You Are Here (InfoActive) by David Drew

You Are Here (Grades K–3)

by David Drew illustrated by Chantal Stewart

Grade level K–3

Visual literacy

Maps with key and scale: to locate items and places, to estimate distances, to practice map skills such as use of scale and compass rose

Map symbols and environmental print: to match street signs with map symbols such as

no exit

Map conventions: such as a scale, a key (or legend), and a compass rose (to show north)

Subject areas

English/Language Arts

Matching symbols in maps to the words they stand for

Using map vocabulary and language (expressing distance and direction)

Science/Technology

Differences between wild and domestic animals

Social studies

Shelter, protection, food and care for animals

Safety on field trips

Awareness of others; appreciation of differences

Mathematics

Estimating distances on a map using a scale

Estimating longer and shorter journeys on a map

Learning strategies

This puzzle-game activity establishes the key skills of map reading, and generates discussion and writing about zoo animals. The book can also be used in preparation for a zoo field trip.

Sample pages

Each spread in the book shows the zoo map, with a different problem to solve.

Map

Roll your mouse over the map and you can see the next slide in the OnScreen Book. The arrow moves to show where the tigers are, and sets a new question.

To see enlarged map click here.

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Key (or legend)

Roll your mouse over the image to see the answer. In the Slide Show, the answer is revealed by pressing the space bar on your computer keyboard.

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Ideas to get you started

On the first reading simply play the game of locating the animals.

When you reach slide 11 , point out the key. Ask children to find examples in the map of each item in the key.

Invent puzzles to solve using the key, such as:

I am an animal starting with P. I'm north of the seal and east of the camel. What am I? (Peacock)

Find two ways to the alligators. Which is the shortest way?

Go on a walk around the school's neighborhood and sketch (or take digital photos of) the local street signs. Display these sketches or photos in the classroom. Children draw a map of their local streets using some of these signs. They provide a key that explains the meaning of the signs.

Why are we doing this?

Map reading and map writing are lifelong literacy skills. More about the importance of map literacy can be found here

You Are Here is available from Pearson Learning (USA).

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