Unit Plan 21 (Grade 2 Science): Maps of Land & Water
Second graders draw and label simple maps using symbols and a map key to model land and water features from a bird’s-eye view.
Focus: Draw and label simple maps that show an area’s land and water features using symbols and a map key as a kind of model.
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Science (Earth Science • Mapping & Modeling)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students learn that a map is a kind of model that shows where land and water are in an area from a “bird’s-eye view.” They explore examples of simple maps, noticing how colors, shapes, and symbols represent landforms and bodies of water.
Students practice drawing and labeling maps of familiar places (classroom, schoolyard, or a simple park/imaginary island) that include land features and water features. By the end of the week, they will create a final map with a map key (legend) that clearly shows different kinds of land and water in an area, addressing 2-ESS2-2.
Essential Questions
- How can a map show the land and water in an area?
- What symbols and colors can we use to represent different landforms and bodies of water?
- How is a map a kind of model of the world, even though it is flat and smaller than the real place?
- Why are maps helpful for understanding where places are and how they are connected?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify and describe maps as models that show where land and water are in an area.
- Read simple maps using symbols, colors, and a map key (legend) to find landforms and bodies of water.
- Draw a simple map of a familiar area (e.g., classroom, schoolyard, park) that shows land and water features from a top view.
- Use symbols and labels to represent different landforms (e.g., hill, plain) and bodies of water (e.g., river, lake, pond) on their maps.
- Explain how their map is a model that represents the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.
Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (NGSS-Aligned)
- 2-ESS2-2 — Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can tell that a map is a model that shows a place from above.
- I can use a map key to find land and water features on a simple map.
- I can draw a map of an area that includes at least two land features and two water features.
- I can use symbols, colors, and labels to show different landforms and bodies of water.
- I can explain how my map model shows the shapes and kinds of land and water in that area.