Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 3

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• Describe the position of objects (above, below, next to).
• Follow and give simple directions (left, right, forward).
• Draw a simple map of a familiar space with a key.
• Read a simple map to find things and follow a route.

Lesson summary

Welcome, Grade 3 learners! This week, we're diving into the exciting world of space and shape, focusing on position, direction, and mapping. Think about how you tell your friend where to meet you at the tuck shop, or how you follow your parents’ instructions to find something in the house. That’s what this week is all about – understanding where things are, how to get to them, and how to show that information on a simple map. Knowing about position and direction helps us navigate our homes, schools, and even our communities. It's a fundamental skill that makes us more independent and aware of our surroundings.

Lesson notes

Let's explore the key ideas of position, direction, and mapping. 2.1 Position: Where is it? Position describes where something is located. We use words like above, below, next to, in front of, behind, on, under, inside, and outside to describe position.

Above: Higher than something else.

Example: "The picture is above the sofa." Below: Lower than something else.

Example: "The cat is below the table." Next to: Beside something else.

Example: "The book is next to the pencil." In front of: Facing you.

Example: "The car is in front of the house." Behind: At the back of something.

Example: "The tree is behind the building." On: Touching the top surface.

Example: "The cup is on the table." Under: Beneath something.

Example: "The dog is under the chair." Inside: Within something.

Example: "The bread is inside the container." Outside: Not within something.

Example: "The children are playing outside." Example 1: Imagine a classroom. The teacher's desk is in front of the learners. The blackboard is behind the teacher's desk. The learners' desks are next to each other. The clock is above the blackboard. 2.2 Direction: How do I get there? Direction tells us how to move from one place to another. We use words like left, right, forward, backward, up, and down. We also use instructions involving steps or distance.

Left/Right: Moving to your left or right side.

Forward: Moving straight ahead.

Backward: Moving straight behind.

Up/Down: Moving vertically.

Example 2: Imagine you are standing at the door of your bedroom. To get to your bed, you might need to: "Walk forward three steps, then turn left and walk two steps forward." 2.3 Mapping: Showing the Way A map is a drawing that shows where things are located in a specific area. A map uses symbols to represent real-world objects. A key (or legend) explains what each symbol represents.

Symbols: Small pictures or shapes that stand for real things. For example, a tree symbol might look like a small drawing of a tree. A building symbol might look like a rectangle.

Key (Legend): Explains what each symbol on the map means.

How to Draw a Simple Map: Choose the Area: Decide what area you want to map (your bedroom, classroom, etc.).

Observe: Look carefully at the area and identify the main objects (bed, desk, door, windows, etc.).

Draw a Boundary: Draw a rectangle or square to represent the outer edges of the area.

Draw the Objects: Use simple shapes to represent the objects.

Add a Key: Create a key that explains what each symbol means.

Label: Label the important places on your map.

Example 3: Let's draw a map of a simple classroom: Classroom: (Draw a rectangle).

Teacher's Desk: (Draw a smaller rectangle at the front).

Learners' Desks: (Draw several small squares in rows).

Blackboard: (Draw a rectangle at the front, behind the teacher's desk).

Door: (Draw a small opening on one side of the classroom rectangle).

Key: Rectangle = Classroom Small Rectangle = Teacher's Desk Square = Learner's Desk Opening = Door 2.4 Interpreting a Map: To read a map, we use the key to understand what the symbols represent. Then, we can follow directions and locate objects on the map.

Example 4: If the map shows a house symbol, and the key says "House = Home," then we know that the house symbol represents someone's home. We can follow arrows on the map to find the route from one place to another. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Look at the picture below: [Imagine a picture here showing a table. On the table is a book, next to the book is a pencil. Under the table is a cat. Above the table is a lamp.] Describe the position of the following objects using positional language: a)

The book b)

The cat c)

The lamp Solution: a) The book is on the table and next to the pencil.

Commentary: This answer uses correct positional language ("on," "next to") to accurately describe the book's location relative to the table and pencil. b) The cat is under the table.

Commentary: Correctly identifies the cat's position using "under." c) The lamp is above the table.

Commentary: Accurately describes the lamp's position using "above." Question 2: Imagine you are standing at the entrance of your school's library. To get to the children's section, you need to: Walk 5 steps forward. Turn right. Walk 3 steps forward. Write down the directions you would give to someone to get from the children's section back to the entrance of the library.

Solution: Walk 3 steps forward. Turn left. Walk 5 steps forward.

Commentary: This solution correctly reverses the original directions. Turning left is the opposite of turning right, and going forward is the opposite direction.

Question 3: Draw a simple map of your bedroom.

Use the following symbols: Bed = Rectangle Door = Opening Window = Square Desk = Small Rectangle Include a key.

Solution: (Learners would draw a map. The example below is a description of what an ideal answer would contain.) A good map would show a rectangle representing the bedroom.