The author was impressed the first time she used MapQuest for a journey from Massachusetts to North Carolina's Outer Banks. The directions took her from her driveway to her brother's summer rental without a missed step for the entire 712 miles. She thought, life is amazing, and technology adds to the shine. In this article, the author shares how…

In the primary grades, maps are useful tools to help the young reader put stories into perspective. This article presents 18 quality children's books that contain maps or lessons about maps, as well as activities to use in the classroom to teach map skills. A table is included with ratings of the usability of the maps.

Provides information on Landsat maps of Canada made from pictures taken by satelitte. Suggests guidelines for their use in the elementary classroom. (Author/CM)

Examines appropriate map learning experiences for elementary school children based on inferences derived from Piaget's research on cognitive development. Addresses the eight skills developed in most map learning programs: 1) interpreting symbols, 2) envisioning perspective, 3) locating places, 4) determining direction, 5) computing distance, 6)…

Explains the relationship between important citizenship goals and recognized map skills. Demonstrates, grade by grade, how to conduct map learning activities that foster active involvement and problem solving skills needed for democratic citizenship. (JDH)

Presents fifteen activities designed to lead children from the enactive, iconic, and symbolic levels of understanding map symbols, perspective, direction, distance, location, scale, relief and elevation. (JDH)

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a large Arab, Muslim country in the Middle East. It has been an economic and political partner of the United States for many years. This unit, designed for elementary students, provides a text, questions, mapping skills, and fun activities. Students read about Saudi Arabia to gain insights and an appreciation of…

Presents an azimuthal-equidistant map which was created to show the true direction and distance from Hawaii to all the countries bordering the Pacific area. Discusses the advantages of such a map and provides questions to be used in classroom discussions about it. (GEA)

Describes an approach to eliminating "map illiteracy" in college students. Map illiteracy is defined as the inability to read and draw meaning from simple maps used in history texts and teaching. (JDH)

Addresses the importance of maps for instruction in both history and geography. Suggests that maps have gotten recent attention because of the rapid political changes occurring in Europe and the quincentenary of Columbus' voyage. Discusses different map projections and the importance of media and satellite display of real pictures of the world.…

Piagetian stages of cognitive development are reviewed, and what teachers of geography skills, particularly map skills, can do to make use of Piaget's theory of child development is discussed. Piaget describes children at four different stages: (1) sensorimotor stage--birth to 2 years, (2) preoperational stage--ages 2-7, (3) concrete operational…

Describes the importance of children developing proper mapping skills to help them understand their life space as they mature. Explains topological, projective, and Euclidean concepts in relation to how children should be taught about space concepts used in mapping. Focuses on integrating topological experiences into pre-school, primary grades…

States that childrens' spatial conceptualization of maps progresses from topological to projective to Euclidean. Provides guidelines for conducting map activities with young children which take account of these and related factors. Recommends block play with verbalization for very young children, followed by mapping of familiar environments. (JDH)

It is reported that using mapping software is truly a life skill. In the classes in which it is taught, students will find learning to use mapping valuable in every phase of life.

The ability to see whether a map is equal-area, conformal, or neither is useful for looking intelligently at large-area maps. For example, only if a map is equal-area can reliable judgments of relative size be made. If a map is equal-area, latitude-longitude cells are equal in size between a given pair of parallels, the cells between a given pair…