You will learn
- Define historical map, boundary, cartographer, projection.
- Read an old map.
- Explain how maps change.
- Use maps as evidence.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Old maps show what the maker knew.
- Boundaries and names change.
- Every map has a purpose.
- Maps are evidence when read carefully.
Words to know
a map made in the past or a map that shows the past
a line that marks where one area ends and another begins
a person who makes maps
a way of drawing the curved Earth on a flat map
1. Discover: The lion mountains
Mr Cole shows a copy of an old map of the West African coast. “The name Sierra Leone is traditionally explained as coming from Portuguese words meaning ‘Lion Mountains’ and was used by European sailors in the fifteenth century,” he says. Mei notices that the coastline on the old map looks different and that the inland part is blank. “The mapmaker drew what sailors could see from ships,” says Mr Cole. “And the map was made for sailors, not for people who lived inland.”
Think: What is missing from the map, and why?
2. Understand: Historical maps
Idea 1: Reading an old map
A historical map was made in the past or shows the past. Read the title, date and key, then ask who the cartographer was, what they knew and why they made it. Look for place names, boundaries, decorations and blank spaces, which can show what the maker did not know.
Idea 2: Maps change
Maps change as knowledge grows and as places change. Names, boundaries and routes differ between old and modern maps. A projection flattens the curved Earth and always bends something, such as size or shape. Comparing maps from different dates shows change over time.
Idea 3: Maps as evidence
A map is a source made for a purpose: for sailors, for traders, for governments or for travellers. It may show what its maker cared about and leave out much else, including the knowledge of local people. Use maps together with documents, objects and oral history.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Name
A feature to check on an old map.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Date.
Example 2 (We do it together): Explain
Why an old map may have blank areas.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: The maker did not know them.
Example 3 (You try): Define
Boundary.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: A line where one area ends.
Did you know?
Many early maps had decorations such as ships or sea creatures, and some mapmakers filled empty areas with guesses.
Why this matters
Reading old maps teaches us that every map tells a story from its maker’s point of view.
4. Explore: Map then and now
Compare a copy of an old map with a modern map of the same area. Make a chart: title, date, maker, purpose, what is the same, what has changed, what is missing.
- Look.
- Compare.
- Record.
- Share.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Maps change as knowledge changes.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A historical map is ___.
- A boundary is ___.
- A cartographer is ___.
- A projection is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is a historical map?
Map of the past.
Question 2. What is a boundary?
Where an area ends.
Question 3. What is a cartographer?
Map maker.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is a historical map?
- What is a boundary?
- What is a cartographer?
- What is a projection?
- Name a map feature.
Level 2: Grow
- Why check the date?
- Why blank spaces?
- Why compare maps?
Level 3: Stretch
- Compare two maps.
- Find what changed.
- Note missing places.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Give two reasons an old map may be different from a modern one.
Show a sample answer
Less knowledge; different purpose.
Another one. Find a map of your area with an adult and say when it might have been made.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: They show what was known then.
Fix: They show what the maker chose.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can define historical map, boundary, cartographer, projection.
- I can read an old map.
- I can explain how maps change.
- I can use maps as evidence.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Old maps show what the maker knew.
- Boundaries and names change.
- Every map has a purpose.
- Maps are evidence when read carefully.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Source reliability. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Define boundary and projection. [2 marks]
- Name three things to check on an old map. [3 marks]
- Explain why an old map has blank spaces. [3 marks]
- Say how maps can be evidence. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Boundary [1]; projection [1]
- Three [3]
- Maker did not know [1]; purpose [1]; link [1]
- Show maker view [1]; use with other sources [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is a historical map?
- What is a boundary?
- What is a cartographer?
- What is a projection?
- Name a map feature.
- Why check the date?
- Why blank spaces?
- Why compare maps?
- Compare two maps.
- Find what changed.
Homework
Draw an old style map.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is a historical map? | Map of the past. | 1 |
| 2. What is a boundary? | Where an area ends. | 1 |
| 3. What is a cartographer? | Map maker. | 1 |
| 4. What is a projection? | Flat map of the Earth. | 1 |
| 5. Name a map feature. | Key. | 1 |
| 6. Why check the date? | Know the time. | 1 |
| 7. Why blank spaces? | Unknown then. | 1 |
| 8. Why compare maps? | See change. | 1 |
| 9. Compare two maps. | Compare. | 1 |
| 10. Find what changed. | Change. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Map of the past.; 2 Where an area ends.; 3 Map maker.; 4 Flat map of the Earth.; 5 Key.. Level 2: 1 Know the time.; 2 Unknown then.; 3 See change.. Level 3: 1 Compare.; 2 Change.; 3 Missing..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Define historical map, boundary, cartographer, projection | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Read an old map | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Explain how maps change | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Use maps as evidence | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Old maps are always wrong.” They show what was known then.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a map comparison chart.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child studies historical maps. Please look at old and new maps together. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Compare maps.
- Ask who made it.
- Look for change.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: define historical map, boundary, cartographer, projection; read an old map; explain how maps change; use maps as evidence.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 5 ideas: enquiry, primary and secondary sources, oral history and written records.
Materials. Map copies, charts. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare map copies.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the lion mountains story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach historical maps.
Guided activity (10 min). Map then and now.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What can historical maps tell us about the past?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Old maps are always wrong.” They show what was known then.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make a map comparison chart. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 5 Unit 1, topic 6; NCSS C3 Framework, change, continuity and context and gathering and evaluating sources; Cambridge Lower Secondary Humanities, history enquiry and evidence; IB Primary Years Programme, where we are in place and time. These sources informed the lesson.