Marshall University Early Education Center
• One John Marshall Drive • Huntington, WV 25755 • (304) 696-6301 •
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Map Project
Fall 2003
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Phase I: Beginning the Project
Determining Children’s Interest and selection a Topic
Q) What general topics appear to interest the children in your classroom?
The children appear to be very interested in the subjects of animals and nature. They also appear to be very interested in the topics of superheroes, bridges, trucks, and roads. Q) How did you learn about their interest? We learned about the children’s interest in the topic of travel through observations and conversations that they had in the classroom and then we asked them about places where they traveled. The children offered the information that maps were used to travel on their roads. The teachers in this project have previously webbed for a road project but then the children’s interest shifted into maps from the road topic. We believe the topic of maps will be a good selection and would have a valuable experience for the children. This topic should help the children to understand their own experience and environment more fully and will offer a wide variety of skills during the investigation. Our anticipatory webs can be viewed in the project notebook.
Teacher Journal: Reflection of Topic Selection
Reasons for topic: 1. Children have an innate interest in roads. 2. Children engage in solitary, parallel, and cooperative road play activities. 3. Children have their own schema of road through personal experience. 4. Children can gain knowledge from sharing personal experiences. 5. Children can represent and express what they know about roads. Possible directions it could take? 1. Road construction 2. Vehicles on roads 3. Road signs 4. Different types of roads 5. Travel 6. Maps 7. People that build roads Content or skills that could be strengthened: 1. Literacy skills can be strengthened when children go to the library to get books on roads or if they make their own road signs. 2. Math skills can be strengthened if they use measuring skills to measure the lengths of the roads they build. 3. Art, creativity, and self-expression can be strengthened when they represent what they know about a road in painting one or in making a map. 4. Science skills can be strengthened when they analyze the composition of a road, talk about how roads are built, and talk about the properties of the matter used to build them. What do you know about this topic? The knowledge I have in this topic is purely gathered from life experience. I have used maps for getting to a destination only. I have never used them for much study except in a required course of study. I evaluate my knowledge base of maps as average to low in ability, however, I am now beginning to enjoy the topic. What would you like to know about this topic? I would first like to know how much the children know about maps and if very many of them will find the topic as interesting as certain students have. I would really like to know just what a two-year-old child could learn about maps. I think that is what I’d most like to know about considering that this area is in my specialization of study. I would most like to know the potential of knowledge that can be acquired in other areas using the topic. What content or skills it could strengthen? I think that this topic could strengthen many skills such as fine motor skills like writing and drawing, spatial awareness, pre-literacy skills, language skills, vocabulary development, representation skills, and coordination in fine motor development. Cognitively, I think that this topic is excellent for enhancing concepts in cognitive areas such as directions like left, right, north south, etc. Other areas that it will most likely enhance or develop are concepts of abstractness such as where the child is in relationship to their world. This topic enhances imagination and creativity. It will help the child gain insight into the fundamentals of geography or social studies. It will likely assist the child in the skills such as numerating, categorizing, classifying and seriating maps and the different types of maps. The topic will also likely assist in the development of the child’s concept of community and how they are organized in society by towns, states, and countries.
Trying Out a Topic and Getting Started
What events can be used to focus the children’s attention? There are various things that can be done throughout the course of the project to help focus the children’s attention. Various field trips throughout the semester can be taken to different sites in and around campus. Places such as the Morrow Library to see a three dimensional map and the Drinko Library to check out books and visit the “map room,” can be valuable experiences to help gain and retain the children’s interest. Inviting various experts and other knowledgeable people to the classroom to talk to the children would also be beneficial to the project. Visiting guests would offer something new and exciting for the children and would also help focus their attention on the project topic itself. The visitors could communicate some of their knowledge about maps to the children and explain how their area of expertise or experience directly relates to the concept of “maps.” Is there an opportunity to involve parents in focusing events? We will attempt to seek parents input by asking the children if they know anyone that uses maps for their work. We will ask them how do you think that we can find out about maps. If children offer a parent as a source we will ask the children if they think that the parent will help us with our map project. What do you know about this topic? I know that people use maps to help find their way to or around a particular area. I know a lot of what maps contain, who uses them and why. A map can help guide someone through a city, state, country or world. Whether wanting to get to a particular restaurant in a city or to a state across the country, maps can help people get where they want to go by providing important detailed information. I have some experience using maps in the past and have a good idea of what different types of maps look like. There are many different types of maps that are used for many different reasons. Some maps are very detailed and full while others are more empty and focused in on a main topic or area. There are maps on paper, 3-D maps, blueprint maps, maps of the ocean, maps of the desert, maps of outer space, maps of amusement parks, and maps of practically anything else that one could possibly imagine. What would you like to know about this topic? I would be interested in finding out who makes maps and possibly how they are made, road, interstate and landscape/landmark maps in particular. Although I know what many types of maps are used for, I would like to explore further the many different types of maps and the purpose for them exactly. It would also be interesting for me to learn more about the history of maps, how and when they came to be, what they were made and constructed of and who were the first people to make them. Another aspect of maps that would be of interest to me is to find out about the first maps of the Huntington and surrounding areas. What resources can be used to stimulate interest and clarify questions? Maps can be brought to the classroom from the travel bureaus and books on maps can be brought into the classroom from the public library. Artifacts such as globes can be brought in either from home or through parent contributions. We plan for the children to discover visitors to invite them into the classroom and clarify any questions the children may have about maps or the different types of maps. How are the children showing what they already know about the topic? The children are showing what they already know about the topic when they explain the purpose of maps to other children. Children have indicated to one another when they are holing a map or viewing one whether the map is being held properly or not. How are they beginning to explore the topic? Some of the children are beginning to explore the topic by drawing or painting pathways on paper that lead to the places that they name. What can be done to encourage representation? Representation will be encouraged through the teachers group efforts to prompt and facilitate all art and building materials that the children use in these things in the classroom. The teachers will use open-ended questioning techniques to further the children’s success at representing a map. What type of documentation can be used for this project?
Anecdotal records can be used to document this project. We observe how the children are interacting with the map project everyday. We pay attention to the play situations that the children are creating in the classroom that revolve around maps, roads, and travel. The teachers are also documenting the conversations that are taking place between teachers and students and between the students themselves. By documenting these situations throughout the duration of the project we can represent what children have learned. We can check each student’s understanding of the topic by comparing what they knew when the project first started with what they knew when the project was finally finished. The teachers involved with this project can also observe the process of child development. Throughout the project a student can develop in many different ways. They develop cognitively, emotionally and socially. Students in the classroom will also develop skills such as mathematic and spatial abilities and emerging literacy. Students will also create individual and group projects within the actual project. Students may create pieces of art that are connected to the map project. We can collect and document these pieces throughout the duration of the project to show how their understanding of the topic has changed in the end. A group of students may also engage in play situations that evolve as the project progresses. Documentation of these group projects can also check the understanding of the individuals involved. Teachers can also use checklists of knowledge to document the children involved in the project. These checklists can keep track of a student’s knowledge of the topic that is being explored. These checklists can also document newly acquired skills that are the result of working on the map project. SummaryThe Road Project was initiated through the interest of a couple of afternoon children who continuously built road structures using blocks that extended across the entire room. These block roads caused other children to take notice and they too began to build roads. Several children used matchbox cars, large trucks, and small trucks to drive across their roads. Some roads contained railroad tracks, bridges, and even walkways for people to use that connected to their block roadways. Dirt was placed in the messy table to allow the children to drive their matchbox cars through to create roadways. Chunks of road were brought in and examined using magnifying glasses. Ceramic tiles were also used to encourage road construction. Even children with limited verbal abilities contributed by getting blocks for the road and offering language like “stop” or “beep, beep” during their play. The children began to ask questions concerning roads, created pictures about roads they lived on or traveled on and even incorporated road signs in their pictures. The children knew that roads took them to various places like the beach, to school, to Nana’s house, or home. A young girl built a road with blocks and at each end of the road she placed a triangular shaped block. “Down there is the school and over there is the house, she said as she pointed to the triangular blocks showing that she knew that roads take her places. Maps quickly became a subtopic of interest that developed through the children’s interest in where roads take people. Several children brought in maps and created their own maps as well. An atlas, a globe, and books were incorporated into the environment to encourage conversations about roads and maps. The children were taken on a few field trips that involved taking a closer look at roads, signs, and lights on campus. The children took pictures on the digital camera documenting stop signs, manholes, and crosswalks on their walks. Several children began to draw pictures of stop signs, one-way signs, and other signs. Most children showed an understanding of the purpose for these signs. “It’s a one-way sign because it has a ‘W’ in it and it points that way so that’s the way you go,” described Alex as he created a one-way sign at the easel using paper and crayons. These conversations continued on the playground where road signs were placed in the area the children ride their bikes. One boy stopped a girl on the bike to tell her about a yield sign on the playground. “That is a yield sign. That means that you have to stop and let other people go before you”, he explained. The atlas and maps that were placed in the room sparked conversations and interest in the topic. Children could tell that the lines on the maps were roads, the “blue stuff is water,” and many could tell what state was on the map because of its shape or by recognizing a town. One child wanted to find the map of West Virginia in the atlas. He came across a map of Ohio. He became very excited and commented, “This is Ohio. That says Huntington so we are getting close.” This child actually pointed out the word Huntington on the map. These conversations along with others were documented using lists that were posted in the block area where this play takes place. Many children began talking about where they had seen maps. “Maps tell you where to go. Dad uses a map to get him to the place on vacation,” one boy explained. One child thought that special scientists make the maps to tell people where to go. “Well I make my maps”, one child commented. A boy brought in a globe to show the class. “It’s a ball map,” he informed the class during group time. Another child brought in a compass to show the class. Parents became involved by bringing in maps and other objects related to the topic. Since the children continued to show interest and began to ask a variety of questions about roads and maps, it appeared that Phase II should begin. The children want to know more about mapmaking. These questions will be explored in the next phase of the project: · Who makes maps? · How do they make maps? · Where are maps created? · Who creates roads? · How do they make roads? It is apparent that the topic has branched off into two mini-topics due to the children’s interest and exploration. Maps and roadways are the topics we will continue to research and explore.
Phase Two Summary What goals will integrate into the topic? After investigating the topic of maps, our students now have the basic ability to read simple maps. Given a starting point on a map, the children can successfully make it to a chosen destination. Reading a map is also a step-by-step process. The children have had practice going through the steps of reading a map, and are beginning to solve problems in a procedural manner. Children who were involved with this topic are now able to follow directions successfully and make choices. The concepts of left, right, and other directions have become more concrete and children can now make a choice on which direction to go to reach a destination on a map. The children demonstrated that they could read a map during walks around campus by pointing out the places they were at on the map. They made choices and chose specific directions to help the entire class get to specific destination. We found our way to the library, Buskirk field, the baseball field, and Lego City. Students now understand what various things a map consists. They have seen maps that represent zoos, campus, West Virginia, and different countries. By having exposure to different types of maps and seeing what they all consist of, the children have created maps of their own. They have created maps of our classroom, maps of their bedrooms, and maps of campus. The children wanted to create a maze out of blocks for the class hamster, so they mapped out a maze on paper. That map served as a plan for many mazes that were constructed by the children. Our children now have a better understanding of various symbols that are represented on maps. We have discussed landmarks, and things they see on a campus map which include: buildings, parking lots, and the different places on campus they travel to. The children have a better understanding of symbolic meaning. After we discussed and worked with this concept, the children’s maps became more elaborate. The students began to draw landmarks on the maps that they created. They used various shapes to represent our school, buildings on campus, and the roads around campus. Are there times that there should be project work? The children in our class mainly did project work during our walks. Before the walk, we would talk about where we wanted to go. Each child had their own map of campus, and would trace a route on their maps to get to their designation. We would stop at several intervals during the walk to check on the progress we were making to our destination. The children began to understand that the places we stopped were landmarks on campus. The students would then decide which direction we should go. Sometimes the group would disagree about which direction was best, so we would split the class up and would take the route each group wanted. Once we made it to our destination we would spend some time there, and then map out a different way back to the classroom. Children also worked on mapping in the art area. They have made many maps during the course of our project. A big difference can be seen between the maps that were made at the beginning of the project, and the maps that the students made after the investigation. Children have made maps of campus, their bedrooms, and of the classroom. As they work on their creations, the teachers discussed mapping with the children. This was a good way for teachers to document the progress that the children were making. There are also times during the day that teachers pulled interested children in a designated area of the classroom to work on project related activities. When children decide to come in there is always someone there to work with them on the map project. The children can help by working on a web or developing questions that they would like to investigate about the topic. This is also a time where the teachers can make lists with the children. We often ask them questions about the map project and record their various answers. This documentation shows the progress in their thinking about maps. Students have also taken these opportunities to work on activities of their own. Some children worked on thank you cards for the guests involved with our investigation of mapping. Students have also worked on individual and group maps during this time. Q: How can the investigation become focused? A: After one child brought in a map of the zoo and sparked the interest of several children, the children began asking several questions concerning maps. The teachers documented the children’s questions and comments by writing the children’s words on paper. This documentation was placed on a wall in the room designated for the map project. The teachers used both group time and individual conversations as a focus for the investigation. The children continued to create their own maps of places around campus. The children often used their campus maps to mark routes, make notes, and use as a guide when walking to a place. Q: What additional resources should be brought into the class to enable and support in-depth study? A: The teachers brought in large atlases, Marshall University campus maps, a globe, and other books relating to maps. The teachers also brought in maps from local places like the mall. The children brought in items like maps, a globe, and even a compass. The children decided to invite a map expert into the room. Mr. Reynolds is one of the father’s of a child in our morning program. He works on boats that go on the ocean. He used a messy table filled with water, sand, and rocks to talk to the children about three-dimensional maps to give them a better understanding. He brought in maps and books of maps for the children to look through.
The children continued to use resources in the classroom like paper, pencils,
crayons, paint, sand, shaving cream, and different types of blocks like Legos,
hollow blocks and long wooden blocks to create maps. Before our visit to RTI, the teachers talked to the children the previous week during group time about how to pose questions concerning their maps. The teachers documented these questions for later review. On several occasions the children used the digital camera to take pictures of roads, signs, maps, and other things related to the project with the help of a teacher. Q:
How can the children best be prepared for field-site experience?
The teachers reminded the children of how to act in an office using their “whisper voices” and we practiced with them on how to ask grown-ups questions. The teachers placed Legos in the block area about a week prior to the visit to RTI to familiarize the children with this type of blocks, which is used at RTI to create Lego robotic vehicles. Q: How will I prepare the field-site personnel to maximize investigation opportunities for my children? A: As we planned for a field site visit to the Nick J. Rahall II Appalachian Transportation Institute, we communicated to the people that worked there through phone calls, e-mails and a pre trip by the teachers. We communicated with them several times by discussing the field trip together on the phone. We first introduced ourselves, discussed with them what we were doing with the children and the reason for our desire to visit the particular location. After talking with one particular man, he suggested that we contact a variety of other people that also worked in the building. While introductory discussions were still taking place between the teachers and faculty at the desired field site location, two of the teachers visited the Transportation Institute. They further discussed the trip with certain faculty members and toured the facility in which the children were going to be exploring. After quite a few phone calls with various people and communicating partly through e-mails, the appointment was set up. Because of various scheduling conflicts, our visit had to be rescheduled several times. Nonetheless, our field trip ultimately took place on Thursday, November 6th 2003. Throughout the many conversations that the teachers had with the people who worked with us at the Nick J. Rahall II Appalachian Transportation Institute, they discussed with them the many aspects of our project to that point, and the kinds of things to expect from the children during the visit including the kinds of questions they may ask. The teachers provided them with an overview of what the children had been learning and what they already knew and understood. What the children seemed to be interested in was also discussed with the faculty members. Q: How many children will go on the visit? How many adults are needed? What preparations should adult helpers have? How will the children be organized for the experience? A: In addition to the seven teachers that are in the classroom on Thursday afternoons, two other teachers from the map project were invited to join the group on the day of the field trip. Letters were also sent home to the children’s families inviting them to join us on the day of our field trip to both, share in the experience with the children and to act as adult helpers as well. The letters included the location of the field site, the date and time of the planned trip, the particular project that the trip corresponded with and the purpose for the trip. The letter also indicated the length of the walk and suggested that the children and adults where comfortable shoes on the day of the field site visit. Parents, grandparents and any other family member or guardian of each child were welcome and encouraged to join the class and help us take the trip to see the “Lego City.” The teachers planned for seventeen children to attend the day of the field site visit. Because it was possible for some children to be absent and for some extra children to be visiting, the teachers were prepared for a varying number of children by making sure that enough teachers and adult helpers were going to be present. After about an hour and a half of class and after everyone that was expected to show up came, each child was to walk and stay with a particular adult. Every adult and child was informed of the safety issues that pertained to the field trip and the children were reminded of the proper behavior while at the field site. Materials and supplies needed: Supplies such as clipboards, art materials and other materials were not necessary items for the children to take on the field trip. Although recording the field experience is of much importance, the children did not plan to physically record the experience themselves. The teachers used a digital camera to record the various activities and experiences had by the class during the field site visit. In case of an emergency, the first aid kit was also taken with the class on the trip. Teacher Journal
Although it was a very rainy Thursday, quite a few parents and grandparents joined us on our walk to the Nick J. Rahall II Appalachian Transportation Institute. Throughout the entire walk, the children used their campus maps to find their way to see the Lego City. As the group approached 3rd Avenue, the children decided to walk across the “Man Bridge,” instead of walking across the street. After the class walked in to the building, the teachers led the group on to the two elevators. Some of the children pushed the buttons while in the elevator and seemed very excited doing so. Upon arriving to the second floor, one of the staff members explained to the class where to go. One half of the class went in to a room with Mr. Litteral and the other half went with Mr. Cartwright. Mr. Litteral showed the children pictures of campus that were taken from a satellite using TEDIS mapping software. While in the other room, Mr. Cartwright showed the class Lego Robotics. Mr. Cartwright demonstrated to the class how it worked and then let the children move certain parts of campus on the computer. Some of the children moved the parts of the AppaLeggo City by using a computer, while other children watched. The children were fascinated with the fact that not only could they use the computer monitor to watch the action of the robotics engaged, but also they were able to watch the actual city move simultaneously. It was somewhat confusing for a few of the children because they were not sure where to look to follow the action. They could also see themselves on the monitor and just as they would turn to look at themselves they were removed from the viewing field. The two groups of children were able to switch off to the area where they had not been after fifteen minutes of activity. When the children went to see the TEDIS mapping software with Mr. Litteral, they were awed at the expanse of the room and the large banquet table. Some of the children sat at the table and listened to Mr. Litteral talk to the group about the mapping software and how the pictures were taken from a satellite from outer space. Other children asked questions about where their school was located on these pictures. The children enjoyed seeing these satellite pictures of Corbly Hall and their location at the Nick J. Rahall, II Appalachian Transportation Institute.
Q) How will children review their experiences and fieldwork?
The children will review their experiences and fieldwork by using several different methods and will vary depending upon the child. They will dictate their experiences to the teacher and discuss their sketches in both Phase I and Phase II of the project. They will display their work and we will review their pictures with them and find out if they wish to make scrapbook during the final phase of the project. Q) How can children be encouraged to use secondary sources?
Children were encouraged to use secondary sources by including choices in the room. Items such as Legos were incorporated into the block area; large hollow blocks were incorporated on the playground so children could choose to make the mazes. On various days we put flour and sand into the messy table to give children the opportunity to make a map or path in the messy table. Maps were posted in the room and on playground over the sandbox to encourage map play in the environment. Additions of atlases, magnifying glasses, and maps were also added to the dramatic play area for encouraging travel with a map so that other children who frequented that area would also be encouraged. Many books on maps and geography were checked out in our public library and incorporated into the classroom library temporarily. Q) How can the children represent what they have learned about the topic?
The children represented what they learned about this topic by looking at and talking about the differences they noted in the various maps they were exposed to during the project. Other children represented what they have learned by creating play travel scenarios where they used a map to plan either a vacation or a business trip. All of the children created maps with either paint or crayons of various forms of maps which represented: how to get to their house, to Wal-mart, to get to Buskirk Field, their bedrooms or their house, how to get to Drinko Library, and even how to get to Lego City. There were also many children using blocks or Legos to represent three-dimensional cities and urban developments along with roads and mazes. Q) What do I need to do to encourage representation?
Representation can be encouraged through teacher modeling by example. For instance, a teacher would talk about a trip they were going to take and ask a student to help find the right way there. A student brought in the Columbus Zoo map and it was used frequently throughout the project. It was posted in the room and this encouraged a lot of the map making that was done because it was very animated and colorful creating an immediate appeal in the classroom. We also took the children to the map area located in the Drinko Library which was encouraging for representation because they had many maps on many different things like the ocean floor, maps of the moon, and maps of Mars. We took field trips to visit a three dimensional map of campus in the Morrow Library which also encouraged three-dimensional representations. Q) How can the following experiences be provided through this project?
Children were very capable of figuring out many factors of representation. They knew intrinsically that colors like blue on a map represented water. Many children knew that if there was a key or legend on the map that it explained the items that were in the map. Throughout the project, the children were able to understand that a map represented a place. When the children were given a map of campus, some were able to use markers and crayons to route their way to Buskirk Field, and to the library.
Children were able to organize materials when they built roads. They seriated the large wooden blocks from the rest and used these to build the road. When they built city structures or developments they organized and seriated these items. Some children applied construction skills when they cut out their maps out from a large butcher-block paper and taped them to the wall. Other children used scissors and glue to place magazine cut outs onto paper of places they would like to travel.
The children often worked together in groups throughout the project. They painted large group maps with tempera paints; they built many group structures with blocks and hollow blocks. A group of children decided to call to see if Mr. Reynolds could come to visit since he uses maps for his work so they talked about various ways they could get him to come to class. The children worked together to call him and schedule the appointment. This was also done with the field trip to the Nick J. Rahall, II Appalachian Transportation Institute.
The children represented their learning and communicated it by showing more development and advancement in the maps that they created. Their block structures increased in their complexity and design. The routes that they mapped with markers on their campus maps were more logically marked, usually indicating a shorter distance being taken, or denoting that they were taking a path rather than mere markings on the map. In the sandbox, one child made a topographic map with mountains and plateaus. Some children built intricate mazes for the hamster in our room to see which way he would go when released into it. Q) Decide when to culminate the project. A) The children have shown that they are no longer interested in the project. They no longer incorporate maps into their play or conversations. Q) Are the children satisfied with their new knowledge? A) The children have gained a more complex thought process about maps. From organizing the children’s maps from the first map to the last map, teachers and spectator’s are able to tell how the children’s thought process has become more elaborate. I feel that the children do need more investigation skills to understand that maps represent more than just directions, they can also represent populations, weather, miles, etc. However, these skills are too complex for the age group in our program. Q) What would be helpful for the children to have? A) The children would enjoy another visit to Lego City. Many of the children wanted to gain further knowledge about how to construct similar structures that Lego City had. Perhaps if Lego City had a representative visit our class with hands on examples, more of the younger children would be involved. Teacher Journal for Narrative of Children’s Dispositions During the course of the project, the children slowly began to see the purpose of using maps. Many of the children were able to recognize that their parents used maps for directions to go places. Alex said, “My dad used a map to get to Pittsburgh. In fact, he saw the tunnel on the map.” Children do recognize the purpose of maps. However, they were not able in the beginning to determine how maps were used in their daily lives. The teachers decided to find campus maps to show the children what the university looked like on a map. We took many walks with the children to show them the different ways we can use a map. Before handing the children the maps, the teachers asked the children how they could get to Buskirk Field from our classroom. Maggie said, “Go right at the gate, go straight, cross the street, go past the water fountain, and then you are there.” She was able to help the children make connections from their experiences to a new symbolic experience. The children recognized the pictures and were able to pick our Corbly Hall, the water fountain, and Buskirk Field on the campus map. Once the children became very acquainted with the maps, they began to choose their favorite spots on campus. They would take a map and a marker or colored pencil to sketch out the best route to their favorite place on campus. Soon this would lead us to our walk to Lego City. The teachers spent about a month studying the campus maps. The children were actively engaged during this section of the project because they enjoyed looking for the real building and the picture buildings on the maps. Once children understood better what maps could be used for and represent, their personal maps they drew became more complex. They began to include more details and descriptions about the places on their maps. Many of the children spent more time explaining why they felt certain spots on their maps were more important than others. As a finally to the project, Mr. Reynolds’ and a walk to Lego City were incorporated into the project. Mr. Reynolds’ works for Exxon and uses ocean maps for his job. He brought in several ocean maps for the children to look at. He even did a demonstration with the messy table how people mapped out the water. The next event that occurred was the walk to Lego City. The children made decisions about how to walk there, what they should bring, and which is the best path to take. The children, especially the older ones, were able to look at their maps to tell the group which direction to go. Throughout the project, the children learned to become more confident in themselves because they now know that they will never get lost with a map. They know that they can rely on themselves that they can read a map and are able to explain to others how they can read maps.
Teacher Journal During the course of the project, the children slowly began to see the purpose of using maps. Many of the children were able to recognize that their parents used maps for directions to go places. Alex said, “My dad used a map to get to Pittsburgh. In fact, he saw the tunnel on the map.” Children do recognize the purpose of maps. However, they were not able in the beginning to determine how maps were used in their daily lives. The teachers decided to find campus maps to show the children what the university looked like on a map. We took many walks with the children to show them the different ways we can use a map. Before handing the children the maps, the teachers asked the children how they could get to Buskirk Field from our classroom. Maggie said, “Go right at the gate, go straight, cross the street, go past the water fountain, and then you are there.” She was able to help the children make connections from their experiences to their mapping experience from the classroom. The children recognized the pictures, and were able to pick our Corbly Hall, the water fountain, and Buskirk Field on the campus map. Once the children became familiar with the maps, they began to choose their favorite spots on campus. They would take a map and a marker or colored pencil to sketch out the best route to their favorite place on campus. Soon this would lead us to our walk to Lego City. The teachers spent about a month studying the campus maps. The children were actively engaged during this section of the project because they enjoyed looking for the actual buildings from the symbolic buildings on the maps. Once children understood what maps could be used for and represent, their personal maps they drew became more complex. They began to include more details and descriptions about the places on their maps. Many of the children spent more time explaining why they felt certain spots on their maps were more important than others. As a finally to the project, Mr. Reynolds’ and a walk to Lego City were incorporated into the project. Mr. Reynolds’ works for Exxon and uses ocean maps for his job. He brought in several ocean maps for the children to look at. He even did a demonstration with the messy table how people mapped out the water. The next event that occurred was the walk to Lego City. The children made decisions about where to walk, what they should bring, and which is the best path to take. The children, especially the older ones, were able to look at their maps to tell the group which direction to go. Throughout the project, the children learned to become more confident in themselves because they now know that they will never get lost with a map. They know that they can rely on themselves that to read a map and can explain to others how to read maps.
Phase III
Sharing with others what we have learned
Q) What evidence of children’s learning can be gathered and discussed with them? The children’s drawings and paintings can be shared with others along with the things they said in our displayed documentations. Also, the constructions that the children made with wooden blocks and Legos during the course of the project can be shared with pictures. Q) What do the children think they have learned? After discussing the project with some of the children, they think they have learned to use a map and they have learned to find the way to AppaLego City with the use of a map. Q) With whom would they like to share their project? They children have stated that they would like to share their project with everybody, including parents, teachers, and the people at Lego City. Q) How might they share what they have learned? The children will share what they have what they have learned through an exhibit such as the map wall. They will also share with other student through a history with a scrapbook made by them in the classroom. The parents will view the project during an open house scheduled for the parents and a power point presentation to be viewed also in the classroom. Reviewing the documentation Q) What types of documentations have I used to document this project? The various types of documentations that the teachers used in this project consist of project narratives, observations, anecdotal notes, individual portfolios, written language products such as books from the library, webs and lists, pictures, and constructions in the play environment with blocks and Legos. Q) Is there another topic that has emerged for further investigation? Absolutely, the topic of mazes is another topic that has emerged and the children have shown an interest in. Q) Would this topic be a topic to investigate now or at a later time? I think this topic could be further investigated at this time if time permitted. Evaluating the Project: Learning How To Do It Better Q) Review the project. What have you learned about topic selection? Was this a good topic? Why did it work or not work for children’s investigation? This was a good topic selection because it was broad enough to include other areas that children could draw their experiences from. It worked because it helped the children relate to their community and environment. It is something that they also have encountered in their everyday lives. Q) Did the children gain the content knowledge and skills that you hoped they would? Yes, the children gained content knowledge and skills from many areas that included how: •to look up phone numbers using a last name. (mathematics, literacy) •to measure depth using a straight edge. (mathematics) •to find different places on a map. (geography) •to identify and create symbols on maps. (social studies, geometry) •to give directions of how to get to different places. (language, literacy) •to read a map using symbols, lines, shapes, and words. (social studies, geometry, literacy) •to create maps using different perspectives with various materials.(art, fine motor skills, writing) •to understand that there are different types of maps like 3-D, mazes, or directional maps. (science, social studies) •to understand sequences like first, next, and last through map making. (social studies, language, literacy, art, science, math) Q) What did you learn about Phase I? We learned that children’s interest could quickly shift. We also learned that children could connect that maps and roads are associated together. Q) What did you learn about Phase II? We learned that children needed help formulating and asking questions. We also learned that they needed the teachers’ guidance in finding resources. We were also surprised at their own enthusiasm and ability to work on the project investigations. Q) What did you learn about Phase III? We learned that the children are able to apply the skills to their daily lives and to understand the abstract nature of maps. We learned the children discovered an increased knowledge of their environment by using their mapping skills and the representations for what is on a map. We also learned that the children’s skills of mapping increased in complexity from the beginning of the project. Other areas that we noted this progression were in areas of critical thinking, fine motor skills, language development, representational skills, and abstract thinking. Q) What would you do differently in the next project? If we were to do another project on this same topic, we would most like to add to the project by incorporating music and movement into it. We would like to better space apart the visits performed by guest speakers and field trips. Q) What suggestions do you have for other teachers working with the same age group or topic? We would suggest better preparing the speakers to talk more on the children’s developmental level. We would also suggest better preparation of the field trip experiences by having more child-centered activities where children could have more of a hands-on experience. |