Remembering Your Route

Elephants are often thought of as having excellent memories and can remember directions, events, and relationships.  Many scientists believe that elephants are somehow able to remember their way to certain locations (such as water holes and plentiful food sources), even after many years. This activity encourages students to use their mapping skills to find their own way to a certain destination—home!

Materials
Graphing paper
Pencil
Ruler
Local area map

Directions
Using a map (or mapping website), help your student locate his home. Determine the distance from a central location (park, grocery store, library, etc.) to home.  On the graph paper, make note of how many squares equal a particular distance (for
example, ten squares might equal one mile).

Using memory or the actual map as a reference, draw the main roads and landmarks on the graph paper, making sure to use correct distances and units of measurement.  Label major streets, landmarks, the student’s home and school building.

Observations/Questions for Discussion
Would you be able to give your map to someone else and have them accurately follow it?
Would you be able to give verbal directions to someone, rather than draw them out?
Can you remember how to get to certain places without looking at a map?
What types of landmarks help you figure out where you are?
What types of landmarks do you think elephants might use?

Source for this activity-- www.indyzoo.com