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Geography · Grade 1

Map Keys and Landmarks

Learners meet the three helpers on every map: the title, the symbols and the key. They use a key to find places on picture maps of a made-up town, describe where things are using landmarks and location words, and finish by making a key for their own map.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 55 minutes
  • Map keys and landmarks check: 8 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, count, label a picture, match pairs and sort into groups
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What learners will discover

  • Name the parts of a map (title, symbols and key) and say what each part tells us.
  • Read a map key to find out what a symbol stands for and to find places on a picture map.
  • Use landmarks and location words such as next to, between and across from to tell where a place is.
  • Make a simple map key by choosing one clear symbol for each place.

Lessons

  1. What is on a map? 8 steps4 practiceabout 12 min
  2. Read a map key 8 steps5 practiceabout 12 min
  3. Landmarks help us find places 7 steps4 practiceabout 12 min
  4. Make a map key 8 steps4 practiceabout 12 min
  5. Map keys and landmarks check 8 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

  • Globe ExplorerSpin a real 3D globe, flip to the flat map, and find continents, oceans and countries.
  • Mapmaker QuestFollow directions to make a map, then read its legend, compass rose and scale.
  • Landform ExplorerMountains, valleys, peninsulas and deltas — learn the shapes of the land and find them on Earth.

More 1st grade geography

Guide for grown-ups