Objective:
The students will draw a map, including a legend.

Materials

• Examples of maps and map legends.  If needed, use the following web sites: Map Symbols or Map Adventures.

• A Map to My Hidden Acorns Worksheet (Or for younger students use butcher paper to draw one large map for the whole class.)

• Acorns brought in by the students, or Acorn Printouts

• Chart Paper or Blackboard

Procedure

1. Have a discussion on how squirrels hide their acorns and nuts to last them through the winter.  Tell them they are going to be squirrels and hide their acorns in the classroom.  

2. If the students brought in acorns for the day's activities, instruct them to "hide" their acorns somewhere in the classroom.  (If the students did not bring in any acorns, pass out the Acorn Printouts and have the students cut out 3-4 paper acorns to hide in the classroom.)

3. Once the students have hidden their acorns, tell them they will be drawing maps to show where their acorns are hidden.  Show some examples of different maps.  Discuss how maps are drawn from an overhead view and point out symbols used in the legends of the maps.  The difficulty and depth of the discussion will depend on the age of the students.

4. Discuss different objects in the classroom and how they may be represented in a map legend.  For example, all the desks could be squares, chairs could be X's, etc.  Draw the legend the students should use on a piece of chart paper or the blackboard.

5. Pass out the Map to My Hidden Acorns Worksheet.  Have the students draw a map for finding their hidden acorns.  (For younger students, work as a class to draw one big classroom map on a piece of butcher paper.  They may then indicate on the map where their acorns are hidden by placing a paper acorn with their name on it in the correct place.)

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Using the web site 50 States, find the states that have an oak tree as their state tree.  Locate these states on a map of the United States.  Where are these states in relationship to the students' home state?

2. Native Americans used acorns as part of their diet.  Use one of the following web sites to discuss this aspect of the Native American diet: California Heartland or California Academy of Sciences.