Welcome! While introducing map skills and geography, I couldn’t believe the basic map skills my students were lacking. Our social studies text is too vague, and the story Me on the Map wasn’t enough. So, I had the idea to put together a differentiated “Where in the World Am I?” booklet.

 To get started, I photocopy & cut a class set. I only pass out one page. I collect it when they are finished, so the paper stays wrinkle free. We focus on one lesson each Friday, and review the concept throughout the week. I start with Earth and the globe, then the continents, country, state, city, and finally my address. I laminate the pages and have a parent cut & collate. Then, I bind them. They are beautiful on their desks during open house. Best of all, the kids LOVE creating their books!

I have 2 versions that allow me to differentiate. For lower level students, I use a guideline font with dotted words to trace. Higher level students write the same sentences from the board but are only provided with blank guidelines.

This page reads, “Our country is the United States of America. It has 50 states. The leader is called the President.”

In my sample, I colored each tab using a ruler. For the class set, I plan on putting a different colored sticker dot (or colored star) next to the title of each page before laminating them. Another option would be to copy each page on a different light colored piece of construction paper and forgo laminating altogether. Below is a picture of my students reading a great companion book for the unit!

I hope this post gave you some great ideas & inspires your next map skills lesson. If you’d like to use these black lines they are available at my TPT link.

Peas in a Pod ~ Me on the Map Unit

Be sure to check out the many FREEBIES found in my store link below!

*(Just click Freebies in the side categories!)  Peas in a Pod on TPT

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You might also like “5 Quick Tips – Getting Students to Follow Directions.”

Happy Teaching!

~ Melissa

I hope you find these suggestions helpful! Click here to follow Peas in a Pod on Tpt for more classroom tips & freebies.

*This is the companion book I use (Amazon Affiliate link). If you purchase it through the link, I receive a few cents on the dollar. This commission directly supports my small business and ensures that we can continue to create high-quality content for teachers, like yourself! As always, the products shared are tried, true, and tested. Enjoy!