Street Map or Globe?
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on choosing between a local map and a globe, and reading a key.
Street Map or Globe? is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.Geo.3.K-2 — use maps and globes to spot what a place is like, naturally and culturally. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- D2.Geo.3.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Geography
D2.Geo.3.K-2
Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.
Objective
Students will be able to choose a map or globe for a question and read a symbol from a key.
Students are successful when they can
- Chooses correctly for the question.
- Says why the other would fail.
- Reads two symbols from a key.
What you need
- A globe and a local street map with a key
- Question cards
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — find Spain, find the library
5 min- Ask for Spain on the street map. Impossible.
- Ask for the library on the globe. Also impossible.
Teach — zoom, and the key
13 min- Name the difference: how much ground each one covers.
- Say the cost of covering more: you can no longer see small things.
- Read three symbols from the local map's key.
- Ask what the map would be like without a key. Unreadable.
- Take one question each way and choose out loud.
“The globe holds the whole world and shows nothing small. That is the trade.”
Guided practice — choose and read
12 min- Pairs answer eight questions choosing map or globe.
- For each map question they use the key.
- One question needs both.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the map-or-globe page.
- Read each question aloud.
Close
2 min- Ask one question. Take the choice and the reason.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Thinks a globe could show the street if it were bigger.
Why: Size seems to be the only limit.
Fix: True in principle and useless in practice. A globe that showed streets would be enormous.
Ignores the key.
Why: It sits in a corner.
Fix: Read two symbols before any question is answered.
Thinks a map is a picture of what a place looks like.
Why: Both are visual.
Fix: Ask what colour the library really is. A map shows where, not what it looks like.
If they are not there yet
- Four questions rather than eight.
- Give the choice and read the key.
If they finish early
- Find the same place on both.
- Design a symbol for something the key lacks.
- Say what is lost when a globe is drawn flat.
Exit ticket
You want to find where oranges grow. Map or globe? Why not the other?
What to look for: The globe, with a reason about coverage. No exclusion means the why-not half needs asking.
Printable practice for D2.Geo.3.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Street Map or Globe?Circle the best answer.
Questions about Street Map or Globe?
How long does the Street Map or Globe? lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Street Map or Globe? teach?
D2.Geo.3.K-2 — D2.Geo.3.K-2, Geography for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.” In plain terms, use maps and globes to spot what a place is like, naturally and culturally.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A globe and a local street map with a key, question cards and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: thinks a globe could show the street if it were bigger; ignores the key and thinks a map is a picture of what a place looks like. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “You want to find where oranges grow. Map or globe? Why not the other?.” The globe, with a reason about coverage. No exclusion means the why-not half needs asking. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Street Map or Globe??
Yes — 1 printable D2.Geo.3.K-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Street Map or Globe? free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to D2.Geo.3.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.