Study of Maps
March 31, 2021 | Bridget O'Dowd
The past few weeks, the kindergarten has been learning about maps! This social studies unit helps us as we transition to learning about ourselves and our community to expand our views and learn more about the similarities and differences we share with other children in the world.
We begun by sharing what we already know about maps.
We knew that they can tell you where to go. We know that pirates use maps to hide their treasure. We shared about maps we have seen before.
An airplane was built in drama. The children could be a pilot, a co-pilot, or a passenger. After a day of the passenger just enjoying the flight, a beverage service was requested.
The co-pilot is in charge of the map. They tell the pilot where to fly the plane. Some places they have been traveling: Brazil, Australia, Africa, Pokemon Land, Mexico, and Illinois. Quite the flight itinerary!
Then we began to look at different types of maps together. We looked at maps of Church Square Park, Hoboken, New Jersey, United States, and finally the whole world.
We noticed different colors and pictures on maps.
We attempted making our own maps! Treasure maps were a favorite topic so with a partner, the children hid a small treasure in the classroom and had to make a map of the classroom marking where it was. Once the children swapped maps, they found their hidden treasure!
Then we made maps of our own homes or rooms and got to share it with our classmates. They made sure to include the shape of furniture and rooms and labeled each place too!
We decided to consult with an expert to answer some of our questions. Luckily, Ms. O’Dowd’s brother is a geography major. Mr. Faley is a senior at Augustana College in Illinois. He answered some of our burning questions.
- How can you tell what each place is on the map?
- Why are maps so colorful?
- How do people know if a map is a treasure map?
- Why and when were maps invented?
- Why is the globe a sphere?
The children also asked Mr. Faley how he uses maps. We were excited to find out that he has made maps and he even showed us one he made. We learned the word cartographer and what a cartographer does. One child asked when he started learning about maps. He told us be started when he was 18 but was interested in maps since he was in kindergarten, just like us!
