My Place on the Map
How has our local area changed over time? Look at old maps and photographs to see the story of our streets and fields.
TL;DR:Turn your pupils into local time-travellers with this engaging topic. Using historical maps as their guide, they will uncover the hidden stories of the very streets and fields they see every day.
About This Topic
This topic aligns directly with the 'Local Studies' strand unit of the SESE History Curriculum for 5th Class. It provides an excellent opportunity for pupils to work as historians, developing key skills such as using evidence, understanding change and continuity, and acquiring a sense of time and place. By engaging with primary sources like historical maps and photographs from their own locality, pupils can connect abstract historical concepts to their tangible, everyday environment. The focus is not just on identifying changes, but on fostering curiosity and critical thinking about the causes and consequences of these developments, such as population growth, new infrastructure, or economic shifts.
The investigation into their own area makes history personal and relevant. It encourages pupils to see their streets, fields, and buildings as part of a longer story. This topic integrates well with Geography, particularly map-reading skills under the 'Human Environments' strand, and with oral language skills as pupils discuss their findings and interview community members. The ultimate goal is to empower pupils to read their local landscape and understand the layers of history that have shaped it.
Key Questions
- Compare an old map of our local area with a modern one.
- Identify three significant changes you can see between the maps.
- Explain why you think these changes happened over time.
Learning Objectives
- Compare and contrast historical and contemporary maps of their locality.
- Identify at least three significant examples of change and continuity in their local area.
- Analyse evidence from maps and photographs to infer reasons for historical change.
- Use key historical and geographical vocabulary to describe their findings.
- Communicate the story of their local area's development over time.
Key Vocabulary
| Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) | The national mapping agency for Ireland, which has been creating detailed maps for over 200 years. |
| Legend / Key | A box on a map that explains what the different symbols and colours mean. |
| Scale | The relationship between a distance on a map and the actual distance on the ground. |
| Landmark | A recognisable natural or man-made feature used for navigation or identification, like a church spire or a large hill. |
| Continuity | The things that have stayed the same over a long period of time. |
| Townland | A small geographical division of land used in Ireland, often with a name that gives clues to its history. |
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionOld maps are just wrong or badly drawn.
What to Teach Instead
Old maps were accurate for their time. They are a snapshot of what the area looked like in the past. The differences we see are because the place itself has changed, not because the map-maker made a mistake.
Common MisconceptionNothing important ever happened in our town/village.
What to Teach Instead
Every place has a history. The story of a new road, a closed-down factory, or fields turning into houses are all important parts of our local history that tell us how our community has grown and changed.
Common MisconceptionThe past is completely gone and has no effect on today.
What to Teach Instead
The past is all around us. The layout of our streets, the names of places, and the old buildings we still see are all echoes of the past that shape how we live today.
Active Learning Ideas
See all activities→Experiential Learning
Map Detectives
In pairs, pupils compare a historical Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) map of their area with a current digital map. They use a worksheet to identify and circle key differences, such as new housing estates, roads, or the disappearance of old buildings.
Experiential Learning
Then and Now Photo Tour
Using archived photos of local landmarks, pupils work in small groups to find the same locations on Google Street View or by taking new photos. They then present two to three key changes they observed between the old and new images.
Experiential Learning
Living History Interview
Pupils prepare a short list of questions and interview an older family or community member about the changes they have seen in the local area. This brings a personal, oral history element to their map-based research.
Real-World Connections
- Understanding local planning applications and how decisions are made about future developments in the community.
- Appreciating local heritage and the importance of preserving historic buildings and natural landscapes.
- Using map-reading skills for practical purposes like hiking, navigating a new city, or understanding news reports.
- Developing a stronger sense of belonging and connection to their own community by understanding its story.
- Recognising how their own family's story fits into the wider history of the place they live.
Assessment Ideas
Teacher observation during pair work, listening for pupils' ability to identify changes and use map-related vocabulary in their discussions.
Pupils create a 'Then and Now' poster or a short digital presentation. They must show a location on an old map and a new map, list three changes, and write a paragraph explaining why they think those changes happened.
Pupils use a 'Two Stars and a Wish' reflection sheet to identify two things they did well in their investigation and one thing they would like to find out more about.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can we find old maps of our specific area?
What if our school is in a very new housing estate?
How can we know for sure why the changes happened?
Planning templates for History
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
Unit PlannerThematic Unit
Organize a multi-week unit around a central theme or essential question that cuts across topics, texts, and disciplines, helping students see connections and build deeper understanding.
RubricSingle-Point Rubric
Build a single-point rubric that defines only the "meets standard" level, leaving space for teachers to document what exceeded and what fell short. Simple to create, easy for students to understand.
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