Lesson Title: My Route to School

Year Level: Prep

Lesson Overview:
During this lesson students will be exploring directional language
and creating maps. Students will create a map of their route to
school and identify the key features along their route. Students
create a map of their journey, including these features, and give
verbal instructions to a partner who must navigate their map and
follow the correct route based on the students instructions. This
lesson may be stretched over a few days due to time constraints
and the abilities of the students.
Student Prior Knowledge:
Familiarity with directional language
Ability to remember and recall features along the route they
take to school
Teacher Prior Knowledge:
The teacher should be able to identify the features of a basic
map and be confident in explaining these features to the
students
Curriculum:
The representation of the location of places and their features
on maps and a globe (ACHGK001)
Elaboration:
Creating story-maps or models to represent the location of the
places and features they pass on their way to school
General Capabilities:
Literacy
They plan a geographical inquiry, collect and evaluate
information, communicate their findings, reflect on the
conduct of their inquiry and respond to what they have
learned.
Numeracy
In Geography, students develop numeracy capability as they
investigate concepts fundamental to geography, for example,
the effects of location and distance, spatial
distributions and the organisation and management of
space within places.
Interpret maps and diagrams follow directions to demonstrate
understanding of common position words and movements
Critical and Creative Thinking
In Geography, students develop critical and creative thinking
as they investigate geographical information, concepts
and ideas through inquiry-based learning.
Learning Objectives:
Students record their voice to make a verbal note on how they
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get to school. Students should be encouraged to include

features along the route
Students transfer their description to paper by creating a
visual map of their route
Students demonstrate their route and valid features along the
route to other students
Learning Intentions:
Record your voice describing your route to school
Draw a map of your route
Use your map to show others how you get to school
Resources:
A3 Paper
Coloured pencils
iPads
Small toy cars
Lesson Process:
Modifications:
1. Students sit on the carpet as a group.
2. Today we are going to be thinking about Some students
how we get to school. I would like you to may find it difficult
think about the route you take to get to
to recall their
school each day.
journey to school
3. How do you get to school? The
on the spot. The
expected answers are car, bus, train,
teacher should ask
walking, and cycling.
the students to
4. What kind of things do you think you
watch out for key
might drive past on the way to school?
features on their
These could be specific (I go past
way to school a few
Woolworths on the way to school) or
days before this
they could be more vague (We walk
lesson will be
past a house with a big dog). These
implemented. A
answers are all acceptable.
letter can also be
5. Students describe their route to school
sent home to
to another student in a pair pointing out parents to let
features along the route. The teacher
families know that
should observe the students at this time they can point out
and guide their conversations if required. ke features and
Students should be encouraged to use
help the child
appropriate language (turn at the red
become more
shop keep going straight go towards familiar with the
the pool)
route before this
6. Students are provided with a large A3
lesson.
piece of paper and coloured pencils
7. Students individually draw a
Students who have
representation of their route to school,
trouble visualising
labelling the features they pass on their their route to draw
way
it, can record their
8. Students take turns in pairs describing voices as they
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their route to their partner, who follows

their instructions with a toy car. The
student who is describing their route
should be encouraged to use directional
language to encourage the other student
to follow the correct route (forward,
straight, backwards, right, left, turn at,
go past, around)

describe it to the
teacher and listen to
the recording while
they draw to remind
themselves of the
features along the
route
Students who
require special
attention in the
classroom can be
paired with a
capable peer (if the
peer is willing), or
with a teacher aide
This lesson can be
stretched out over a
few days if the
teacher feels as
though the students
need more
scaffolding and
experience with
directional
language.

Assessment:
Assessment of Learning
The teacher will review the video footage of the students
completing the activity. Students demonstrate their
understanding and use of directional language through
describing their school route and following the directions to
travel their partners route effectively

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