Community Mapping 101
ASsessing Community Needs & Potential Resources
Using a strategy called community mapping, students
explore their communities to:
• Learn the geography and layout of their local area;
• Determine areas of need for people, animals and the
environment; and
• Identify potential resources that may support efforts
to meet community needs.
Community mapping can be completed in a number of
different ways. Students can use many forms of research
internet and print media sources, interviews with
family, friends and community leaders, and even field
observation.
The following activity is a simple activity that can be used to introduce students to the concept of
community mapping, and get them started with a map of the area around their school or a central place
in the community.
Integrated Learning
Community mapping can engage students in a number of different academic areas including social
studies and geography, math, english/language arts and many more. See an alignment of community
mapping with all of the subject areas on page 3.
Time Requirement
2 hours minimum, suggested multi-day/week project
Materials Colored pencils, markers, or crayons Map (download, purchased or hand drawn)
Regular writing utensil - pencil or pen Google Maps Engine Lite
Large sheets of white paper Internet
Glue or Tape
Stickers
Community Mapping 101
ASsessing Community Needs & Potential Resources
Part One: Observing Your Community
One week in advance, discuss with students the importance of understanding and learning
about mapping their community. Suggest that they begin taking note of what is on their way to
school while they’re on the bus, in the car, biking, etc. Have them imagine they are looking at
their community from a birds eye view.
Guiding Questions
1. What are the roads around your school? Are there any major intersections near your
school?
2. Notice the cars and people walking outside, imagine where they are going and what they
do to have fun, where they work, eat, sleep etc.
3. Do you see animals, wild or domestic? Where do they go during the day? Where do they
get their food, where do they play or go when they are sick?
4. Do you see any plants or trees on your way to school? Who waters them and how did they
get there? What makes them important to your community?
Part Two: Preparing Your Map
Start by drawing, downloading or purchasing a map of your city. If you are drawing or
downloading a map choose a specific radius around your zip code. Two to five miles is usually
sufficient. If you are using a map that you have purchased, use a compass to draw a radius
around your community.
For an extra challenge, start with a blank sheet of grid paper (or the one included in the end of
this guide) and see if you can draw your community from memory. How big is two to five mile
radius around your zip code? How is your community oriented—to the North, South, East or
West?
Community Mapping 101
ASsessing Community Needs & Potential Resources
Part Three: Marking Basic Community Characteristics
Once you have your map mark it with any of these characteristics that apply to your city or
community. Distinguish the three categories on your map by assigning each a unique identifier
(color, shape, stickers etc.).
For example:
• Human Characteristics – blue stickers or blue marker;
• Animal Characteristics – red stickers or red marker; and
• Environmental Characteristics – green stickers or green marker.
Human Animal Environmental
Characteristics Characteristics Characteristics
• Mark your school/work • Are there any endangered • Mark the wild spaces
• Highlight major streets species in your area? Mark in your community, for
that run through your these and write the name. example areas of forest,
community and routes you • Mark important areas for prairie and desert.
commonly take domestic animal use (dog • Mark any bodies of water,
• Mark areas of fun and parks, dog friendly hikes ocean, rivers, lakes, etc.
enjoyment etc.) • Mark major environmental
• Mark areas that are • Mark areas where you have characteristics like
important to the human seen wild animals. Next to mountain ranges, beaches
community such as: the mark, list the types of , etc.
libraries, community wild animals you have seen.
centers and places of • Mark any zoos and
worship aquariums in your area
Community Mapping 101
ASsessing Community Needs & Potential Resources
Part Four: Marking Basic Community Resources
Mark any of these that apply to your community in your mapped radius. Draw a line from the
marking and label the name of the facility or resource on the outside of your map. Continue
using the same colors for each of the categories that you used above.
Human Animal Environmental
Resources Resources Resources
• Mark where you get your • Mark local domestic animal • Mark the recycling center
food from. (grocery stores, shelters such as, your local • Mark the water and waste
farmer’s markets, favorite humane society or SPCA. treatment facilities
restaurants, etc.) • Mark the local animal • Mark the landfill/waste
• Mark the closest hospital/ control facility management site
clinic • Mark the closest animal • Mark any nearby power
• Mark shelters and food hospital sources, such as coal fired
banks • Mark animal sanctuaries power plants, nuclear power
• Mark the closest fire station or centers that will take in plants, wind, solar and
• Mark the closest police injured wild animals geothermal sources.
station • Mark areas that provide
environmental services such
as, the local watershed, a
local reservoir, wetlands,
etc.
Community Mapping 101
ASsessing Community Needs & Potential Resources
Part Five: Reflection
Take a look at your map when you reflect on the following questions. List your answers some-
place on your map:
Identify the following things you like about your community:
• One quality about your community that makes it a great habitat for people
• One quality about your community that makes it a great habitat for animals
• One quality about your community that makes it a great environmental habitat
Is your community meeting the basic needs of people and animals? Is your community environ-
mentally sustainable?
Identify areas of improvement for you community:
• One quality your community could improve to make it a better habitat for people
• One quality your community could improve to make it a better habitat for animals
• One quality your community could improve to make it a better environmental habitat
