Designates steps to be taken at all stages of the map production process from planning to printing. Pointers include making sure that the map is essential rather than purely decorative; considering the audience for whom the map is intended; determining the primary message that the map is intended to convey; and considering the dimensions of the…

Orienteering--the game of following a map to find predetermined locations--can spark interest and develop skills in map making and map reading. This article gives background on orienteering; describes indoor and outdoor orienteering activities; offers suggestions for incorporating orienteering into science, math, and language arts; and provides a…

Presents a sixth-grade, interdisciplinary activity in which students investigate the physical size of the Roman Empire. (MKR)

Provides an overview of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Interactive Multimedia Cartography Project to create an interactive videodisc that would illustrate the topic of mapping and provide access to examples of cartography from the American Geographical Society Collection. (JLB)

Describes geography activities for elementary students. In the first activity, students learn how to understand coordinates and use them to read maps. In the second activity, students learn the concepts of the legend as well as how to use it to find their way around on a map. (PR)

Discusses the scientific knowledge available to Christopher Columbus and how it influenced his geographically flawed, yet historically significant, decision to sail west in order to travel east. Factors discussed include Aristotle's conclusion that the earth was round, early measurements of latitude and longitude, and early map-making attempts.…

Describes the second map printed in Europe which appeared in 1475. Provides background information that teachers to help students grasp the fundamental aspects of the map. Explores the map as a whole, its details and parts, and the significance of the map for studying the world view of Europeans preceding Columbus's discoveries. (DK)

Describes the first map to divide the globe into five symmetrical climatic zones. Discusses Ambrosius Macrobius's map as a statement of earthly limitations rather than physical reality. Suggests its significance for teaching world history is as an example of deductive cartography that influenced and challenged late medieval Christian thought. (DK)

Six papers on geographic information systems cover the future of geographic information systems, land information systems modernization in Wisconsin, the Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) System of the U.S. Bureau of the Census, satellite remote sensing, geographic information systems and sustainable development,…

Presents activities to stimulate the curiosity of grade 10-12 students and introduce them to astronomical observations. Exposes students to the evolutionary theory of stars and the structure of the universe. (DDR)

Fourth- through sixth-grade students can create drawn-to- scale classroom maps as they prepare for a treasure hunt using mathematics, map, and measurement skills. The activity involves sharing different maps and examining their features; discussing scale and its purpose; describing the in-classroom treasure hunt; making the maps; and allowing…

The Cape Canaveral endeavor led the author to contemplate the history of cartography and the role of geographers and historians in describing the human-environment nexus. He was especially interested in the depiction of the Americas by world historians and geographers. He wanted to answer the question, "How do world historians and geographers…

Cultivating the "professional knowledge landscape" of schools (Clandinin & Connelly, 1995) from the perspective of insiders can enrich the leadership and curriculum fields. Toward this end, the author offers a map for becoming oriented to one teacher group's vision for improving school environments. During the summer of 2001, 33…

Pairs of students from two age groups made choropleth maps using Arc View. Evidence from their discourse is used to assess aspects of their cartographic understanding as well as the nature of their collaboration. Students from both age groups spent a high percentage of their time talking about cartographic strategy and a low percentage of time on…

This book presents over 400 illustrations of complex data that show how the dimensionality and density of portrayals can be enhanced. Practical advice on how to explain complex materials by visual means is given, and examples illustrate the fundamental principles of information display. Design strategies presented are exemplified in maps, the…