Mapping the World by Heart Lite

by David Smith

Tom Snyder Productions

Would you like your children to be able to draw a map of the entire world, including latitude and longitude markings without copying or referring to another map? David Smith’s methods are designed to enable children to do just that.

This geography curriculum is recommended for grades 5-12, although it fits most appropriately in upper elementary and junior high levels. I suggest using it either while studying United States and world history studies in upper elementary and junior high levels or else as a concentrated course just before starting U.S. and world history at high school level. I say this because at younger levels students lack knowledge of people, places, and events to which they can relate geographical knowledge, so they are less likely to be interested. Older students need the concrete geographical knowledge to help them understand and link events as they are presented in upper level studies.

The program uses an assortment of activities to develop map skills, but the most important are the actual map-drawing activities. Besides properly locating and identifying places, children learn geographical knowledge that includes map reading skills, i.e., directions, symbols, topographical maps (great activities for learning how to make these!), the various types of map projections, the earth’s rotation/seasons, dimensions, and more.

This ungraded program comes in a nicely designed three-ring binder. It can be used as a one-year program or it can be used as a supplement over a number of years, perhaps studying continents in conjunction with history topics. Lessons are well-designed and easy-to-follow. Great illustrations and layout make it especially easy to use.

Lessons need to be presented by the parent/teacher, but after the presentation students do much of the work on their own using reproducible work sheets from the binder. With the binder we get two sets of 9 double-sided 11” x 15” region maps to be used by students for initial work. We also get two sets of projection maps (three different types drawn on grids) and blank, 11” x 17” grids (reproducible) for students to use for their final map which will be done from memory. Additional maps are available in sets, although they are quite expensive. (The classroom edition of the program includes 30 of each map.)

There are lots of extras included in the program that we can use or not as we please—games, activity ideas, mnemonics, addresses for resources, and instructions for putting on a “World’s Fair.”

This method of learning geography has proven to be more effective and painless than traditional methods since it involves a variety of activities that interest and challenge students.