Learning and teaching with maps

A comprehensive and authoritative account of how primary school children and teachers can use maps to enhance learning and deepen understanding of this essential skill. It includes all aspects of map use, such as reading and interpreting maps and using maps to find the way, covering maps of all scales, including globes and atlases. The text is extensively illustrated with examples, including maps made by children themselves using conventional materials as well as computer software.

A particular feature of the book is the integration of digital and conventional mapping, and Internet and CD-ROM cartography together with simple applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) appropriate to the needs of children right through primary and secondary education.

This book will be of great use to all primary teachers and subject teachers in secondary school as well as non-specialist geography teachers, and will enable children to use all types of maps in new, compelling and thoughtful ways.

Author Notes

Patrick Wiegand is Reader in Geography Education at the University of Leeds and Chair of the Cartography and Children Commission of the International Cartographic Association. He is a Fellow of the British Cartographic Society, a member of the UK Committee for Cartography and recently held a Leverhulme Research Fellowship in GIS in Education. He is editorial adviser on atlases for Oxford University Press.

List of colour plates	p. viii
List of figures	p. ix
Acknowledgements	p. xi
1 Introduction	p. 1
Research in cartography and children	p. 2
Part 1 Understanding maps	p. 5
2 Cartography and geo-information science	p. 7
The 'cartographic revolution'	p. 8
How maps work	p. 9
3 How children learn with maps	p. 12
Is map learning innate?	p. 12
Map learning as the personal construction of knowledge	p. 13
Map learning as the social construction of knowledge	p. 20
Perspectives from an information processing approach	p. 22
4 Models, aerial photographs and large scale plans	p. 26
Understanding that models can represent space	p. 26
Understanding that aerial photographs can represent space	p. 27
Understanding that maps can represent space	p. 29
Using maps to find a location	p. 30
Understanding the map's alignment and viewing angle	p. 33
Understanding scale	p. 34
Using coordinates	p. 36
Understanding symbols and text on large scale maps	p. 37
5 Using maps to find the way	p. 39
A life skill we don't teach	p. 39
Using maps to identify a route	p. 40
Navigating small spaces	p. 41
Navigating in the real world	p. 42
6 Children's neighbourhood maps	p. 45
Recreating the view from above	p. 45
Children's maps of their home area	p. 45
Assessing children's maps	p. 46
Using mapping software	p. 50
7 Understanding topographic and thematic maps	p. 51
Some learning difficulties with scale	p. 51
Generalisation	p. 53
Understanding conventional symbols on topographic maps	p. 53
Visualising relief	p. 55
Contours	p. 59
Reading and understanding text on small scale maps	p. 61
Understanding picture maps	p. 62
Understanding thematic maps	p. 63
8 World maps, globes and atlases	p. 67
Understanding the Earth	p. 67
Development of world place knowledge	p. 69
Children's maps of the world	p. 69
Map projections	p. 74
Understanding the spherical Earth	p. 77
Children's maps of their own country	p. 79
Understanding nested spatial hierarchies	p. 80
School atlases	p. 83
Electronic atlases	p. 85
Part 2 Better teaching with maps	p. 89
9 Planning a map and GIScience curriculum	p. 91
Map skills	p. 91
Progression	p. 92
Evaluating map teaching strategies	p. 96
Gender differences	p. 97
Maps and special users	p. 98
10 Practical map activities: up to age 7	p. 100
Direct and indirect environmental experience	p. 100
Learning with models, photographs and large scale plans	p. 102
Learning with atlases and globes	p. 104
11 Practical map activities: age 7 to 11	p. 106
Developing map numeracy	p. 106
Developing map literacy	p. 109
Learning with large scale maps	p. 110
Map making	p. 112
Learning with atlases and globes	p. 114
12 Practical map activities: age 11 to 14	p. 116
Map numeracy	p. 116
Map literacy	p. 118
Developing map and atlas skills	p. 119
Learning to use GISystems	p. 121
Beyond age 14	p. 122
13 Making better maps for children	p. 124
Putting maps on the page	p. 124
Graticules and grids	p. 127
Showing scale information	p. 128
How much detail to show?	p. 128
Symbology and legends	p. 128
Supporting map reading through type	p. 130
Labelling geographical names	p. 133
14 Conclusion	p. 136
Appendix	p. 139
Bibliography	p. 141
Index	p. 152

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Author Notes

Table of Contents