Today we went to the maps library to discover how we could incorporate maps into our curriculum. The experience was eye-opening. The goal was to learn about different types of maps, how to use maps in the classroom, find data to make maps, tools for making maps and how to look at real maps. This was accomplished through looking at different kinds of maps including: electronic, puzzles, paper, plastic, and globes. These maps represented different things and were displayed through different kinds of maps. Different maps include: thematic, road, flow, topo, weather, old, new, aerial, and satellite just to name a few.
When we got into the library we were able to look at all the different maps available to us. There are thousands of maps available to us in this library and we only got to skim the surface. At the very end we were show a "fun" map which reminded me of what we are doing with our board games.
When we got back to the classroom we used the information we just learned in the library to remake a board game. Our game is "A Day for the Nittany Lion" and shows where he goes on a busy Saturday. This helps show that maps can be made in very different ways and represent many different things.
It may be helpful for you think about the ways that different ways of knowing (that are presented in class)work as spaces that allow us to interpret and build knowledge. One way to do this is to think of it comparatively. For example, think about how you "traditionally" come to understand something and then ask yourself, "how is this different?"
ReplyDeleteMore specifically in relation to maps, you might think about what some of the key elements are about maps that position it as a space where we can interpret meaning. How do the different kinds of maps provide different ways to generate understanding?