Draw Community Maps
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What you will learn
- 1Read a community map
- 2Label key places such as a school, park, store, road, and home
Mini Lesson
Have you ever looked at a map to find a library or a park? Maps are like a bird's-eye view — they show us the world from above, and they help us find our way!
What is a map?
- A map is a drawing that shows places from above, as if you were a bird flying over them.
- Maps use symbols — simple pictures or shapes — to stand for real things like buildings, roads, and parks.
- A map key (also called a legend) tells you what each symbol means.
Community map features
- Home — where people live. Shown as a small house shape on the map.
- School — where children learn. Often shown with a flag or a large rectangular building.
- Park — an open green area for play and fun. Shown as a green rectangle or square.
- Store — where people buy food and other items. Shown as a building near the road.
- Road — a path that cars and people use to travel between places. Shown as a thick line on the map.
How to read a map
- Start by reading the map key so you know what each symbol means.
- Use direction words like north, south, east, and west to describe where things are. On most maps, north is at the top.
- Maps help us plan routes — to figure out the best way to get from one place to another.
Words to know
Map
A drawing that shows places from above, like a bird looking down
e.g. I used a map to find the park.
Symbol
A simple picture or shape on a map that stands for a real thing
e.g. A green square is a symbol for a park.
Map key
A small box on a map that tells what each symbol means
e.g. The map key showed me that a flag means a school.
Compass rose
A picture on a map that shows north, south, east, and west
e.g. The compass rose helped me face north.
Community
A place where people live, work, and play together
e.g. Our community has a library, a park, and a store.
Ask yourself: "If I looked down at my neighborhood from the sky, what shapes and colors would I see?"
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