Question bank: Spatial References

In our school, the classrooms have windows that overlook different parts of the courtyard. Teacher Ana placed pots of plants of different sizes on the classroom shelf, one in front of the other. The smallest pot is in the first position and the largest in the fifth position. If the classroom window is also a reference for organizing the pots, so that the smallest pot is next to the window and the largest pot is far from the window, where do you think each of these two pots should be placed: the smallest and the largest? Explain the reason for your choice and count how many steps you would need to take from the window to reach where each pot is.

Imagine you are an astronaut and need to leave your backpack in the classroom before traveling to space. Draw a simple map of the classroom and the school, showing where you would place the backpack, using the words 'front', 'back', 'left', 'right', 'on top', 'underneath', 'inside', and 'outside' to indicate the position of your backpack in the room. Explain why you chose this place for the backpack, considering that you may need to find it quickly when you return from the trip.

In the classroom, we use many things that have specific places to stay, like books on the shelf and desks lined up. If you hide a toy under the table, is it 'inside' or 'outside' the table? Think about where toys are when you play 'hide and seek'. When someone says 'the toy is to the left of the chair' or 'the toy is on top of the table', we know exactly where to look. Now it's your turn: Describe, in your own words, where you would place a toy in the classroom so your friends can find it using the concepts of 'in front of', 'behind', 'on top of', and 'under'.

In our classroom, we have the desks where we sit, the board where the teacher writes, and the locker for belongings. The teacher's desk is at the front of the room, near the board. The locker for belongings is behind the students' desks. If you are standing next to your locker, can you see the board? Justify your answer using the location words we learned, such as 'front', 'back', 'on top', 'underneath'.

In our school, we have the classroom, the sports court, the playground, and the library, among other places. Each of these spaces has a specific location, right? For example, the sports court is located outside and is a large place where we can run and play ball. Now, imagine that you are a super detective and need to find the treasure hidden by the pirate Professor X. The treasure map indicates that the treasure is 'hidden behind the tree at the end of the school.' Using what you already know about things that are behind, at the end, and how to follow a map, describe how you would use this information and the spatial references you know to find Professor X's pirate treasure at the school. Explain what you would do and why it is important to know where things are 'behind' and 'at the end' of the school.