Alabama Social Studies SS24.1.8

SS24.1.8 is a cluster heading. These are the individual standards under it.

• SS24.1.8a

  Identify map features, including title, cardinal directions, and key.

• SS24.1.8b

  Construct maps of familiar places.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students tell whether a map shows land and water features or boundaries of places. They find the title, key, and north, south, east, and west. They draw a map of a place they know.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

Students can explain why a river appears on a physical map and a state line appears on a political map. Their classroom map shows where the door and desks are, with a title, four directions, and a key.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may think the key gives the map its name or that north always means straight ahead. They may mistake a boundary line for a river or draw desks without showing where they are in the room.

04

How to Assess It

Show two simple maps, one with a state boundary and one with a river, and ask students to circle the physical map. Then ask them to sketch the classroom with a title, a key, and N, S, E, and W.

1. 01

   Place sticky notes on the classroom door, desks, and windows, then have students draw a classroom map with a title, directions, and key.

2. 02

   Show a map with rivers beside one with state lines, and ask, “What would each map help you find?”

3. 03

   Give pairs map cards and have them point to the title, key, north arrow, and east side of each map.

4. 04

   Show a local park map with a key and north arrow, then ask students to find the playground and name its direction from the entrance.

• SS24.7.1d

  Describe how geographic features and political entities are organized and labeled, including continents, countries, and oceans.

• SS24.2.8

  Differentiate between the features of a physical map and a political map, and explain how these features contribute to the map’s purpose.

• SS24.1.9

  Differentiate among landforms, bodies of water, and other physical features on maps, globes, and satellite and digital images.

• SS24.7.1b

  Use physical, political, and special-purpose maps to identify the distribution of people, location of places, and classification of physical features.