CU 1.10Utah: Our State Map
The child studies a map of Utah to find our city, the capital, major land and water forms, the national parks, and the Native nations of Utah.
Presentation
- 1
Invite the child to bring the United States puzzle map. Take out the Utah piece and show the Utah map: 'This is a bigger map of our state.'
- 2
Place the marker on our city: 'We live here.'
- 3
Point to Salt Lake City and say it is the capital, where the state government meets.
- 4
Show a photo of the Great Salt Lake and find it on the map. Recall the land and water forms: 'It is a lake. Antelope Island is an island in the lake.'
- 5
Show the mountains (Wasatch Range, Uinta Mountains) and the red rock country in the south with photographs.
- 6
Name the five Native peoples of Utah and explain that the name 'Utah' comes from the Ute people.
- 7
Show the national parks with photographs and place a photo near each park on the map.
- 8
Invite the child to match photographs to places on the map.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Place label cards for cities, lakes, and mountains and check with the control map
- Mark places the child has visited in Utah
- Make a 'My Utah' booklet with drawings of favorite places
- Work a Utah county puzzle map and find our county
Control of error
The labeled control map shows every place name; photographs are labeled on the back with the place name.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Finds our city and Salt Lake City on the Utah map
- Names at least three Utah land or water features and points to them
- Names at least two Native nations of Utah
Guide note
Present Utah's Native nations as living, present-day communities, not only as history. Use materials created by or with Utah tribes when available.