Directions: North, South, East or West?

Up, down, and all around with directions! Designed for first graders, this worksheet offers hands-on practice in using cardinal directions to read and orient themselves on a map.

First-grade students label a compass rose with the four cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west. Then, they use the compass rose and map to answer nine questions based on the state where they live. Students who don’t live in the continental United States can choose any state to answer the questions.

Once they’ve completed the U.S. map, have them practice map reading on a local level with the small town Map Reading worksheet.