NY Social Studies 3.1b

Social Studies3rd GradeKey Idea 3.1

The Standard

Globes, maps, photographs, and satellite images contain geographic information. Maps often have a title, legend or key, compass orientation, author, date, grid, and scale.

New York State K–12 Social Studies Framework

Key Idea 3.1

Geographic regions have unifying characteristics and can be studied using a variety of tools.

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students distinguish a globe from a flat map and explain when each is useful. They use titles, keys, compass directions, grids, scales, authors, and dates to read maps. They compare maps, photographs, and satellite images of the same community.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can locate places and features using a map key, grid, compass rose, and scale. They can compare political, physical, vegetation, and resource maps of two communities. They can explain what a photograph or satellite image shows that a map does not.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think a globe shows more detail than every map because it is larger. They may confuse a map key with a grid or think scale means map size. They may mistake satellite images for physical maps and overlook the author or date.
How to Assess It: Give students a small map and satellite image of the same place. Ask them to circle the key, mark north, use the grid to locate one feature, and name one difference.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Give pairs a globe and four maps; students label the title, key, compass rose, grid, scale, author, and date with sticky notes.
Ask students to write which source best answers three location questions, then explain their choices using evidence from each source.
Play Map Feature Bingo by calling clues such as “shows direction” or “explains symbols” while students cover matching features.
Plan a route to a local park using a map scale, grid, compass directions, and a satellite image.

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