E. Spatial Sense · Shapes, Position and Measurement

Giving and Following Directions on a Map

E1.5 E1.4About 30 minutes

Learning goals

I can follow directions to move from one place to another.
I can give clear directions using words like up, down, left, right and the number of squares.
I can use a simple grid map.

Words to know

map
A drawing that shows where places are, seen from above, like a bird looking down.

grid
Lines that make rows and columns of squares on a map, to help us count moves.

directions
Steps that tell someone how to get from one place to another.

path (route)
The way you travel from a start to a finish.

turn left / turn right
Change the way you are facing, toward your left hand or your right hand.

Imagine your friend is coming to your house for the first time. How will they find it? You give them directions! Directions tell someone how to move from one place to another.

Moving your body

First, practise with your own body:

Walk forward 3 steps.
Turn right. (Turn toward your right hand.)
Walk forward 2 steps.
Turn left. (Turn toward your left hand.)

Good directions say which way and how far (how many steps).

Using a grid map

A grid map has squares, like a checkerboard. To move, we count squares and say the direction: up, down, left or right.

A grid map of a neighbourhood with Home (H), School (S), Park (P) and Library (L).

Worked example

From Home to School

Give directions from Home (H) to School (S).

Put your finger on Home. It is in the bottom row, in the first column on the left.
School is to the right and up. First go right. Count the squares: 1, 2, 3. Now your finger is right under School's column.
Now go up. Count: 1, 2, 3. You are on School!
Say it in order: "Go right 3 squares, then go up 3 squares."

Right 3, up 3. (Going up 3 first and then right 3 also works. There is often more than one good path!)

The path from Home: right 3 squares, then up 3 squares to School.

Worked example

Follow the directions

Start at the Library (L). Go right 3 squares, then down 1 square. Where are you?

Put your finger on the Library. It is in the second row and the second column.
Move right 3 squares: 1, 2, 3. You are now in the last column, still in the second row.
Move down 1 square. You are on P.

You are at the Park (P).

The path from the Library: right 3, down 1 to the Park.

Counting tip

Count the moves, not the square you start on. Your finger has to jump into a new square before you say "1".

Good direction-givers

When you give directions, say them in order, one step at a time, and check them by following your own directions with your finger.

Just for fun

What if you mixed up left and right in your directions? Your friend might end up at the library instead of your birthday party! Always check directions with your finger first.

Hands-on activity

Living room treasure map

Draw a simple map of one room from above (like a bird). Draw the couch, the table and the door as boxes.
Hide a small treasure (a coin or a toy). Mark it with an X on the map.
Give a grown-up directions using steps and turns: "Start at the door. Walk forward 4 steps. Turn left. Walk 2 steps. Look under the cushion!"
Swap: the grown-up hides it and you follow their directions.
Bonus: draw a 4 by 4 grid on paper. Put a toy car on one square and a sticker on another. Tell how the car can drive to the sticker ("right 2, down 3").

Your turn!

On the grid map, start at Home. Go right 1, then up 2. Where are you?

Give directions from the Library to the School.

Give directions from the Park to the School.

Start at School. Go down 3, then left 3. Where are you?

Give directions from Home to the Park.

Your friend says "Go to the Park." Why are these not good directions?

You are facing the fridge. You turn right. Now are you facing the fridge?

More practice: warm-up

Which direction word means moving toward the top of the map?

On the grid map, start at School. Go right 1, then down 2. Where are you?

True or false: good directions say which way to go and how many squares or steps.

Fill in the blank: you turn toward your left hand. You turned ___.

On the grid map, is the Library to the left or to the right of the School?

More practice: on your own

Give directions from the Park to the Library.

Give directions from the School to the Library.

Start at the Park. Go down 1, then left 4. Where are you?

The path from Home to School is "right 3, up 3". How many squares do you move in all?

Start at Home and go up 2. Are you on a place? Use a position word to say where you are.

Challenge

Find the mistake! Omar wants to go from Home to the Library. He says, "Right 2, up 2." Follow his directions. Where does he end up? What should he say?

Plan a trip: start at Home, go to the Library, then the School, then the Park. Give directions for each part. How many squares do you move in all?

Find two different paths from the Park to Home. Do they move the same number of squares?

Check your understanding

Quiz

On the grid map, start at Home. Go right 3, then up 3. Where are you?

Which directions are the clearest?

Start at the Library. Go left 1, then down 2. Where are you?

Can there be more than one correct path from one place to another?

Start at the Park. Go left 3, then up 1. Where are you?

When you count squares on a grid map, do you count the square you start on?

For parents and teachers

What your child is learning: giving and following directions to move from one place to another, using direction words (up, down, left, right, forward, turn) and counts of steps or squares (Ontario Grade 1, E1.5). This builds on positional words (E1.4) and leads to coding with moves later on.

Common mistakes:

Counting the starting square as "1". Have your child say "jump, 1; jump, 2" as their finger moves.
Mixing left and right, especially after turning around. Act out directions with real walking.
Giving directions without numbers ("go up"). Ask "How many?"

How to help: play robot: your child gives you step-by-step directions to walk to the fridge, and you follow them exactly (even if it makes you bump into the couch!). This shows why clear directions matter, in a fun way. Draw simple treasure maps together. Encourage persistence: if the directions do not work, ask "Which step should we fix?"