This kindergarten inquiry leads students through an investigation of maps and globes as tools that represent the physical world in different ways. In the inquiry, students consider how each tool represents locations, what purposes each tool serves, and what advantages and disadvantages each tool offers.

In this lesson, students create, identify, and interpret maps of their local environments, communities, and state.

Students explore a map of a neighborhood. Students use the map to begin to learn spatial concepts such as identity, location, and symbols.

Students can design and create their own maps using resources from the Smithsonian Museums.

This interactive map of North America contains links to country maps which provide information such as, population, flag, language, capital, industry, and agriculture.

This interactive map of the North Pole contains links to country maps which provide information such as, population, flag, language, capital, industry, and agriculture.

Students explore a map of a community park. Students use the map to begin to learn spatial concepts such as identity, location, and symbols.

This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 2nd Grade Social Studies.

In this virtual resource, students will explore a frog's unique life cycle and listen to sounds of several frogs that are native to NC. They will investigate and evaluate their schoolyard for frog habitat through mapping.

The wakelet site features videos demonstrating hands-on activities for students to complete at school in small, socially-distanced settings. Activities may also be adapted for at-home learning. Some activities incorporate an outdoor component, acknowledging the need to balance screen time with green time to support mental health. Tips for taking your students outside can be found here: https://education.eol.org/cnc_materials/TipsForTeachingOutside.pdf

This interactive map of South America contains links to country maps which provide information such as, population, flag, language, capital, industry, and agriculture.

Students will find and explore a local place that is connected to trains, such as a train station, a train museum, or train tracks. This is connect with the Smithsonian Museums.

In this lesson, students gain experience in geographic thinking using different types of maps to locate information. They begin by reviewing a current population map of the United States and answering questions about the map and its features. Next, they listen to the book Treasure Map, a story about a group of students who go on a treasure hunt. The students then practice mapping by creating a floor plan of their classroom. Next, they use this map to hunt for clues in the classroom. Finally, they practice their map-reading.

This lesson will address the physical and human characteristics of the local community. Students will build geographic vocabulary as well as use map skills.

In this unit, students learn utilization of maps and their elements and learn about physical and human characteristrics of communities.

In this lesson, students compare rural, suburban, and urban communities.