Can you draw a map from your home to a specific location if asked? Students in my classes struggle with this simple task because of their lack of knowledge and experience with map skills.
I teach ninth grade students in a high poverty, multi-cultural area.
My students are from a rural town in Louisiana. Many live in single parent homes with limited finances, so their experiences are also limited to the immediate area within Louisiana. Most of these students have not traveled far beyond their hometown and live their worldly experiences through my class. These students are intrigued by the unknown and interested in learning about places around the globe. If they had the resources, students that are regular education, as well as special education, would broaden their understanding of the world.
My Project
I am requesting large scale wall maps that can be pulled down at appropriate times to engage students in learning and exploring. Not only will students be able to identify locations of particular cities, rivers, countries, and geographic landscapes, but also plot coordinates, see the relationship between longitude and latitude, and understand the importance of time zones and seasons. Being able to see the locations of all areas of the globe will increase their understanding of past events and future predictions. They can also learn how the world interacts and use the illustrations to make presentations to the class about areas they have researched.
Students in my class lack essential knowledge of the world today and do not have the map skills they need to live in the 21st century.
Many of them do not know the continents, where they are, or their names. As we are learning about foreign places, my students can not make the connections and gain higher level skills they need without being able to see these areas. As a World Geography teacher, maps are an essential part of my every day class and are in high demand for the activities planned.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Duhon and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.