Walking Into the Past:
A Guide to the Rosenbach's School Neighborhood Mapping Projects

Lesson Guide: Classroom Maps


The Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2018-2010 DeLancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103; 215-732-1600; www.rosenbach.org

Overview

 Materials

Introduction:
This lesson is intended to help students develop the skills they need to understand about what maps are, why they are used, and to apply this knowledge in the creation of a simple map. It will also introduce some basic vocabulary of mapping. The approach should be fun and experimental. In class use, it has taken about 2 hrs. to complete all of the activities. They can easily be done on different days with a bit of reviewing.

Skill Focus:
Geography--direction, location, how to use maps, analyze spatial organization.
Visual Arts--observe surroundings and translate 3D into 2D.

Vocabulary: navigation, orient, compass rose, organization, aerial, cartography

 

  • Blindfold for one person
  • Variety of maps--land form, street & road, globe, weather maps, population maps, etc. Some good ones available at National Geographic
  • Paper and pencil for each student. (Large paper like 12"x18" preferable.)

 Activities

 Discussion Points
 1) Blindfold Activity: Send one person and her/his guide, out of the classroom, or have them blindfolded in the classroom. As a class, decide where you want the blindfold member of the class to finish--the place to lead them from the door. With someone to guide the blinded person, other members of the class verbally direct her/him to the goal using a series of commands. Someone writes commands down on the board. At the conclusion of blinded excursion, retrace the steps from the verbal map and draw a directional map showing the series of steps. Discuss the activity and focus on how we need maps to navigate in unknown places.
  • What was difficult (or funny) about this?
  • Why do we need maps?
  • What is their purpose?
  • When have people in history used maps?
  • What kind of maps do you use today?
  • What terms were needed to guide the blinded person (like right and left)?
  • How do maps use terms to guide us?
 2) Map Observations: Have students look and discuss various maps in the classroom. Look at U.S. map and consider where your state is. Look at a state map and find your city. Look at a city map and discuss the school's location in relation to surrounding streets. Where are the nearby streets, rivers and other landmarks. Locate the direction of the sunrise and discuss the compass directions. Identify North South East and West in the classroom. Introduce term compass rose. Discuss longitude and latitude.
  • What does the U.S. map tell us that the state map doesn't and vice versa?
  • What does the state map tell us that the city map doesn't and vice versa?
  • Where does the sun rise around the school?
  • How are the directions of North South East and West connected to our blindfold activity? (like right and left)
    What is a compass rose?
 3) Human Compass: Have students stand and pretend they are compasses. Call out different commands making it more complicated as the activity progresses. Start with N, NE, E, SE, W, NW and interchange with things outside of the classroom (that have been discussed.) Try using different states. Try it with eyes shut. Discuss orientation.
  • What is orientation, and why is it important for using maps?
 4) Map Purposes: Look at different kinds of maps, such as population maps or weather maps. Discuss how we can read these maps and why we might want to use them. Introduce the term cartographer. Discuss the notion of purpose for maps and the question of what information is valuable for that purpose.
  • How do cartographers decide what to put on maps?
  • What's valuable to different people? or at different times?
 5) Making the Class Map: Discuss with students that they will each make a classroom map and that anyone should be able to pick up their map and find their way around the classroom. They should think about orientation and purpose. Also, explain the notion of birds-eye-view (with examples) and introduce the term aerial. Give out 12" x 18" sheets of paper and have students begin by drawing compass rose on the paper and at least one item. Check for correctness and have them complete it in class or for homework.
  • What's important to you in the classroom?
  • What would be important for a new student?
  • What would be important for a new teacher or an adult visitor? How about a parent?
Follow-Up: Collect, display and discuss the class maps.
  • How do some maps use symbols? How do some use color and texture to show thing?
  • What's important to the map maker?
  • Who could use this map for help?

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