Map puzzle games can be played on a computer. This helps children become familiar with using technology while honing their geographic identification skills. Children can get accustomed to these games using easy-play modes that offer hints to more challenging modes that are timed and do not offer assistance. A common implementation of this game is a map of the United States featuring puzzle pieces with the shape and name of a state on them. Students click and drag the states to their outline on the map. This action helps them become comfortable with both the geography of the state as well as its position in the country.
This fun map activity involves shaping edible dough into shapes of states or countries. Teachers give third-graders edible dough made of peanut butter or other ingredients such as cream cheese and honey and ask them to make a shape of a country or a state. Teachers can also give small colored candies to students and ask them to mark cities on state maps or states on country maps.
Another map activity for students in the third grade is coloring maps. Teachers can give map outlines to students and ask them to color different states in different colors. Teachers can teach geography and history to students through map-coloring activities. Teachers can ask students to color Confederate states in one color and Union states in another color as an example of teaching Civil War history through coloring map activities.
Teachers ask students in the third grade to draw a map of the path taken from their home to school. The teacher asks them to write the names of streets they need to pass on their way to school, any well-known local landmarks on their way to school and other local buildings such as churches or hotels. Some teachers can show their appreciation by posting a note to students to say that they followed the map and found their homes because the child had made an easy-to-follow map.