Map Masters Slides Map Masters
Unlocking the Secrets of Community Symbols
Cartography 101
What is a Map?
A map is a bird's-eye view of a place.
It shows where things are located so we can find our way around.
"Imagine looking down from a helicopter—that's the view a map gives us!"
The Map Key
Every map has a Map Key (or Legend).
The key tells you what the colors and symbols on the map represent.
Park
Library
Fire Station
Symbols in the Wild
Why use symbols?
Saves space on the map
Easy to recognize quickly
Works across different languages
Common Symbols:
Hospital
School
Restaurant
Store
Time to Map!
We are going to use our Town Scout worksheet to find locations and build our own community map.
Read Passage
Decode Key
Draw Symbols
Town Scout Passage Worksheet Town Scout Reading
Exploring the community of Sunnyvale
NAME:
DATE:
Welcome to Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale is a small town where everything has its own special place. When you first arrive in Sunnyvale, the most important building you will see is the Town Hall . It is located right in the center of town. Next to the Town Hall is a big, beautiful Park filled with oak trees and a playground.
If you walk down Main Street, you will find the Sunnyvale School on the corner. Right across from the school is the Public Library , where students go after class to read books. For safety, the Fire Station is built near the edge of the residential area, while the Hospital is located on the north side of town near the highway.
To find these places easily, people use a map. On a map of Sunnyvale, they don't draw whole buildings. Instead, they use small pictures called symbols . For example, a picture of a book stands for the library, and a picture of a swing set represents the park. These symbols are listed in the Map Key so that everyone can understand what the map is showing.
Comprehension Check
1. What building is located in the center of Sunnyvale?
The Hospital
The Town Hall
The Fire Station
The School
2. According to the passage, why do people use symbols on a map?
3. Based on the passage, draw what the symbol for the Library might look like in the box below:
Explain why you chose this symbol:
4. Where would you find the meaning of the symbols used on the map?
The Compass Rose
The Map Title
The Map Key
The Page Number
Neighborhood Map Activity Sheet My Neighborhood Map
Be the Cartographer: Create your community view
NAME:
DATE:
Instructions: Use the Town Scout Reading Passage to find the locations for each place in Sunnyvale. First, create your Map Key on the right. Then, draw your symbols in the correct locations on the grid map!
Sunnyvale Grid
N S W E
Town Hall
Main Street
Map Key
Town Hall
Park
School
Library
Hospital
Fire Station
Cartographer Challenge
Add one new place of your choice to the map and create a symbol for it!
Cartographer Key Teacher Guide Cartographer Key
Teacher Answer Key & Facilitation Guide
Internal Resource
Town Scout Passage Answers
1. What building is located in the center of Sunnyvale?
Answer: The Town Hall
2. According to the passage, why do people use symbols on a map?
Sample Answer: To represent locations without drawing whole buildings, making the map easier to read and saving space.
3. Symbol for Library and explanation:
Answer: Student should draw a book or stack of books. Explanation: The passage mentions a book stands for the library.
4. Where would you find the meaning of symbols?
Answer: The Map Key
Map Placement Guide
Ensure students have placed the symbols in the following relative positions based on the text:
Relative Locations
Town Hall: Dead center of the grid.Park: Directly adjacent to the Town Hall.School: On the corner of Main Street.Library: Directly across from the School.Hospital: North side (top of grid) near the highway edge.Fire Station: Edge of the residential area (typically outer grid).
Symbol Checklist
Library Symbol = Book/Stack of books
Park Symbol = Swing set/Tree
Key matches symbols drawn on map
Challenge symbol is unique and defined
Cartography Teaching Tip
Remind students that maps are representations, not photographs. Symbols should be simple and consistent . If they draw a blue circle for the Town Hall in the key, it must be a blue circle on the map.
