Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Maps and Living Places

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The objective-setting stage is crucial for clearly establishing what is expected to be achieved by the end of the lesson. By defining the objectives, the teacher guides the teaching approach and practical activities, ensuring that all elements of the lesson plan are aligned for the development of the proposed skills. This clarity helps students understand the importance and applicability of the topic in their daily lives, as well as providing a basis for evaluating learning.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to create and use simple maps to locate elements in their living environment, using spatial references and their body as a reference.

2. Develop the skill of spatial orientation and location on maps, promoting understanding of directions and distances within a familiar context for the students.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage collaboration and communication among students during practical activities.
2. Stimulate logical reasoning and detailed observation of the environment.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students and review the content they studied previously, creating a conducive environment for the practical application of knowledge. Problem-solving situations stimulate critical thinking, while contextualization shows the relevance of the topic in the real world, increasing students' interest and motivation. This moment is essential for transitioning from theoretical learning to practice.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you are in a forest and need to find your way back to a clearing where your friends are. How would you use a simple map to navigate? Describe the steps you would take.

2. Think of a park you visit frequently. Now, suppose the trees and playground equipment have been moved. How would you use a map you drew of the park to find your way to the swing?

Contextualization

Maps are like a magical guide that helps us find our way in places we don't know well. They are used for many things, from finding treasure to simply not getting lost in a large park. Curiously, even animals use forms of maps in their minds to navigate their territories. Knowing how to create and read maps is a very useful skill that can be applied in many everyday situations.

Development

Duration: (70 - 80 minutes)

The development stage in the lesson plan is designed to allow students to practically and playfully apply the concepts studied about maps and location in their living environment. By working in groups, students not only reinforce individual learning but also develop collaboration and communication skills. The proposed activities are challenging and engaging, ensuring students' attention and providing an active learning environment.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Adventure Map in the Playground

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop the ability to create and use simple maps to locate people and places, as well as promote collaboration and teamwork.

- Description: Students will be divided into groups of up to 5 people, and each group will receive the task of drawing a simple map of the school's playground, identifying points of interest such as the sandbox, swings, drinking fountain, among others. Then, they must plan an 'adventure' where one group member 'gets lost' and the others need to use the map to find them.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Provide each group with a blank sheet of paper and colored pencils.

• Guide the students to draw a map of the school's playground, including significant reference points.

• Each group chooses one of its members to be 'the lost one.'

• The other group members plan a route on the map to find them, including clues and challenges to be overcome.

• Each group presents its adventure to the class, explaining the map and the chosen route.

Activity 2 - Geographic Treasure Hunt

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice reading and interpreting maps, as well as stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving.

- Description: In this activity, students, divided into small groups, will participate in a treasure hunt inside the classroom. Each group will receive an 'incomplete' map showing the layout of the room with some areas blank. They will have to use clues given by the teacher to complete the map and finally find the 'treasure.'

- Instructions:

• Organize the room to hide 'treasures' in specific locations, which will be marked on the teacher's master map.

• Divide the students into groups of up to 5.

• Give each group an incomplete map of the room, with some areas not filled in.

• Provide each group with a series of clues that will help them complete the map.

• Students must use the completed map to find the treasures.

• The first group to find all the treasures, following the map correctly, wins.

Activity 3 - Cardinal Points Challenge

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Learn to use cardinal points in a real context, as well as develop teamwork skills and spatial organization.

- Description: Students in groups will be challenged to create a large map of Brazil on the classroom floor using colored adhesive tape. They must identify and position the main cardinal points (north, south, east, west) and then, from a central point, draw routes to important cities in the country.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Provide colored adhesive tapes and a layout of Brazil to each group.

• Each group should identify and position the cardinal points on the map of Brazil that will be laid out on the classroom floor.

• After locating the cardinal points, students should draw routes to important cities, using a simple scale.

• Each group presents its map and explains the decisions made for the routes.

Feedback

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this stage of the lesson plan is to allow students to reflect on what they learned and how they applied the concepts of maps and location during practical activities. This discussion helps to consolidate knowledge, allowing students to articulate what they understood and exchange experiences, which is essential for collaborative learning. Additionally, it helps the teacher evaluate students' understanding of the topic and identify possible areas that need further clarification or review.

Group Discussion

At the end of the activities, gather all students for a group discussion. Start the conversation by reminding them of the lesson's objective, which was to learn and apply the use of simple maps in the context of the school environment. Encourage each group to share their experiences, challenges faced, and solutions found during the activities. Use open-ended questions to stimulate reflection, such as 'What did you find most difficult about drawing or using the maps?' or 'How could the maps you created be useful in real situations?' This discussion will help consolidate learning and exchange ideas among students.

Key Questions

1. What were the biggest challenges in creating and using the maps in today's activities?

2. How were you able to use the cardinal points to navigate during the activities?

3. In what ways could the maps you created be useful in everyday life?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of this stage of the lesson plan is to consolidate learning, ensuring that students have understood the main concepts and their practical applications. Additionally, it aims to reinforce the importance of the content learned for everyday life, encouraging students to continue exploring and using maps as tools for orientation and learning.

Summary

In this closing, the teacher should summarize the main concepts covered during the lesson, recalling practical activities such as creating maps of the school playground, the geographic treasure hunt, and the cardinal points challenge. It is essential to recap how maps are useful tools for orientation and location in known and unknown environments, using the body as a reference and cardinal points to establish directions.

Theory Connection

The teacher should highlight how today's lesson connected previously studied theory with practice, emphasizing the importance of using maps in everyday life. Explain how the practical activities allowed students to apply theoretical knowledge in real and simulated situations, reinforcing their understanding of the concepts of location, distance, and direction.

Closing

Finally, it is crucial to emphasize the relevance of maps and the ability to read and create them. Discuss how these skills are applicable in various situations, from exploring new places to everyday activities like navigating a park or one's own school. Highlight that today's learning is not only academic but practical and essential for autonomy and safety in daily life.