{"id":1941,"date":"2009-11-01T21:48:48","date_gmt":"2009-11-02T02:48:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/openwidelookinside\/archives\/1941"},"modified":"2009-11-01T21:48:48","modified_gmt":"2009-11-02T02:48:48","slug":"teaching-geography-with-childrens-literature-maps-and-mapping-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/openwidelookinside\/2009\/11\/01\/teaching-geography-with-childrens-literature-maps-and-mapping-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: Maps and Mapping"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\"images-1.jpeg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jinny Johnson’s Maps and Mapping<\/a> explores the world of maps through exciting pages filled with pop-ups and fold-outs.\u00a0 Throughout the book, the reader is taken on a journey of exploring the job of a cartographer.\u00a0 The cartographer, Suki West, is a fictional character in the book who loves making all types of maps.\u00a0 In the process, the reader learns about different types of maps and its importance.\u00a0 The book explains that maps are needed in order to understand flat surfaces and proportions.\u00a0 Maps and Mapping <\/em>explores the first maps, such as, the Roman maps from the A.D. 300s.\u00a0 The Romans started the tradition of showing roads, distances, and information on maps.\u00a0 Maps and Mapping <\/em>introduces sextants and compasses to explain how explorers used these forms of maps to navigate their vessels in the ocean.\u00a0 The book also discusses the major differences between flat and round maps.\u00a0 It shows that maps can be used to document any type of area, such as, the sea, mountains, and space. \u00a0 The book concludes by discussing ways that maps are used today.\u00a0 Instead of cartographers drawing the maps, satellites are now used to take photographs and produce 3-D maps.\u00a0 Suki states, “The latest 3-D maps, made by putting together millions of satellite images, can show places in amazing detail-even showing individual houses!” (Johnson 28)\u00a0 Maps and Mapping <\/em>is a wonderful introduction to geography in a way that children can relate to and understand. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Curriculum Connections<\/strong><\/p>\n

Maps and Mapping<\/em> connects geography and social studies to the world of direction and mapping.\u00a0 It may be used to introduce a lesson on map making.\u00a0 Maps and Mapping <\/em>helps students to develop map skills and construct simple maps (2.5, 2.6, 3.6).\u00a0 In the book, students are also able to note the changes between ancient maps and the maps that we use today (2.3).\u00a0 The illustrations include many types of maps that are informative and include examples of maps from all over the world.\u00a0 The book would make a useful supplement to a lesson on maps.<\/p>\n

Additional Resources <\/strong><\/p>\n