Reading the Landscape: Direction Drawings

Pre-Visit Activity

Objective

Students will use the major directions (N, S, E, W, NE, SE, NW, SW) to create drawings on graph paper. 

Materials

  • Pencils
  • Graph paper
  • Rulers 

Procedure

1.  Teach the students the major directions (N, S, E, W, NE, SE, NW, SW)

2.  Pass out graph paper, pencil, and a ruler to each student.

3.  For each drawing, have each student draw a box of the size indicated below.  This will be the frame of the picture.  Students new to the concept of cardinal directions should label the top of their paper N, the right side E, and so on.

4.  Read directions by following the columns from top to bottom starting with the column on the left.  Don't tell them what they will be drawing; they will have fun trying to figure it out as they go along!

Read columns from top to bottom. Start with the column on the left.  

Tree needs 12 squares high, 8 squares wide.  Start 0 squares in and 4 squares down

2 NE

1 S

1 NW

5 N

1 N

2 SE

5 S

1 SW

1 NE

1 SW

1 SE

1 NW

2 E

1 S

4 W

1 N

1 SE

1 SW

1 NE

1 NW

 

 Read columns from top to bottom. Start with the column on the left.  

Turtle needs 6 squares high, 14 squares wide. Start 0 squares in and 5 squares down.

4 NE

1 SE

1 SE

1 SE

4 E

1 SW

1 W

1 W

2 SE

1 W

1 NW

1 NW

1 NE

1 SW

1 SW

1 SW

1 N

1 S

1 W

1 W

1 NE

1 SE

1 NE

1 NE

1 E

2 W

3 W

3 W

 

Read columns from top to bottom. Start with the column on the left. 

Elephant needs 12 squares high, 19 squares wide. Start 0 squares in and 3 down

3 NE

1 N

1 W

5 W

8 E

1 E

1 NW

3 SW

1 SE

1 S

2 S

1 S

1 NE

1 SW

1 SW

2 NW

2 E

1 W

4 S

2 NE

2 SE

1 NW

1 SE

7 N

8 S

4 N

3 W

 

1 E

1 NW

4 N

 

 

Read columns from top to bottom. Start with the column on the left. 

Dog needs 6 squares high, 12 squares wide. Start 9 squares in and 2 down.

4 W

1 E

1 N

1 N

2 NW

1 S

5 E

1 NE

1 S

1 SW

1 SW

2 N

1 NW

1 E

1 E

1 NE

1 S

1 NE

2 NE

1 N

2 SW

1 S

2 S

1 W

1 SE

1 E

1 W

2 SW

 

Read columns from top to bottom. Start with the column on the left. 

Fish needs 11 squares high, 16 squares wide. Start 0 squares in and 6 down.

4 NE

1 S

1 SE

2 NE

1 E

1 SE

4 S

1 N

2 NE

1 E

3 NW

2 SW

2 SE

3 NE

3 SW

3 NW

1 NE

4 S

6 W

 

1 SE

1 SW

1 NW

 

 

Read columns from top to bottom. Start with the column on the left. 

Chair needs 18 squares high, 13 squares wide. Start 1 square in and 10 down

4 NE

1 E

1 E

1 E

6 N

7 N

7 N

8 N

5 SW

6 E

4 NE

8 W

13 S

7 S

7 S

 

 

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