Spy Maps

Spy Maps is a series of fictional directions and maps for the famous spy Mickey Maloney. Micky Maloney works for Big Wig, the Master Spy. Big Wig sends Mickey Maloney to spy on things so he must read directions and follow maps carefully. The story has some narration at the beginning and end. The story takes readers through a series of job descriptions, directions, maps, and keys. There are also speech bubbles and fictional photographs with captions to document Mickey Maloney’s jobs.

Spy Maps is designed as a series of five spy jobs to demonstrate how instructional directions and location directions are used. Critical thinking questions are provided to guide the reader. Illustrations match the text. A visual information guide is provided for teachers to draw students’ attention to the graphics, style, and font as well as the information, layout, symbols, and design of the maps and keys. There is an infographic at the end of the story outlining the purpose and procedures for writing directions with a map. An activity on writing directions with a map for Mickey Maloney is provided for teachers to extend students’ learning.

Readers develop vocabulary such as nouns (map), verbs (cross), singular/plural (mouse/mice), and abbreviations (o’clock). Opportunities arise to discuss colons, hyphens, and apostrophes to show possession (Well’s Zoo). Focus on short and long vowel e, the suffix y (bossy), base words (spies), and prefix un (until).

This title is from the Sails Literacy series. Hook readers and ignite their curiosity - over 850 levelled texts with bright, colourful, sophisticated designs.