Kindergarten
Social Studies
Unit: 02
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 2 days
Kindergarten Social Studies Unit 02 Exemplar Lesson 02: Location in the School
This lesson is one approach to teaching the State Standards associated with this unit. Districts are encouraged to customize
this lesson by supplementing with district-approved resources, materials, and activities to best meet the needs of learners. The
duration for this lesson is only a recommendation, and districts may modify the time frame to meet students’ needs. To better
understand how your district may be implementing CSCOPE lessons, please contact your child’s teacher. (For your
convenience, please find linked the TEA Commissioner’s List of State Board of Education Approved Instructional Resources
and Midcycle State Adopted Instructional Materials.)
Lesson Synopsis
In this lesson, students learn how to locate places within the school. They read maps, describe relative location, and learn how
to find other places within the school community. They then practice and apply these skills.
TEKS
The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) listed below are the standards adopted by the State Board of Education,
which are required by Texas law. Any standard that has a strike-through (e.g. sample phrase) indicates that portion of the
standard is taught in a previous or subsequent unit. The TEKS are available on the Texas Education Agency website at
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148.
K.4
Geography. The student understands the concept of location. The student is expected to:
K.4B
Locate places on the school campus and describe their relative locations.
K.4C
Identify tools that aid in determining location, including maps and globes.
Social Studies Skills TEKS
K.15
Social studies skills. The student communicates in oral and visual forms. The student is expected
to:
K.15B Create and interpret visuals, including pictures and maps.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicators
Kindergarten Social Studies Unit 02 PI 02
Locate a place on a school map and explain its relative location to another location on the map.
Standard(s): K.4B , K.15B
ELPS ELPS.c.3D , ELPS.c.4F
Key Understandings
Maps help us define and find where places are located.
— How do maps help us find where places are located?
— How would you locate important places on your school campus?
— Can you describe the relative location of places and objects?
— What words can describe an object’s position?
Vocabulary of Instruction
map
location
Last Updated 04/03/13
Print Date 06/17/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
left
right
near
far
page 1 of 6 Kindergarten
Social Studies
Unit: 02
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 2 days
over
under
above
below
Materials
appropriate classroom version of the Teacher Resource: Checklist for Describing Relative Location (Sample)
Clues for Gingerbread Man hunt.
Gingerbread Man book from library (optional)
Gingerbread Man cookie(s)
school map (large map and individual student copies)
simple individual maps of the school
various maps
Attachments
All attachments associated with this lesson are referenced in the body of the lesson. Due to considerations for grading or
student assessment, attachments that are connected with Performance Indicators or serve as answer keys are available in
the district site and are not accessible on the public website.
Teacher Resource: Checklist for Describing Relative Location (Sample)
Resources
Possible, optional resources include The Gingerbread Man book(s) and Internet sites.
Advance Preparation
1. Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson, including the concept of relative location.
2. Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
3. Select appropriate books, sections of the textbook, and other classroom materials that support the learning for this
lesson.
4. Preview materials and websites according to district guidelines.
5. Plan with the cafeteria staff when and how to visit to “find” the Gingerbread Man.
6. Prepare materials and handouts as needed.
Create an appropriate classroom version of the evaluation checklist based on the Teacher Resource:
Checklist for Describing Relative Location (Sample).
Locate or create large map of the school to use in a whole group. (An enlarged version of the map posted
for emergency routes would work. Map should be large enough for details to be easily seen by students.
Locate or create a simple small map of the school on 8 ½ x 11 paper. (one copy per child)
Prepare clues for students to use to find the Gingerbread Man. (Places that could be included on the hunt:
cafeteria, library, school office, nurse’s office, computer lab, science lab, music room, art room, gym, etc.)
Bake (or purchase) a Gingerbread Man cookie.
Background Information
Relative location – the position of a place in relation to another place is its relative location, such as near or far, north or south, east, or west. All
locations are described in relation to some known point.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Teachers are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to meet the needs of learners.
These lessons are one approach to teaching the TEKS/Specificity as well as addressing the Performance Indicators associated
Last Updated 04/03/13
Print Date 06/17/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
page 2 of 6 Kindergarten
Social Studies
Unit: 02
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 2 days
with each unit. District personnel may create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab. All originally authored
lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE – Introduction to maps.
NOTE: 1 Day = 30 minutes
Suggested Day 1 - 10 minutes
1. Show samples of various maps.
Materials:
2. Ask questions such as:
Who knows what these are? (They are maps.)
What is a map? (A tool used to locate objects or places.)
3. Show a map of the school.
4. Ask questions such as:
What do you think this map shows? (Our school.)
5. Point to various locations on the map and ask questions such as:
What is this? (The front entrance.)
What is this? (The cafeteria.)
What is this? (The library.)
various maps
school map (large version)
Gingerbread Man book from library
(optional)
Purpose:
To introduce maps to students.
TEKS: K4B; K15B
Instructional Note:
To find an online version of the Gingerbread Man,
conduct an internet search for “gingerbread man story.”
Center Ideas:
Provide online and hard copy versions of The
Gingerbread Man for students to use. Connect the story
to ELA and Science learning through the use of other
resources. Also provide books of other folktales.
6. Continue questioning until students become familiar with the layout of
the school as depicted on the map. Make sure to point out major
locations in the school, such as principal’s office, bus drop­off, flagpole,
restrooms, gym, playground, etc.
7. To review the location terminology from the last lesson, ask questions
that will guide their use of those terms, such as:
Where is our principal’s office on this map?
What is near the principal’s office?
Where is our classroom? How would we go from our
classroom to the principal’s office? Guide students to use
location vocabulary from previous lesson.
8. Read the story, “The Gingerbread Man.”
9. Tell students the Gingerbread Man is hiding somewhere in the school
and they must use the map to find him.
EXPLORE – Find the Gingerbread Man
Suggested Day 1 (cont’d) ­ 20 minutes
1. Give students the first clue.
Materials:
2. Students look at the map and find where the clue tells them to go.
3. Take the map on the hunt.
4. When students find the next clue, guide students to look at the map
and locate the next place (Places that could be included on the hunt:
cafeteria, library, school office, nurse’s office, computer lab, science
lab, music room, art room, gym, etc.)
Last Updated 04/03/13
Print Date 06/17/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
Clues for Gingerbread Man hunt.
School map (large version)
Gingerbread Man cookie(s)
Purpose:
To provide the opportunity for students to use a real map
to find specific locations in the school.
page 3 of 6 Kindergarten
Social Studies
Unit: 02
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 2 days
TEKS: K4B; K15B
5. Continue using the map and modeling language to describe how to find Instructional Note:
the next location.
The purpose of this hunt is to provide experience
Example:
reading a map to locate places in the school. Another
We will walk down the hall and turn left. The library is across
from the computer lab. or
We will walk up the stairs to the second floor and turn right
to find the science lab.
lesson will focus on locating and meeting school
workers. (Save clues from the hunt to use next school
year.)
6. The last stop should be the cafeteria.
7. Ask the cafeteria workers if they have seen the Gingerbread Man. The
cafeteria worker will say, “Yes, he is right here in our oven!”
8. The teacher and students will take the Gingerbread Man back to their
classroom. (Gingerbread Man may be divided and eaten as a snack or
sent home with students.)
EXPLAIN – Tell how to find locations in the school.
Suggested Day 2 - 15 minutes
1. Show students the large map of the school and review the locations
they discovered on the Gingerbread Man hunt.
Materials:
2. Distribute school maps to students.
3. Students “replay” the hunt, following the teacher’s review directions,
tracing the route with their fingers on the maps.
4. Place students in pairs.
5. Call out a place on the map.
school map (large map and individual
student copies)
Purpose:
Provide independent practice in reading a map and
using appropriate relative location vocabulary.
TEKS: K4B; K15B
6. In their pairs, Partner 1 tells Partner 2 how to get to that location using
the relative location vocabulary modeled.
7. Continue naming places visited. Name each place twice so each child
has a turn.
ELABORATE – Describe the location of a place
Suggested Day 2 (cont’d) ­ 10 minutes
1. Review what students have learned about maps, relative location, and
vocabulary related to place by facilitating a discussion where students
consider the Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
Materials:
Maps help us define and find where places are located.
— How do maps help us find where places are located?
— How would you locate important places on your school campus?
Location can be described.
— Can I describe the relative location of places and objects?
— What words can describe an object’s position?
school map (large map and individual
student copies)
Purpose:
Provides independent practice in using vocabulary.
TEKS: K4B; K15B
2. Extend student thinking by asking questions such as:
Can you think of a time when you might use this skill?
EVALUATE – Check for understanding
Kindergarten Social Studies Unit 02 PI 02
Locate a place on a school map and explain its relative location to another location
on the map.
Standard(s): K.4B , K.15B
ELPS ELPS.c.3D , ELPS.c.4F
Last Updated 04/03/13
Print Date 06/17/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
Suggested Day 2 (cont’d) ­ 5 minutes
Materials:
simple individual maps of the school
appropriate classroom version of the
Teacher Resource: Checklist for
Describing Relative Location (Sample)
page 4 of 6 Kindergarten
Social Studies
Unit: 02
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 2 days
1. Use the appropriate teacher-created classroom version of the
Attachments:
Checklist for Describing Relative Location and the Teacher
Resource: Rubric to evaluate student learning related to using maps,
Teacher Resource: Checklist for
the concept of relative location, and the use of appropriate terminology.
Describing Relative Location (Sample)
Purpose:
To check for understanding.
TEKS: K4B; K15B
Instructional Note:
For the evaluation, the teacher can begin looking at and
marking the checklist while students are performing the
Explain and Elaborate parts of this lesson. If more time
is needed to evaluate, center time, rest time, or another
part of the day may be needed.
Last Updated 04/03/13
Print Date 06/17/2013 Printed By Karen Johnson, MIDLAND ISD
page 5 of 6 Kindergarten
Social Studies
Unit: 02 Lesson: 02
Checklist for Describing Relative Location (Sample)
(Teacher can check as the student orally describes the location of a place in relation to another location. Use a
rubric to determine the score. This checklist can be placed in each student’s portfolio.)
Student Name
Jill
Maria
©2012, TESCCC
Locates place on a school map
Explains the relative location to
another location on the map.
3
4
03/08/12
page 1 of 1