Cartography Cars
Discover how to make maps and drive around your neighborhood.
Big Idea
Children will investigate the art of cartography and geography, while making and driving around a map of their neighborhood.
Materials
- Toy Car(s)
- Chalk (for outside)
- Driveway/sidewalk (for outside)
- Masking tape (for inside)
- Poster board (for inside)
- Markers (for inside)
Setup
Find a large space outside or inside where children can create their map on the floor or poster board.
Directions
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1) Talk with the child(ren) about their neighborhood. What buildings are in our neighborhood? What is next door? What is on our block? If children are unsure, take a walk and talk and take pictures of all the things you see.
- What buildings are in our neighborhood? What shape are the buildings? How could we draw them?
- What else could we add to our map?
- How do we get from place to place in our neighborhood? How might a car?
- How could we make sure we have the right distance on our map? How could we measure?
- What ways can we be safe in and around cars?
2) Encourage the child(ren) to draw a building in their neighborhood. Then another. Ask how might we use a car to go from this building to the next? What might we need? (a street!)
3) Once they have drawn their map, have fun and drive the car(s) around!
4) For an added challenge, add music and when the music stops they have to find a place to park!
Investigation Questions:
Learning Standards
1.A.ECb: Respond appropriately to questions from others.
Children will respond to questions about the buildings in their neighborhood.
1.C.ECa: Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with teacher assistance, provide additional detail.
Children will describe their neighborhood and how cars get from place to place.
5.A.ECa: Experiment with writing tools and materials.
Children will experiment with writing tools to create their maps.
17.A.ECb: Express beginning geographic thinking.
Children will explore and draw their local neighborhood geography.