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2nd grade · Social Studies · Unit 13 of 15

Reading Maps

Keys, directions and grids

What your child practices

Physical and political maps, map keys, cardinal and intermediate directions, and using a grid to find places.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 2.8; 2.10 · physical and political map features, cardinal and intermediate directions, and grids

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. A map is a drawing of a place seen from above.
  2. The title says what the map shows. The key explains colors and symbols.
  3. A green area is often a park. Blue is water.

Example: A green area on a town map is often a… Green often shows grass and trees. That is a park. Answer: park

Reading Maps in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 13 of 15 in 2nd grade Social Studies, after American Symbols and before People on the Move.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    On a grid map, the library is in square C2. Find it by going to column…

    • any square
    • C, then row 2
    • 2, then row C
    • A, then row 1

  2. Question 2

    A green area on a town map is often a…

    • park
    • factory
    • parking lot

  3. Question 3

    On most maps, west is on the…

    • right
    • left
    • top

  4. Question 4

    A map title tells you…

    • what the map shows
    • who is reading it
    • how much it costs

  5. Question 5

    A map is a drawing of a place seen from…

    • inside a box
    • above
    • under the ground

  6. Question 6

    A small tent picture on a park map might mean a…

    • school
    • campground
    • store

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