How to teach position and maps
Kindergarten to Grade 4
Position and maps work teaches students to describe where things are and how to get from one place to another. It builds from position words (above, below, left, right, between) to following and giving directions, and then to locating a square on a simple grid map by its column letter and row number (like B3).
How to teach it
- Start with position words using real objects: put the counter above the box, or to the left of the cup.
- Move to directions: give and follow a short route (forward two, turn right, forward one), the seed of turns and of programming.
- Introduce a grid map where squares are named by a column letter and a row number, read in that order.
- Practise both ways: name the square an object is in, and place an object in a named square.
- Link direction to turns and to the compass (north, south, east, west) as students are ready.
Common mistakes
- Muddling left and right, especially when facing the other way.
- Reading the grid reference in the wrong order (row before column).
- Pointing to a line instead of a square on a labelled-square map.
- Forgetting which way is which after a turn.
Frequently asked questions
What is position and maps work?
It teaches students to describe where things are and how to get from one place to another. It builds from position words like above, below and between, to giving and following directions, and then to locating a square on a grid map by its column letter and row number, such as B3.
What age or grade is position and maps taught?
Position and maps work runs from Kindergarten to Grade 4. Young children start with position words and simple routes, then learn to read grid references on a labelled-square map, building towards coordinates and compass directions in later years.
How do you read a grid reference like B3?
Read the column letter first, then the row number, so B3 means column B, row 3. This order matters: reading it as row before column lands on the wrong square. On a labelled-square map, each reference names a whole square, not a point.
What position words do children learn first?
Children start with words that describe where things are: above, below, left, right, between, in front and behind. Using real objects, such as putting a counter above a box or to the left of a cup, makes these words concrete before any grid work begins.
Why does my child muddle left and right?
Left and right are especially confusing when a child is facing the other way or after a turn, because the directions swap relative to them. Plenty of practice turning and then describing left and right, and linking it to a fixed reference like the compass, helps.
How does grid map work relate to coordinates?
Grid maps name whole squares by a column letter and row number, such as B3, which is a stepping stone to coordinates, where a point is named by two numbers at the crossing of grid lines. Both rely on reading across first, then up, in the right order.
What comes after position and grid maps?
Students move on to coordinates, plotting points on a numbered grid, and to compass directions of north, south, east and west, often combined with measures of turn. The ordered reading of a grid reference is the direct foundation for coordinates.
Practise with free worksheets
Printable worksheets with answer keys that are never wrong.