Introductory techniques

Ask pupils to draw an image of an object on a piece of paper (this could be a chair, litter bin, bench or any large object). Discuss what they had to do to scale down the object to fit the paper, which is a useful skill when drawing maps!

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This can act as a warmup or way into creating a messy map. Pupils create a rough sketch map of a small corner of an outdoor (or indoor) space, considering what a map needs – symbols, key, scale, North arrow.

In small groups pupils write down, on individual slips of paper, features and ‘things’ that pupils might find if they went for a walk around the local area. Using two hoops form a Venn diagram and ask pupils to sort the features into human and physical, with the cross over being an element of both.

Mapping technique

Focus in on one or two human or physical features or things that tie in to the unit of work being studied and set a challenge for groups to create a map of where these are located nearby. For example:

• Parked cars – possible link to local traffic and congestion issues
• Houses for sale – possible links to migration and environmental quality
• Things affected by a power cut – possible links to secondary effects of earthquakes
• Features taller than a double decker bus – possible link to development issues or the effects of shade
• Natural and human made – possible links to land use, human impact or wellbeing

Provide each group with a map of the local area and ask them to plot a route to explore and find the chosen features/things.

If ratios allow, groups will follow the routes and complete their maps, otherwise create a ‘best route’ for everyone to follow.

On a sheet of A4 paper pupils draw a rough zoomed in route map of just the streets that the group will walk. They will also need to create the symbols they will use to plot the features that they will map.

When walking the route pupils should mark their findings on their messy map and later, in the classroom, they can create a larger version, complete with title, key and route.

They could also add on sticky-notes with questions that it has raised and thoughts around how further investigation could be made at both a local and contrasting locality.

Questions to explore

• Do maps show everything?
• Does our map show what our local environment like?

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The Geographical Association (GA) has worked closely with the Field Studies Council (FSC) to develop these resources.