Always teach mapping skills and concepts by relating them to the content strands or strand units of the geography curriculum.
They should not be taught in isolation.
Find a strand of the geography curriculum which lends itself to aspects of map work which you wish to develop.
Objectives of Map work with Children
To help children to understand that:
- Maps and plans can be read once the symbols, scale and directions are understood. Teach children to read map titles and to scan map legends.
- Maps and plans tell us about places and can locate them in terms of other places.
- Printed maps help us to develop mental maps or cognitive maps which are our images of the world.
- Maps show distinct boundaries: many things do not fit within neat national boundaries.
What concept difficulties do maps present?
1. Maps carry a range of symbols and signs which often do not always have set meanings.
2. Users need an understanding of the concept of location, i.e. that each sign is placed in a specific area
3. Maps are images that represent space and place. Those reading maps must be able to imagine what the actual features look like from a vertical view.
4. Children need to be able to understand scale.