Grade 1s Explore the Oak Bay Community Green Map

March 3, 2022

Academics

GNS

As part of their IB PYP unit inquiry on ‘How the World Works,’ Grade 1 Students examined the Oak Bay Community Green Map as a way to learn about directions, distances, navigation and local landmarks.

The set of maps was donated by Rick Marshall from the Community Association of Oak Bay. Teacher-Librarian Mrs. Sarah McLeod, along with first grade teachers Ms. Meghan Filgate and Ms. Jill Graham, arranged an activity for the Grade 1s to learn how to hone their mapping skills.

Students in 1F and 1G broke into pairs and picked two known points on the Oak Bay map. They then quizzed their peers on which direction they’d need to go to travel between the points.

“It’s important to get an idea of where you are on a map,” said Mrs. McLeod. “Being aware of your surroundings and using directions as a tool, along with a compass rose and legend, gives students an understanding of what is going on around them.”

Though many of the Grade 1s were new to using maps, their enthusiasm never waned.

“I liked using the maps,” remarked James. “I never knew how to get to the school before.”

“There are lots and lots of places,” observed Charlotte. “Way more than just one.”

“My favourite part was finding different directions,” said Lachlan. “But it was really fun.”

“We really wanted to find GNS on the map,” admitted Kate. “We knew it was by the ocean.”

The maps are getting plenty of use in the Junior School, as they’re also providing inspiration for different fiction and non-fiction narratives.

“We’re also using the maps as a storytelling tool in the Learning Commons, and students are telling stories about where they like to go in Oak Bay, experiences they have had and where they’d like to visit,” added Mrs. McLeod. “We’re also going to be writing fiction stories about special places in the community.”

Their activities were inspired by resources from the UVic Mapping Collaboratory, a community-campus initiative and office dedicated to collaborative place-based learning and mapping. One of the activities includes individuals of all ages being asked to tell stories and using maps to share past experiences.

“It’s about using maps to tell a story that brings back memories and provides a different perspective on place,” said Mrs. McLeod. “It provides experience of place, and it provides knowledge about place, and that’s useful regardless of age.”

Well done, Grade 1s!