Grade 5: Geometry and Spatial Sense

Overall Expectation: Identify and describe the location of an object, using

the cardinal directions, and translate 2 dimensional shapes.
Materials Needed:
Maps: [Co-ordinate Grids] with different
school locations plotted on it.
Markers: to move along co-ordinate
grids.
Alphabet Letters: cut up individually,
that spell a secret message when de-
coded.
Envelopes: to place the letters for your
secret message.
Treasure: this could be a tangible
treasure or your message could spell out a
fun gym activity you will do at the end of
the day.
Master Copy of Directions: and a list of
the specic location at each co-ordinate
point.
Explicit Instruction:
Tell students that everyone must
be participating until the very end,
because if the participants stop, the
activity stops.
The teacher is the one who
retrieves the treasure at the end.
Write down cardinal directions, at
each step, for students who may be
visual learners or students who
may have a processing learning
disability.
Prep Time:
Obvious lesson planning BUT also
taping envelopes at appropriate
locations in school, prior to activity.
8y: 1lany 8oblchaud
1) Students will be working explicitly in partners, but activity will also engage Whole Class.

2) Each pair of students will be given a co-ordinate grid, or map.

3) The map will have different location names, within the school, printed at specific co-ordinate points [Ex: The Office is
located at (G, 1)].

4) The students with find and mark, the starting location [Ex: (A,1)].
5) The marker must be inside the box.
6) The teacher will then call out a cardinal direction [Ex: Translate East 2 squares and North 2 squares].
7) The partners must work together to find where the marker should now be located, once the translation is completed
[Ex: Mr. Fitzs class].
8) Once students have located the successful co-ordinate point with the correct location, the teacher will call on a set of
partners to go to that location, in the school, and retrieve the envelope. Make sure all students get a chance to
retrieve an envelope.
9) The next cardinal direction given will proceed from the last location left off.
10) Repeat steps 6-9 until all envelopes are collected from throughout the school.
11) Inside the envelopes are different letters of the alphabet, that the class needs to work together to unscramble and
spell out a location in the classroom where the treasure is hidden.
12) Once they have unscrambled the word to find the location, the teacher can go and retrieve the treasure [Ex: Pencil
Topper Erasers].
1haL concludes your game!




1hls ls a really fun game Lo end Lhe unlL on cardlnal dlrecuons! l had real,
classroom experlence runnlng Lhls acuvlLy and l can assure you LhaL !""
learners were engaged ln Lhe acuvlLy, from beglnnlng Lo end. LocaLed on Lhe
followlng slldes are my map" and master copy of card|na| d|recnons.
A B
C D E
F
G H
1
2
3
4
Mrs. W
Mr.
Fitz
Mrs. Brooke
Gym
Breeze
Way Doors
LST Room
The office
Mrs. Mary
Custodian
Office
Computer
Mini Lab
Mrs. Davis Mr. K
We're Going On A Hunt...
Lach palr of sLudenLs would recelve a !"# llke Lhls one Lo do Lhe acuvlLy.
Master Copy of Card|na| D|recnons:

C|assroom 1reasure nunt:

1) Start at Mr. k's c|assroom.

2) Move 3 rlghL, 3 norLh and 2 LasL. Where ls our rsL envelope? (I, 4) Gym

3) 1ranslaLe 1 SouLh, 1 LasL and 2 uown. Where ls our second envelope? (G, 1) Cmce

4) 1ranslaLe 3 WesL and 3 norLh. Where ls our Lhlrd envelope? (D, 4) Custod|an Cmce

3) Move 3 WesL, 2 SouLh and 1 LasL. Where ls Lhe fourLh envelope? (8, 2) 8reeze Way Doors

6) Move 1 SouLh and 2 8lghL. Where ls Lhe h envelope? (D, 1) Mrs. Dav|s koom

7) 1ranslaLe 2 norLh, 4 LasL and 1 SouLh. Where ls Lhe slxLh envelope? (n, 2) Computer M|n| Lab

8) Move 3 WesL and 1 norLh. Where ls Lhe sevenLh envelope? (C, 3) Mr. I|tz

9) 1ranslaLe 1 norLh and 2 WesL. Where ls Lhe elghLh envelope? (A, 4) Mrs. W

10) Move 2 SouLh and 4 LasL. Where ls Lhe nlnLh envelope? (L, 2) Mrs. 8rooke

11) Move 3 LasL and 2 norLh. Where ls Lhe LenLh envelope? (n, 4) Mrs. Mary

12) 1ranslaLe 1 SouLh and 1 WesL. Where ls Lhe elevenLh, and nal, envelope? (G, 3) LS1 koom