Maps101 - GeoJournal
Cultural Icons
Posted on April 09 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Culture includes the “language, ideas, beliefs, customs, codes, institutions, tools, techniques, works of art, rituals, and ceremonies, among other elements” of a social group, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Culture allows people to recognize and identify one another through speech, clothing, and other symbols that we assign...
Maps101 for Elementary Students
Posted on April 02 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Maps101 has content for K-12, but we often focus on middle school or high school. This week, we are taking a look at content that is written and designed for younger students. Elementary students are starting to practice reading comprehension. GNN Junior articles are leveled for grades...
Remarkable Women Characters
Posted on March 26 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, We are taking a new look at a variety of female role models who are not actual women but instead are characters. These Geography News Network articles showcase the breadth of content available through Maps101. Maps101 features more than maps and social studies, although we have A...
Inspiring and Surprising Women
Posted on March 19 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, For Women’s History Month, Maps101 has a potpourri of inspiring women—young and old—for students to discover more about. Activist Greta Thunberg may be an inspiration for students to realize that they too can make a difference. Eleanor Roosevelt was an inspiration in her era and continues to...
Women Poets and Authors in Maps101
Posted on March 12 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, When the United States was founded, not every citizen had the right to vote. Women were excluded, as were African Americans. The term suffrage means “the right to vote.” Women’s rights movements began even before the Civil War. Activists gathered at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848,...
Women's Suffrage
Posted on March 05 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, When the United States was founded, not every citizen had the right to vote. Women were excluded, as were African Americans. The term suffrage means “the right to vote.” Women’s rights movements began even before the Civil War. Activists gathered at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848,...
Female Leadership During Women's History Month
Posted on February 26 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, The idea of celebrating the achievements of women in the U.S. for an entire month sprang from the recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8th. In 1978, a group called the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women began...
The Civil Rights Movement
Posted on February 12 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, This week, as part of Black History Month, Maps101 is taking a look at the civil rights movement. Although the Emancipation Proclamation, ordered by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, freed people who were enslaved, in reality, they had few rights and even fewer opportunities. As late as...
Black American Music Genres and Musicians
Posted on February 05 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Humans like music. In fact, scientists suspect we have been making music for at least 40,000 years or so, if not longer. Some of the earliest bone pipes date to between 39,000 and 43,000 years ago. But early human ancestors, such as Neanderthals, appear to have had...
Black History Month with Maps101
Posted on January 29 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month for the month of February, as have all following presidents. He asked the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Classrooms that...
Space: From Identifying Emissions from Space, to Black Holes, to the Apollo Program, and More
Posted on January 22 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, NASA recently reported that they can track and pinpoint CO2 emissions from space, utilizing a combination of satellite information and measurements made from the International Space Station. Space-based observations give humans greater ability to track sources of carbon dioxide. With this news, Maps101 is turning our attention...
Civic Life Awareness for Students
Posted on January 15 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Citizens of the United States and countries around the world watched as the majority party in the U.S. House of Representatives—the Republican Party—suffered rarely seen difficulty agreeing on a leader, known as the Speaker of the House. Representative Kevin McCarthy of California finally won a majority of...
Diversity and Inclusion in Sports
Posted on January 08 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, With the start of a new year, Maps101 is focusing on a theme we will return to throughout 2023, so you can include more about DEI—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—in your classroom. This week, we are looking at athletes that have broken barriers, become the greatest in their...
Mapping Skills in the Classroom for Primary Students
Posted on January 01 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Maps are an effective tool for identifying the location of events happening today or in the past. They ground students and allow them to visualize context. As students build on their knowledge, they come back to a place over and over with new information. Thus, mapping skills...
The Middle East and Conflict
Posted on December 11 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Currently, citizens of Iran are protesting for more freedoms. Iran is in the region commonly referred to as the Middle East. Historically, it was part of Persia. The major religion in Iran is Shia Islam, after the Islamic revolution there in 1979. In the early 1980s, Islamic...
Volcanoes on Earth - a Dynamic Planet
Posted on December 04 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, The recent volcanic eruption on Hawaii’s Big Island reminds us at Maps101 that planet Earth is an active, moving, shifting celestial body. This week, we explore active volcanoes and the Ring of Fire, Hawaii’s origins, and tectonic plates. We also will look at two activities that use...
Sports Content Opens Doors to Student Engagement
Posted on November 27 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, This week, we are inspired to focus on sports and sports figures as a way to help students practice essential skills. Geography News Network, our weekly series of articles, is ideal for any classroom to help students read. The means for students to be lifelong learners is...
All About Fall: Leaves, Corn Mazes, Thanksgiving, Pilgrims, and Holidays Around the World
Posted on November 20 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Many parts of the country have been unseasonably warm this fall, but still, leaves are changing color, pumpkins have been carved, and the season is in full swing with Thanksgiving feasts coming soon. This week, we look at all things seasonal for fall. One of the many...
Civics, Voting, and GIS Day!
Posted on November 13 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, At Maps101, we hope that you were able to vote on November 8th. Since election day is not a national holiday, it is often challenging for some to be able to vote. Early voting may be an option. Most of your students are not old enough to...
Maps101 Explores the Americas
Posted on November 06 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Until Christopher Columbus sailed to find a shorter route to Asia and discovered the Americas in the process, Europeans did not know there was far more land on Earth. The discovery of this so-called “New World” led to colonization of land that was abundant with natural resources....
Engage Students with Sports Through Articles on the NBA, Indy 500, and Muhammad Ali
Posted on October 30 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Given that many students play sports themselves or follow various sports as a hobby, providing articles on topics in sports encourages student interest in reading. Students often do not encounter enough material that is of interest to them, composed with writing geared for their skill level. In...
Oceans, Seas, and Deep-Sea Creatures
Posted on October 23 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, This week, Maps101 is diving into (pun intended) the deep waters of Earth to present you with a wide variety of content for your students. Take a virtual Field Trip under the sea and find out about ocean features with a dynamic, GIS-based map with activities. Then,...
Agriculture in the U.S. and Around the Globe
Posted on October 16 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, For Hispanic Heritage Month, this week we are focusing on labor leader and civil rights champion Cesar Chavez for our Geography News Network article. That got us thinking about agriculture, in general, in the United States. Recent statistics show that the Pacific region has the most farmworkers—as...
Explore Content About Native Americans for Indigenous Peoples' Day
Posted on October 09 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, The second Monday of October has been celebrated as Columbus Day since 1934. However, controversy over celebrating Columbus, given the effects of colonization on the native population of the Americas, has been steadily growing. So much so, that in 2021, President Biden declared that same date as...
Mesopotamia and Ancient History with Maps101
Posted on October 02 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, With the school year starting, many classes will start to look at the Cradle of Civilization—ancient Mesopotamia. Key to understanding the rise of civilizations is recognizing the human relationship to water resources. All of the early civilizations developed in river valleys. Rivers provided water to drink and...
Early U.S. History and the Thirteen Colonies
Posted on September 25 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Last week we looked at early World History. This week, Maps101 turns its attention to the beginning of the United States, with an emphasis on the original English colonies. We even discuss an area informally thought of as the 14th colony! We have articles,...
Hispanic Heritage Month with Maps101
Posted on September 18 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15. The celebration starts on that date because the area of Latin America that includes the present-day countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua declared its independence from Spain on September 15,...
Outer Space and Our Solar System
Posted on September 11 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, This week, Maps101 is turning our attention beyond Earth—toward outer space. All we have to do is look up, on a clear night, and see that Earth is only a small part of the universe. If you are lucky enough to live without light pollution, you will...
Looking at Russia and the Soviet Union with Maps101
Posted on September 04 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, The death of former president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, was announced on August 30, 2022, by Russia’s state-run news. Gorbachev was the last of the Soviet leaders and has become one of the most important figures in the twentieth century. With the United States and the...
Animals, Animals, and More Animals with Maps101
Posted on August 28 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Studying animals is common in a biology class, which is of course one of the Life Sciences. But animals are interesting to elementary students too, and they are an easy topic by which to grab students in ELA as well. At Maps101, we have a wide variety...
Back to School with Maps101
Posted on August 21 2022
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Many of you may already be starting classes. Or, if not, you are most likely preparing for that first day back to school. With a new year starting, we are taking a look at that very subject: school. School as a topic of content may not be...
China and Taiwan
Posted on August 14 2022
Dear Educator, As you are no doubt aware from current news, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi recently visited Taiwan. She is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the island since 1997. As a result of her meeting with Taiwanese officials, U.S. relations with Chinahave been strained,...
All About Maps and Mapmaking with Maps101
Posted on August 07 2022
Dear Educator, While Maps101 has articles on current events, biographies, interactive lessons, lesson plans, worksheets, and so much more, with a name like ours, we obviously LOVE maps. This week, we are taking a look at maps and mapmaking. After all, we have many cartographers hard at work making maps,...
"We the People..." Maps101 Focuses on the U.S. Constitution
Posted on July 31 2022
Dear Educator, This week Maps101 is looking at the U.S. Constitution, including theBill of Rights. With the news frequently focused on states’ rights, federal power, individual rights, and democracy, we think it is an ideal time to review the laws of the country as outlined in the Constitution.Also, check out...
Storytelling with Maps101
Posted on July 24 2022
Dear Educator, A recent Gallup poll indicated that 8 out of 10 elementary students are engaged with school. This means they are paying attention, asking questions, and feel positive. However, by high school, that drops to 4 out of 10 students. As educators, how do we combat this learning fatigue...
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with Maps101
Posted on July 17 2022
Dear Educator, This week, Maps101 is taking a look at travel and transportation. Kids of all ages are fascinated by vehicles. And many families will be travelling this summer for vacation. We will be exploring the world’s busiest airport, long-haul flying, the transcontinental railroad, the Indy 500 motorcar race, interstate...
Explore the World's Largest Continent - Asia - with Maps101
Posted on July 10 2022
Dear Educator, There are more than 40 countries in Asia. And many of these countries are among the most populated on the globe, including China, India, and Indonesia. In fact, sixty percent of the world’s population lives in Asia. The continent stretches from the Mediterranean Sea east to the Pacific....
Maps101 Looks at Notable Women and Events About Women's Rights
Posted on July 03 2022
Dear Educator, With the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Maps101 is taking a look at women, including biographies of women—some well-known and others that need to be discovered—and events regarding women’s rights, such as suffrage and the recent Court decision. Maps101 is your resource for whatever happened in the...
Head Outdoors this Summer with Maps101
Posted on June 26 2022
Dear Educator, No matter how you calculate the start of summer—with Memorial Day weekend or summer solstice— summer is in full swing. And that means people are heading outdoors. At Maps101, we are focusing this week on content that helps you plan where to go, what to do, and how...
Civics and Government on Maps101
Posted on June 19 2022
Dear Educator, The internet and television are buzzing with the January 6 hearings, which focus on the events that occurred on that date at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. These hearings draw attention to ideas about citizenship, governmental and presidential power, and political parties. These are all important concepts...
Juneteenth and Black History with Maps101
Posted on June 12 2022
Dear Educator, Although the Emancipation Proclamation was effective in 1863, enslaved people living in Texas, the Confederacy’s westernmost state, did not have freedom until federal troops arrived in Galveston with the news. That took place on June 19, 1865. Since then, many Black Americans celebrate a holiday called Juneteenth to...
Hot Fun in the Summertime!
Posted on June 05 2022
Dear Educator, With Memorial Day weekend in the rearview mirror, the school year has ended or will end shortly, ushering in summer break. Summer brings heat (making it not the most popular season—fall and spring both top summer), vacations, and, hopefully, downtime. This week, we are looking at how to...
Bridging the Summer Gap with Maps101
Posted on May 29 2022
Dear Educator, While students (and teachers) enjoy the time off from school that summer brings, it can also cause students’ knowledge to slip and slide (which is not as much fun as the old-school, outdoor summer toy), creating a challenge for the upcoming school year. This means the start of...
Where Will Summer Find You? Find Anywhere with Maps101
Posted on May 22 2022
Dear Educator, With the school year winding down—or ending, in some places—you and your students may be planning for this summer. At Maps101, we continue to bring you relevant, engaging content, including maps, articles, and interactive lessons. This week, we are looking at places where people visit or spend their...
Any Day Can Be Earth Day with Maps101
Posted on May 15 2022
Dear Educator, In April, people gather for a variety of events to focus on our planet’s health for Earth Day. But any day is great for drawing students’ attention to the state of our planet. They will be the future stewards of Earth and need to be aware of issues...
Maps, Maps, and More Maps for Every Classroom
Posted on May 08 2022
Dear Educator, While studying world geography is obviously enhanced by using maps in the classroom, many other subject areas also benefit from the clarifying visual representation of place and location or other data that maps provide. This week, we are taking a look at the variety of maps available with...
Using Maps to Teach Multiple Subject Areas
Posted on May 01 2022
Dear Educator, Summer is quickly approaching. That means you will receive our Summer of Where campaign, beginning in May. This summer, we are focused on helping you bridge the learning gap that comes with the summer break. Stay tuned for content links, tips, and suggestions to help your rising students...
Exploring Africa with Maps101
Posted on April 24 2022
Dear Educator, This week, we are taking a look at the continent of Africa. Too many students make the mistake of thinking of Africa as a country, not a continent. The history, economics, and habitats of this large continent give students much to learn about. With Maps101, you will find...
Earth Day 2022 with Maps101
Posted on April 17 2022
Dear Educator, Can you believe it is almost Earth Day again???? Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, in the United States. It is always held on April 22nd. Earth Day represents and encourages the modern environmental movement to save our planet. By 1990, the movement became global. Now, more...
Engage Students with Context and Stories Through Maps101
Posted on April 10 2022
Dear Educator, Happy spring to each of you from Maps101! Today, we are focused on how to better engage students. Everyone loves a story. A list of facts strung together with transitional sentences is no fun to read. (Sorry textbook companies.) However, here at Maps101, we love to provide the...
JOIN THE CLUB
New stories and new maps every month!
Recent Posts
Cultural Icons
Apr 09 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Culture includes the “language, ide...
Maps101 for Elementary Students
Apr 02 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, Maps101 has content for K-12, but w...
Remarkable Women Characters
Mar 26 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, We are taking a new look at a varie...
Inspiring and Surprising Women
Mar 19 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, For Women’s History Month, Maps101 ...
Women Poets and Authors in Maps101
Mar 12 2023
GeoJournal Dear Educator, When the United States was founded,...