Maps to Show the Big Picture

“Making connections” is a primary goal for educators. Understanding is directly related to being able to connect new material, facts, ideas, and concepts to previously learned knowledge.

Using maps is a great way of allowing these connections to grow. Our Global Studies curriculum is taking advantage of many different ways to incorporate maps into the program.

While studying China, fourth graders were assigned a specific province. It was each group’s goal to research particular characteristics of their province. Agriculture, animals, population and industries were some of the characteristics they focused on.

A giant map of China was placed on the wall. Each group received a large puzzle piece in the shape of their province, which they decorated with information they had learned.

As the culminating project, the students presented the research of their assigned province and added the puzzle piece to the big map. Once the map was completed, the teachers and students discussed the importance of each province in relationship to the country and world. Answers to questions, like “What would happen if this province with its agricultural production did not exist?” or “Why do these two neighboring provinces farm the same types of crops?” suddenly became clearer to the students as they were able to make these connections.

Throughout the school, maps were placed on walls and bulletin boards to show students where the traveling teachers and bear were on a daily basis.

Teachers printed out images from the photo stream on Flickr and created connections to the geographical location on the map.