Virginia SOL 3.5.a

Social Studies3rd Grade

The Standard

locating ancient China on a map of the world

Virginia Standards of Learning for History and Social Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students find Asia on a world map, then locate the area where ancient Chinese civilization developed. They use nearby features, including the Pacific Ocean, to explain its location.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student points to ancient China accurately on a labeled or blank world map. The student identifies Asia and describes China as west of the Pacific Ocean.
Common Misconceptions: Students may point to Japan, India, or the entire continent of Asia. They may assume ancient China had exactly the same borders as modern China.
How to Assess It: Give students a blank world map. Ask them to circle Asia, mark ancient China with an X, and label the Pacific Ocean.

Lesson moves

Give pairs a world map, continent cards, and yarn, then have them connect your classroom location to ancient China.
Ask students to write two location clues that would help a classmate find ancient China on a world map.
Play Map Clue Relay, where teams identify Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and ancient China from teacher clues.
Trace the route from Virginia to China on a globe, naming the continents and oceans crossed along the way.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.5.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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