Way to Go!

We all walk in our neighborhood every day, but do you ever stop to think about all the little places you pass each day without second glance? Have your students reflect on their community by asking them to draw out their path to school on a blank sheet of paper.

Next, ask them to color in all the places they can remember, including landmarks like their home and school.

Then, ask them to take their maps home and carry it with them for a whole month!

Each time they walk to school, encourage them to notice or discover a new spot, and then add it to the map! This could be the bodega on the corner, a bus stop outside school or a hidden mural.

After a month, have the class compare all their maps, sharing special places that they found while creating it.

Now, use chart paper to make a giant topography of your school’s neighborhood together, including parts from everyone’s individual map.

Keep this up in your classroom for reference, and throughout the year, research the history of landmarks in your community to give special context to where you live. You’ll see your neighborhood in a whole new light!

To support this unit, use the Diorama Drama Activity.