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2nd grade · Social Studies · Unit 7 of 9

Reading Maps

Grids, keys and directions

What your child practices

Map titles, keys, compass directions and letter-number grids to find places in a neighborhood.

Maine Learning Results learning standard: Geography 1 · using maps, a compass rose and a map key to find local and distant places

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. North is usually at the top.
  2. On a grid map, find the column letter, then the row number.
  3. The key explains symbols, like a star for a capital city.

Example: On a grid map, the park is in square B3. How do you find it? Find column B first. Then go to row 3. Answer: column B, then row 3

Reading Maps in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 7 of 9 in 2nd grade Social Studies, after Citizens & Leaders and before Work, Saving & Resources.

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: Maine Department of Education

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

    A map is a drawing of a place seen from…

    • under the ground
    • above
    • inside a box

  2. Question 2

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

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

  3. Question 3

    On a map, a blue line is often a…

    • road
    • river
    • railway

  4. Question 4

    The school is north of the park. The park is ___ of the school.

    • east
    • south
    • north

  5. Question 5

    On most maps, east is on the…

    • bottom
    • left
    • right

  6. Question 6

    What is opposite of north?

    • south
    • east
    • west

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