Grade 3 History and Social Studies: Teacher Guide
Download the printable teacher guide | Student text | Practice and assessment
Use these answers as a guide and accept accurate alternatives. Evaluate reasoning, map evidence, attention to source context and needed support. Advance based on demonstrated mastery and reteach where needed.
Lesson 1: Read a Map
1. What is the title of the practice map? River Park.
2. What does B represent? A bridge.
3. In which direction is the bridge from the picnic area? North.
4. In which direction is the river from the picnic area? East.
5. What part of a map explains symbols? The legend or key.
6. Is River Park an actual place established by this exercise? No. It is an imaginary practice map.
Extension guidance: Check that the title, key, direction and statement agree with the student’s map.
Lesson 2: Directions and Grids
1. Which point is the library at? B2.
2. Which location is west of the library? The school at A2.
3. Which direction is the garden from the library? Northeast.
4. Which direction is the clinic from the library? South.
5. If a store is at C2, where is it from the library? East.
6. Why should a reader check the map’s compass? A map may be oriented differently, so the compass shows the actual directions.
Extension guidance: The market is northwest of B2. C1 is southeast of B2.
Lesson 3: Map Scale and Distance
1. What ground distance does 1 centimeter represent? 4 miles.
2. What is the straight-line distance for 3 centimeters? 12 miles.
3. What is the straight-line distance for 2 centimeters? 8 miles.
4. What would 5 centimeters represent? 20 miles.
5. Must the road be exactly 12 miles? Explain. No. The road bends; the map’s straight-line measurement does not establish road distance.
6. If the image is resized when printed, why might a written centimeter scale become inaccurate? The printed map distance may change while the stated measurement does not.
Extension guidance: 3 centimeters, because 30 divided by 10 equals 3.
Lesson 4: Alabama and Its Neighbors
1. What is Alabama’s present state capital? Montgomery.
2. Which state borders Alabama to the north? Tennessee.
3. Which state borders Alabama to the east? Georgia.
4. Which state borders Alabama to the west? Mississippi.
5. Name one body of water south of Alabama. The Gulf of Mexico.
6. Why check the date of a map when studying the past? Borders, names and settlements can change over time.
Extension guidance: Require two real sources, dates, an observed difference and an acknowledgement that the map alone may not explain the cause.
Lesson 5: Compare Maps and Historical Evidence
1. Which example source is primary for the question? Source A, the imaginary map made in 1900.
2. Which example source interprets the topic later? Source B, the imaginary 2020 history book.
3. Name two questions to ask about a map’s creation. Who made it, when, why, or for whom?
4. Does a map of a road establish everything about daily life in 1900? No. It offers limited evidence and may omit perspectives.
5. Did the history of Alabama’s region begin with statehood? No. Indigenous peoples lived there long before statehood and Indigenous nations continue today.
6. Why compare more than one reliable source? Different sources offer evidence and perspectives that can confirm, complicate or limit a claim.
Extension guidance: Assess actual source information, relevance, respectful use of Indigenous sources, and a specific evidence-based limitation.
Independent Chapter Check: Answers
1. What does the map key tell a reader? It explains the symbols, including L for library and P for park.
2. What direction is the park from the library? East.
3. What actual straight-line distance does 3 centimeters represent? 12 miles.
4. Which state is north of Alabama? Tennessee.
5. What is Alabama’s present capital? Montgomery.
6. For a study of how a mapmaker showed roads in 1900, is a map created in 1900 a possible primary source? Yes, provided it is relevant and authentic.
7. Why should a historical map’s date and creator be checked? They help establish context, purpose and limitations.
8. Explain why statehood does not mark the beginning of the region’s history. Indigenous peoples lived in the region long before Alabama became a state.