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This is just for you to have an idea of how/why grids can be of great help to create maps (with accuracy).

Try it out and have fun.

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...in more detail, why do we need them?

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1. Read aloud a poem about cardinal directions.
Engage students by reading aloud the poem "Geese on the Go" on the handout. Beforehand, ask students to listen for directional words. Ask them to raise their hands when they hear one. You can also give students a copy of the handout or project the poem. Invite the class to read aloud the last two lines of each verse in response to the question in the first two lines, which you will read.
2. Introduce the compass rose.
Write the word "rose" on the board and ask students what it is. Ask if it can be something besides a flower. Write "compass" before "rose" on the board. Explain that a compass rose is a symbol that shows directions on a map.
3. Explore the World Map.
Project the map, titled The World. Ask a volunteer to point to the compass rose and name the letters around it. Explain that the N stands for "north." Write on the board what N represents, having students help to name the other directions for S, E, and W. You can help students remember the clockwise order of the directions on a compass rose with the phrase " Never Eat Soggy W affles."

Explain that this map shows the world. Earth is made up of large bodies of land and water. Ask: What is farthest south on this map? (Antarctica) Point out that Antarctica is a continent-a large body of land. Ask a volunteer to come to the board and point to and name the seven continents. Ask: Which continent is to the north of South America? (North America) Which continent is to the east of Europe? (Asia) Which continent is to the west of Australia? (Africa)

Ask: What is all the way to the west on this map? (the Pacific Ocean) Explain that an ocean is a very large body of salt water, and Earth has four of them. Have students name them. Ask: Which ocean is east of Africa? (Indian) Which ocean is north of all the continents? (Arctic)
4. Have students use the compass rose.
Give each student a copy of the Using a Compass Rose worksheet. Have them use the compass rose to determine the direction words for each blank line.

Informal Assessment

Check students' worksheets for understanding. If students need more experience with the world map, have them create the shapes of the continents out of clay, place them on paper, and draw a compass rose. Have them write four sentences using a different cardinal direction in each sentence.

Extending the Learning

Show students the true cardinal directions using a compass app on a smartphone or tablet. Replicate the directions by drawing a compass rose in chalk on the classroom floor, or alternately on the playground blacktop. Review what N, S, E, and W represent. Have students refer to the drawn compass rose to follow oral directions, such as "Walk east and pull down the shade," or "Hop three steps south and look to the left. What do you see?" Once they get the idea, invite volunteers to give the directions and call on classmates to follow them.

Have students create as a homework assignment their own 2-D or 3-D maps of the world using their choice of media, such as paints, clay, collage, tissue paper, or other art materials. Have them include a compass rose and label the continents and oceans.

Find your state in the collection of State MapMaker Kits. In small groups have students assemble their state and find the compass rose. Then as a whole class they can write or call out information on the relative positioning of different features in the state based on the compass rose directions.

Ask: Is the direction north always at the top of a map? Students may have the misconception that north is always at the "top." Look for an example of an upside-down map of the world to show students. Challenge students to redraw a map of their state, their neighborhood, or the classroom including a compass rose where the south arrow points toward the top of the page.

Show students maps that include a north arrow instead of a compass rose. Ask: Why would a mapmaker choose to only show the direction north? How might a map reader determine the other directions?

Credits

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Researchers

Lindsey Mohan, Ph.D.
Audrey Mohan, Ph.D.

Writer

Anne Haywood, Program Consultant, Environmental & Geographic Education

Editors

Sean P. O'Connor
Christina Riska Simmons, National Geographic Society

Copyeditor

Christina Riska Simmons, National Geographic Society

Educator Reviewer

Lydia Lewis, M.Ed., Grade 5 U.S. History/Geography Educator; National Cathedral School, Washington, D.C.

Sources

Adapted from National Geographic's Map Essentials: A Comprehensive Map Skills Program

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1. Read aloud a poem about cardinal directions. Engage students by reading aloud the poem "Geese on the Go" on the handout. Beforehand, ask students to listen for directional words. Ask them to raise their hands when they hear one. You can also give students a copy of the handout or project the poem.

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Can you find him using GOOGLE Maps?!

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Hello, friends!

My name is Waldo. I love to travel around the globe-it's a whole world of fun.

I'm always on the lookout for fantastic new places to explore. My last adventure started in sun-sational Mountain View, CA where I visited the terrific team at Google, including Google Maps product managers Max Greenwald and Shreena Thakore. Wow!

By the way, I'm not traveling on my own. Wherever I go, my trusty friends Wenda, Woof, Wizard Whitebeard, and even that pesky Odlaw go as well. You can come, too-all you have to do is find me!

Starting today, you can use Google Maps to join in my amazing adventures for April Fools this week. Are you prepared for a perplexing pursuit? I've shared my location with you on Android, iOS and desktop (rolling out now). To start the search, simply update your app or visit google.com/maps on desktop. Then press play when you see me waving at you from the side of your screen. You can even ask the Google Assistant on your phone, Chromebook or Home device, "Hey Google, Where's Waldo?" to start.

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Hello, friends! My name is Waldo. I love to travel around the globe-it's a whole world of fun. I'm always on the lookout for fantastic new places to explore. My last adventure started in sun-sational Mountain View, CA where I visited the terrific team at Google, including Google Maps product managers Max Greenwald and Shreena Thakore.

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Let's explore the idea behind maps and how they help us find our location in the world

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How to Make a Map | Geography for Kids | Made by Red Cat Reading