Level 1 • Lesson 61 — Reading maps and charts

Objective

Read simple maps and charts and use keys and symbols to answer questions about places and data.

Materials

Pencil/paper for the activity
The Sound Pad (bottom right corner) to hear letter and digraph sounds

Mini-lesson — Maps and charts show information

Sometimes information is shown with pictures and numbers, not just sentences.

A map is a drawing that shows where places are. A map might show:

streets, parks, and buildings
arrows that show which way to go
a key that tells what symbols mean

A chart is a way to show numbers or facts. A chart might show:

how many kids like each snack
how many books you read in a week
how many sunny, rainy, or snowy days there were

Maps and charts often have:

a title that tells what it is about
labels that name places or groups
a key or legend that explains colors or symbols

Good readers of maps and charts:

read the title first
look at the key or legend
follow lines, arrows, and bars with their finger
ask, “What does this picture or bar stand for?”

You can use these frames:

“This map shows _____.”

“This chart shows how many _____.”

Today, you will practice reading tiny maps and charts and telling what they show.

Picture strip: Simple map and chart

Guided Practice — Mini-book: Reading maps and charts

How to use this mini-book:

Read each page slowly.
Look at the map or chart in your mind as you read.
Ask yourself: “What does this map or chart show?”

On your paper, choose one page and finish this idea: “This map or chart shows _____. I can tell that _____.”

Useful words

map chart key legend symbol label title

Frames: “This map shows ____.” “This chart shows how many ____.”

Mini-Book: Reading maps and charts

1

Map of the school

This map shows a school building, the playground, and the parking lot.

The key has a tiny swing symbol for the playground and a tiny car symbol for the parking lot.

I can follow the line from the front door to see how to walk to the swings.

2

Chart of favorite fruit

This chart has three bars for apples, bananas, and grapes.

The apples bar is the tallest, so the most children picked apples.

The bananas bar is the shortest, so the fewest children picked bananas.

3

Map of the park path

This map shows a path that goes past a pond and a picnic table to a big tree.

Arrows point the way you should walk.

I can see where to stop and eat and where the pond is on the way.

4

Chart of books read

This chart shows how many books were read on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

The Wednesday bar is higher than Monday and Tuesday.

What can you tell about the days from the chart?

Reading Practice — What does the map or chart tell you?

Read each tiny map or chart description. Drag the answer that makes the best match into the box. Chips stay in their own question. Then press Check sentences.

School map: The key shows a book symbol for the library. On the map, the book symbol is right beside the office door.
The library is .

next to the office far away in another town under the playground

Park map: Arrows go from the gate, past some trees, to a blue pond symbol.
To get to the pond you should .

follow the arrows past the trees walk away from the arrows close your eyes and guess

Playground chart: The slide bar is the tallest. Swings and climbing bars are shorter.
Most kids chose the .

slide swings climbing bars

Snack chart: The apples bar is tallest, crackers is in the middle, and carrots is the shortest.
The fewest kids picked .

apples crackers carrots

Map key: ⭐ = playground, 🏫 = school, 🅿️ = parking.
On the map there is a ⭐ at the back of the school.
This means .

the star symbol shows the playground the star symbol shows the parking lot the star symbol shows the lunchroom

At the top of a chart, you see the words “Books We Read This Week.”
This title tells you .

who drew the chart the order of the days what the chart is about

On a small map there is a house symbol and a school symbol. A line goes from the house to the school.
This line shows that .

it shows how to go from home to school it shows how to go to the moon it shows how many books you read

Color chart: The blue bar is taller than the red bar, and the green bar is the tallest.
This means .

more students picked blue than red fewer students picked blue than red no students picked blue

On a map, a little arrow with N shows north. The school is above the park on the map, toward the N arrow.
To get from the park to the school you should .

walk north from the park walk south away from the school spin in a circle

You want to understand a chart of class pets.
The best first step is to .

read the title and labels before looking at the bars cover the title and only guess ignore the labels and close your eyes

Quick Check — Reading maps and charts

What does a map usually show?

Only how a story ends Where places are and how to get there What your favorite color is

What does a chart usually show?

Only pictures of animals The names of every street in the world Numbers or facts in a way that is easy to see

You see a chart called “Snacks We Like.” What is the best question to ask?

“Which snack did most kids pick?” “What time will the sun set?” “How many stairs are in the school?”

Why is the key or legend important on a map?

It tells what day it is It explains what the symbols and colors mean It tells you what your favorite snack is

What is a good way to start reading a new map or chart?

Skip the title and guess Turn it upside down Read the title, look at the key, and then study the picture or bars

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Can explain that maps show places and paths and charts show numbers or facts Uses titles, labels, and keys to understand maps and charts Can answer simple questions about what a map or chart is showing Uses frames such as “This map shows ____.” or “This chart shows how many ____.”

Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can read maps and charts and tell what they show 🙂 I need more practice reading maps and charts 😅 It still feels tricky

I will practice…

Reading titles and keys on maps and charts Comparing which bars are tallest or shortest Using the frames “This map shows ____.” and “This chart shows how many ____.”

Lesson 61: Reading maps and charts