The present study considers specific methods to improve the use of maps in the school subject of Living Environment Studies, with the aim of helping children develop spatial awareness based on the purpose and nature of the subject and examining how the spatial awareness developed based on these methods can be linked to social studies.
 An interview survey of teachers was conducted to investigate their use of maps in class for Living Environment Studies. Four common themes were identified in the attitudes and teaching methods of teachers with extensive teaching experience and high expertise in Living Environment Studies. From the common themes, the following specific methods were identified to improve the ways in which students can use maps in Living Environment Studies: using maps in a manner that links two or more of their functions and devising ways to link maps to children’s life experiences and awareness. The former is highly effective in understanding the purpose and nature of Living Environment Studies and in developing children’s spatial awareness during lessons. Regarding the latter, the use of survey maps, which is the mainstream practice in Living Environment Studies, can reduce the burden that junior graders experience at the developmental stage.
 Forming “semantic space” and “objective space” by relating the roles of maps as a medium of both awareness and representation is associated with the development of concepts that comprise the framework for map reading and become directly linked to map learning in classes on social studies. Moreover, the learning experience that children acquire as they understand a space through maps in the process of developing an awareness of said space can serve as the basis for using maps to obtain a sense of a space that they cannot physically experience. This also leads to overall learning in social studies as children can link their experience to learning about “location and distribution” and “place”: some basic concepts in geography. In addition, the self-awareness that children obtain through the use of maps, as a medium of awareness, encourages them to form a “space as a good citizen,” which can be linked to overall learning in social studies. The first reason for this effect is that the learning experience enables children to realize the usefulness of maps, helping them form an attitude in favor of using maps. Second, improving the nature of children’s self-awareness contributes to the realization of lifestyle approaches that Living Environment Studies aims to achieve and serves as a basis for cultivating the civic qualities of social studies.

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