Level 1 • Lesson 61 — Reading maps and charts

Objective

Read simple maps and charts, use keys and symbols, and answer questions about where things are and what the chart is showing.

Materials

Simple map of a classroom, playground, or neighborhood (printed or drawn)
Simple picture charts, such as favorite fruit or how children travel to school
Crayons or markers to trace paths and circle answers
Paper and pencil ✏️ for your child to draw a tiny map or chart

Mini-lesson — Reading maps and charts

Sometimes we read a story about characters and what happens to them.

Other times, we read a short piece of writing that gives us facts about where things are or what information shows. This is like a map or a chart.

In this lesson, you will read simple maps and charts. Each one is like a tiny page of information.

Most maps have:

a title that tells what the map shows (for example, “Classroom Map” or “Playground Map”)
a key (legend) that tells what each symbol means
places you can find using up, down, left, right

Most charts have:

a title that tells what the chart is about (for example, “Favorite Pets”)
labels that name each picture or bar
pictures or bars that show which has more and which has less

Good readers know how to use each part:

On a map, look at the title and key and ask: “What places and symbols do I see?”
On a chart, look at the title and labels and ask: “What is this chart counting or showing?”
Then say what the map or chart is mostly about in your own words.

You can use these frames when you read:

“The map shows ____.”
“The key tells me that ____ means ____.”
“The chart is about ____.”
“The most is ____ and the least is ____.”

Today, you will practice reading simple maps and charts and telling what they show and one or two facts you learned.

Picture strip: A simple map and a simple chart

Guided Practice — Mini-book: Maps and charts

How to use this mini-book:

Read each page as a tiny map or chart “article”.
Talk about the title, then imagine what the map or chart looks like.
After each page, answer the question out loud using full sentences.

If you have real maps or charts, show them so your child can point to symbols and data while you read.

Map and chart words

map chart title key symbol left right more less

Frames: “The map shows ___.” “The key tells us ___.” “The chart is about ___.” “The most is ___.”

Mini-Book: Maps and charts

1

Classroom map (top view)

This map shows our classroom from above, like a bird looking down. The door is at the bottom of the map. The teacher desk is at the top.

On this map, where is the door and where is the teacher desk?

2

Classroom map key

The map has a key. A small square stands for a student desk. A long rectangle stands for the teacher desk. A little book picture stands for the bookshelf.

What does the square stand for? What does the book picture mean?

3

Playground map

This map shows the school playground. A star marks the school door. A slide picture shows the slide area. A tree picture shows the shady tree.

Which symbol shows the school door? Which symbol shows the tree?

4

Where things are

On this playground map, the slide is on the right side. The tree is on the left side. The school door is near the top of the map.

Where is the slide, the tree, and the school door on this map?

5

Favorite fruit chart

This chart shows apples, bananas, and grapes. Each picture stands for one child.

The apple row has the most pictures. The grape row has the fewest.

Which fruit do most children like?

6

Ways to school chart

This chart shows walking, car, and bus. Each picture stands for one child.

The walking row has the most pictures. The bus row has the fewest.

Which way has the most pictures?

Reading Practice — Understanding maps and charts

Read each short map or chart description. Choose the best answer. Then press “Check answers”.

1) “On this classroom map, the door is at the bottom. The teacher desk is at the top. Desks are in the middle.”
What does the map tell you about the door?

2) “This map has a key. A star means school. A tree picture means park.”
What does the key do?

3) “On the town map, the park is on the left. The shop is in the middle. The school is on the right.”
Where is the park on this map?

4) “A chart shows how children get to school. It has three bars: walk, car, and bus. The walk bar is the tallest.”
What does this chart tell you?

5) A chart has the title “Favorite Fruits”. It shows apples, bananas, and grapes.
What does the title tell you?

6) How can you start reading a new map?

7) “On the pet chart, there are many dog pictures, some cat pictures, and a few fish pictures.”
What can you tell from this chart?

8) After reading a playground map, what is the best way to talk about it?

Quick Check (10 questions)

1) What is a map?

A list of spelling words A picture that shows where places are A story about a dragon

2) What is a chart?

A box of crayons A picture of one person only A picture that shows information or data

3) Why is the title of a map or chart important?

It tells what the map or chart is about. It tells what your favorite color is. It shows how many pages are in the book.

4) A map key shows that a tree picture means park. What does this tell you?

The map is only about trees. Wherever you see the tree picture, that place is a park. The tree picture means school.

5) A chart shows three bars: cats, dogs, and birds. The dog bar is the tallest. What does this mean?

There are no dogs. Everyone has the same pet. More children chose dogs than cats or birds.

6) When you read a map, what can help you find where something is?

Looking at the directions like up, down, left, and right Closing your eyes Only thinking about a story you read before

7) A chart is called “How We Travel to School”. Which question matches this chart?

“What is my favorite game?” “How do children in this class go to school?” “What is the weather like today?”

8) A classroom map shows the door at the bottom and the teacher desk at the top. Which sentence shows you understood the map?

“The teacher desk is under the door.” “The map is about fruit.” “The door is at the bottom and the teacher desk is at the top of the map.”

9) If you do not understand a chart the first time, what should you do?

Look again at the title and labels and try reading it one more time. Rip the chart up. Guess without looking.

10) To get better at reading maps and charts, you can…

Never look at maps or charts. Practice reading simple maps and charts and telling someone what you see. Only look at pictures and skip all the words and labels.

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Can explain that a map shows where places are and a chart shows information or data Can use the title and key to tell what a simple map is about Can use the title and labels to tell what a simple chart is about Can answer basic questions about location such as up, down, left, and right on a map Can tell which bar or picture shows more or less on a chart

Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can read maps and charts and tell what they show 🙂 I need more practice with maps and charts 😅 Maps and charts still feel tricky

I will practice…

Looking at the title and key before I read a map Using left and right when I talk about where things are Finding which picture or bar shows more or less on a chart

Lesson 61: Reading maps and charts