Description

Participants will plot nature and elements onto a neighbourhood map.

 

A basic urban map has also been provided with less elements, for a wider range of audiences.

 

Note: The maps are only examples and do not reflect all the types of neighbourhoods that exist

 

Number of participants 

For any number of participants

 

Space considerations

An indoor space where participants can be seated at tables to do an activity

 

Competencies

  • Eye-hand coordination
  • Organization and planning
  • Spatial relationships

 

Materials

  • Neighbourhood mapping handout
  • Pencil crayons, markers or crayons
  • Easy-grip scissors
  • Liquid glue, glue sticks, Scotch tape or packing tape

 

Preparation 

  • Print out handouts for participants
  • Prepare the room for a program that uses glue or paint

 

Implementation

 

Using templates

  1. View urban or rural map and map elements
  2. Cut out map elements (buildings, houses, nature elements, benches)
  3. Place/plot objects on map before gluing them down

 

Creating map from scratch

  1. Consider what type of neighbourhood you want to draw—urban or rural
  2. Draw land, streets/roads and any water or mountain features
  3. Draw buildings/houses and any nature elements

 

Accessibility considerations

  • Variety of maps to choose from
  • Print on cardstock if possible
  • All items have a square border for easy cutting
  • Provide easy-grip scissors, large craft sticks with liquid glue or large glue sticks if cutting out map elements
  • If picking up from the table is difficult, participants can slide cut-outs to the edge of the table to pick up or prop cut-outs up against something once cut 
  • To extend this activity, consider using tactile elements for the map: found items like twigs and leaves, as well as other supplies like beads and pompoms, can offer texture and variation


Book suggestions

  • I’m From by Gary R. Gray Jr. and Oge Mora
  • City of Neighbors by Andrea Curtis and Katy Dockrill
  • Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe by Margriet Ruurs and Wenjia Tang

 

Download links 

 

Images