The World in Spatial Terms: The World in Spatial Terms: A Primer for Primary Teachers in A Primer for Primary Teachers in

Mapmaking and Map ReadingMapmaking and Map Reading

Bird’s Eye View Bird’s Eye View

MapmakingMapmaking

Social Studies and the Young Social Studies and the Young LearnerLearner

November 2007November 2007

By Gale EkissBy Gale Ekiss

Barbara Trapido-LurieBarbara Trapido-Lurie

Judy PhillipsJudy Phillips

andand

Elizabeth Hinde Elizabeth Hinde

Based on:Based on: The Shape of My World:The Shape of My World:Mapping A ClassroomMapping A Classroom

By Susan NixonBy Susan Nixon

Presented by: Presented by: Judy PhillipsJudy Phillips

Teacher ConsultantTeacher ConsultantArizona Geographic AllianceArizona Geographic Alliance

Kindergarten TeacherKindergarten TeacherSierra Vista, AZSierra Vista, AZ

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

Students view the Students view the world in a horizontal world in a horizontal manner--just like a manner--just like a photograph. photograph.

Think of student Think of student drawings. drawings.

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

Before you can assign a Before you can assign a mapmaking assignment mapmaking assignment in grades K-3, you need in grades K-3, you need to be sure that your to be sure that your students understand the students understand the perspective from which a perspective from which a map is drawn.map is drawn.

It is drawn as if someone It is drawn as if someone is looking DOWN and is looking DOWN and drawing what he sees. drawing what he sees.

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

It also uses It also uses symbols which symbols which stand for human stand for human or physical or physical features. features.

A key/legend A key/legend explains what the explains what the symbols are. symbols are.

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye ViewThis is a typical map made by a young child. This is a typical map made by a young child. It is a hybrid of two perspectives--It is a hybrid of two perspectives--

horizontal and looking down.horizontal and looking down.

Overview of LessonOverview of Lesson

Mapping the Mapping the classroom, using large classroom, using large shapes to represent shapes to represent items in that items in that environment will help environment will help students build the students build the mental framework on mental framework on which to base an which to base an understanding of both understanding of both mapping and shapes.mapping and shapes.

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View To explain the correct To explain the correct

perspective of a map, perspective of a map, begin with architectural begin with architectural blueprints. Highlight the blueprints. Highlight the doors and windows. doors and windows. Students can practice Students can practice “viewing from above”.“viewing from above”.

Discuss what they are Discuss what they are seeing.seeing.

Proceed to a group Proceed to a group drawing on chart paper drawing on chart paper of the classroom. (See of the classroom. (See Figure)Figure)

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

A transition is made A transition is made into only using into only using shapes to create shapes to create the map.the map.

Compare the former Compare the former illustration to this illustration to this map. map.

Practice making a Practice making a classroom map with classroom map with the students on the students on chart paper using chart paper using shapes this time.shapes this time.

Lesson Examples and Lesson Examples and ExtensionsExtensions

Next, the students Next, the students would make their own would make their own individual maps.individual maps.

The students identified The students identified the shapes they would the shapes they would need.need.

Each student chose Each student chose their shapes from a their shapes from a pool of shapes that pool of shapes that was provided.was provided.

ExtensionsExtensions

Students identify each Students identify each part of the classroom part of the classroom represented by shapes represented by shapes on their mapson their maps

AssessmentAssessment

By pointing on their By pointing on their maps students answer maps students answer questions such as:questions such as:

Where is the sink?Where is the sink? Where do you sit?Where do you sit? Where is the computer Where is the computer

table?table?

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

The goal is to get The goal is to get kids to draw kids to draw maps in the right maps in the right perspective. perspective.

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

Eventually, more Eventually, more elements are elements are added to the added to the map. map.

This map has a This map has a grid. grid.

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

D--dateD--dateO--orientationO--orientationG--gridG--gridS--scaleS--scaleT--titleT--titleA--author A--author (cartographer)(cartographer)

I--indexI--indexL--legendL--legendS--symbolsS--symbols

Eventually, maps should have these elements:

ConclusionConclusion

Both research and Both research and experience bear out that experience bear out that our youngest learners can our youngest learners can learn to use and create learn to use and create simple maps.simple maps.

If we are in the business of If we are in the business of preparing students for life, preparing students for life, then teaching maps should then teaching maps should be a necessary component be a necessary component of any elementary of any elementary program.program.

Arizona Geographic AllianceArizona Geographic Alliance

For more information For more information about Alliance about Alliance programs contact:programs contact:

Gale Olp-Ekiss atGale Olp-Ekiss at

GBEkiss@aol.comGBEkiss@aol.com

Arizona Geographic AllianceArizona Geographic Alliance

For more information For more information about Alliance about Alliance cartography and maps cartography and maps please contact:please contact:

Barbara Trapido-Lurie Barbara Trapido-Lurie atat

BTL@asu.eduBTL@asu.edu