Grades 2–5
From My Home to School
Kids draw a route map from home to school with landmarks along the way, then write step-by-step directions using north, south, east and west.
Social studies worksheet · Maps and cardinal directions
Kinds of Maps
Match 7 kinds of maps, from road maps and weather maps to physical, political and transit maps, to what each one shows.
- Grade level
- Grades 2–5
- Time
- About 15 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Map skills, Cardinal and intermediate directions, Grids and coordinates, Map keys and scale
What kids do
“There are many kinds of maps. Draw a line from each map to what it shows.”
Printed on the sheet:
- Mountains, rivers, lakes and deserts
- Where many people live and where few people live
- The rooms inside a building
- Countries, states and the borders between them
- Train and bus lines and their stops
- Rain, snow and how hot or cold it will be
- Highways and streets for drivers
- Which map would you use to plan a trip to the beach? Why?
Words on this sheet
Road mapWeather mapPhysical mapPolitical mapTransit mapFloor planPopulation map
Teacher tip
Bring in a road map, a weather map and a transit map.
How to use it
- Label north, south, east and west on the classroom walls before the sheet.
- Play a quick direction game: “Take two steps north.”
- Read the sheet aloud for early readers and let them answer with drawings.
Watch for
Kids who think north means “up” on any page. Turn the map and talk about it.
Talk about it
- Which way is north in our classroom?
- What did you learn that surprised you?
Take it further
Hide a treasure in the classroom and give directions to find it.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More maps and cardinal directions worksheets
Grades 1–3
Directions in My Classroom
A hands-on compass page: kids find north in their classroom, then record and draw what is on the north, south, east and west sides of the room.
Grades 2–4
Map Words: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in 6 missing geography words (map, globe, compass rose, key, scale and equator) in a short paragraph, then use two of them in your own sentences.
Grades 1–2
Draw It Where It Goes
A follow-the-directions drawing page for position words: draw a house in the middle, a tree to its left, a sun above it, a dog in front and more.
Free for teachers
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