Spot Map Instructions: Your House as the Center
Submission and Presentation March 19, 2025
Goal: To create a map of your neighborhood with your house as the central point, showing the places around
your home.
Materials:
• ¼ illustration Board
• Pencils (regular and colored)
• Ruler
• Eraser
Steps:
1. Your House in the Middle:
o Start by placing your house in the center of your illustration board. Draw a simple symbol to
represent your house (a square, a triangle, or a simple house shape).
2. Decide Your Area:
o Think about how far you want your map to go. Will it include just your street? A few blocks? A
certain distance? Decide on the boundary of your map.
o You can use a rough estimate (like "two blocks in each direction") or a more precise
measurement (if you know the distances).
3. Streets and Roads:
o Draw the streets and roads that surround your house. Try to show the approximate shape and
direction of the streets.
o Label the streets with their names.
4. Important Places:
o Think about the places around your house that are important to you or your family. These could
include:
▪ Your friends' houses
▪ Schools
▪ Parks
▪ Stores
▪ Libraries
▪ Places of worship
▪ Landmarks
o Draw simple symbols to represent these places.
5. Symbols and Legend:
o Create a legend (or key) on your map. This will explain what each symbol means.
o For example:
▪ A house symbol might represent your house.
▪ A tree symbol might represent a park.
▪ A star symbol might represent a store.
o Make sure your legend is clear and easy to understand.
6. Direction:
o Add a direction arrow to your map. This will show which way is north. You can use a compass or
online maps to help you determine the directions.
7. Labels:
o Label each of the places you have drawn on your map. Write the names of the stores, schools,
parks, and other places.
8. Details and Color:
o Add any other details that you think are important, such as:
▪ Trees
▪ Fences
▪ Special features of buildings
o Use colored pencils or markers to add color to your map. This will make it more interesting and
easier to understand.
9. Title:
o Give your map a title, like "My Neighborhood Map" or "Places Around My House".
10. Review:
• Check your map to make sure it is clear and easy to understand.
• Make sure all the places are labeled and that your legend is complete
Rubric
Needs Points
Criteria Excellent Good Fair
Improvement Earned
House is near House is not clearly House is not
House is clearly in the the center; scale centered; scale is centered; scale is
Center Point & center; accurate and is generally inconsistent or missing or
Scale consistent scale is accurate. unclear. inaccurate.
used. (8-10)
(6-7) (3-5) (1-2)
Legend is
Legend is clear, Legend is mostly
incomplete or
comprehensive, and clear and Legend is missing or
unclear; some
Legend/Key accurately represents includes most largely inaccurate.
symbols are missing
all symbols used. symbols.
explanations. (1-5)
(12-15) (9-11)
(6-8)
Symbols are clear, Symbols are Symbols are unclear Symbols are
consistent, and mostly clear and or inconsistent; confusing or
Symbols & appropriate; all consistent; most some locations are missing; many
Labels locations are locations are unlabeled or locations are
accurately labeled. labeled. mislabeled. unlabeled.
(16-20) (11-15) (6-10) (1-5)
Map is mostly Map is somewhat Map is messy,
Map is neat,
neat and messy or disorganized, and
organized, and visually
Neatness & organized; use disorganized; use of difficult to read;
appealing; use of color
Presentation of color is color is limited or color is poorly used
is effective.
adequate. ineffective. or absent.
(16-20)
(11-15) (6-10) (1-5)
Student explains
most symbols, Student struggles to Student fails to
Student effectively
Explanation of explain some explain key symbols,
explains the symbols, locations, and
Map Features symbols, locations, locations, and
locations, and features features of their
(Oral map. and features of features of their
of their map.
Presentation) their map. map.
(21-25) (16-20)
(11-15) (6-10)
Student speaks
Student speaks Student speaks Student speaks
clearly, audibly, and
mostly clearly somewhat unclearly unclearly, inaudibly,
Voice & Delivery with appropriate pace and audibly. or inaudibly. or too quickly.
and volume.
(11-15) (6-10) (1-5)
(16-20)
Total Map
120
Points:
