Grade 1 - Public Places in our Community and Maps

This week we started off with finishing up our discussion about the different places in our community. We came to a consensus about these categories: 

• Places where we can buy things (mall, shop/store, convenience store, restaurant)
• Places that keep us healthy (doctor's office, dentist's office, optometrist's office, hospital)
• Places that keep us safe (police station, fire station)
• Places where we can live (house, hotel)
• Places where we can learn (school, guitar class, piano class, library, museum)
• Places we can go to for our enjoyment (amusement park, zoo, park, theater)
• Places where we play sports (swimming pool, tennis court, basketball court, baseball field, soccer field, ballet class, ice rink, sports club/gym)
• Places for transportation (bus stop, train station, airport, parking lot, bridge)

We also did a challenge to see if we could draw a map which shows the way from our school to the nearby Samezu Athletic Field. We sketched out our map, trying to retrace the steps we take, thinking about which direction we turn towards and which streets we cross. It was a difficult task, although we have been going to the field for P.E. and for the park on Thursdays! 

This led us to start thinking about our line of inquiry, "Connection: People use maps to navigate public places." With partners, we discussed what public places we see on a map, and why it is necessary. We will continue thinking about how maps help us to seek public places.