Role cards (facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, reporter), Problem-solving protocol sheet, Solution evaluation rubric

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Stations Rotation

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Symbol Relay Race

Divide class into teams. Call a feature; first student runs to board, draws OS symbol and labels natural or man-made. Next teammate adds purpose. First accurate team wins.

Prepare & details

Analyze the meaning and purpose of various Ordnance Survey map symbols.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by starting with what students already know from using Google Maps or hiking apps, then contrast digital icons with OS map symbols. Avoid overwhelming them with too many symbols at once. Research shows that spacing symbol practice across multiple sessions improves retention more than cramming, so build in time for revisiting stations over weeks.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently translating symbols into real-world features and explaining why maps use symbols instead of photographs. They should also justify their choices during group tasks and correct peers’ misconceptions with evidence from the activities.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Station Rotation: Symbol Identification Stations, watch for students who assume map symbols show features at their exact real-world size.

What to Teach Instead

Use the map’s scale alongside the station materials to prompt students to measure distances on the map versus on the ground. Ask them to explain why a symbol like a forest might cover half a map square but represent a much larger area in reality.

Common Misconception

During the Outdoor Hunt: Feature Symbol Scavenger, watch for students who believe maps include every detail of the landscape.

What to Teach Instead

Bring a printed photo of the hunt area and have students compare it to their map. Ask them to list three features in the photo that are missing from the map, then discuss why those omissions make sense for the map’s purpose.

Common Misconception

During the Collaborative: Custom Legend Challenge, watch for students who assume all hill symbols represent natural formations.

What to Teach Instead

Include photos of man-made earthworks like forts or embankments in the station materials. Ask groups to categorize symbols by origin and justify their choices using the photos as evidence.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Station Rotation: Symbol Identification Stations, provide students with a small section of an Ordnance Survey map and a list of ten symbols. Ask them to write the name of the feature each symbol represents and whether it is natural or man-made, using the symbols they practiced at the stations.

Exit Ticket

During the Outdoor Hunt: Feature Symbol Scavenger, give each student a card with a picture of a common Ordnance Survey symbol. Ask them to write: 1. The name of the symbol. 2. One real-world example of what it represents. 3. A sentence explaining why that symbol is important for map users.

Discussion Prompt

After the Collaborative: Custom Legend Challenge, present students with two different map legends for similar areas, one well-organized and one poorly organized. Ask: 'Which legend is more effective for understanding the map? Why? What specific elements make one better than the other?'

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to create a new symbol for a feature not currently on the OS legend, then present it to the class for peer feedback.
• Scaffolding: Provide students who struggle with a simplified legend sheet that groups symbols by color or shape before they tackle the full set.
• Deeper exploration: Have students compare two OS map extracts of the same area from different years to analyze how symbols and features change over time.

Key Vocabulary

Contour lines	Lines on a map that connect points of equal elevation, showing the shape and steepness of the land.
Topographic map	A detailed map that shows the physical features of a land area, including elevation, rivers, roads, and buildings.
Man-made feature	An element on a map that has been constructed or altered by humans, such as roads, buildings, or bridges.
Natural feature	An element on a map that occurs naturally in the environment, such as rivers, mountains, forests, or lakes.
Legend	A key on a map that explains the meaning of the symbols used, allowing the map reader to interpret the information.