Maps, Maps, and More Maps for Every Classroom

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 your Maps101 subscription. If you subscribe to the Next Generation update of Maps101, make sure to favorite those that you think will be especially beneficial in your classroom. 

For those of you in Texas (or any class that is looking at the Lone Star state), we have an entire atlas full of maps that pertain to Texas. This is especially useful for grade 7 social studies when Texas is the focus of study. Look at maps of archeological sites, the Battle of San Jacinto, early trade routes, ethnic distribution of the state, aquifers, native vegetation zones, oil and gas reserves, Spanish exploration, state representatives, and many more. You can see that these maps range from Texas history to science studies to civics, as well as geography.

Understanding Earth Science can be challenging for students. Using visuals in the classroom helps break up text and provides students with a frame of reference for the topic they are studying. We have a large collection of maps designed to enrich your Earth Science program. Maps include biomes of the world and of each continent individually, climate zones, coral reef distribution, surface ocean currents, surface rock distribution, hurricane tracks, renewable energy, ocean biomes, and many more. Look through our library of Earth Science maps to engage students.

Learning about civics and government is an essential part of all students’ education. We have a map for each presidential election, spanning the history of the United States. Students can compare and contrast maps from different years. They will see the expansion west as states and new territories were added. They can look at historic trends with parties and identify which elections were runaways and which were close calls. By providing maps for all of the elections in the U.S., you can ensure your students have a visual aid as they look across the history of the U.S. or compare modern trends.

Studies show that students need improvement in their geographic knowledge and, specifically, map reading skills. It is never too early to start teaching students how to read maps! We have you covered with our exclusive collection of maps leveled for K-3 students. Here you will find maps that students can relate to, such as a general community map, a bird’s-eye view of a typical community, a large farm map, a neighborhood, a town, and even a typical bedroom. In this way, students will be able to see what maps are for and how any place can be mapped. Have your students make a map of their own home or bedroom to help them understand the features of a map. Other maps in this collection include simplified maps of the states in the U.S., the continents, and the planets in the solar system. 

This is a small sample of the kind of content available to you with your Maps101 subscription. Every week, the editors at Maps101 will provide you with highlights from our extensive collection in this GeoJournal newsletter. We suggest you make a folder to store them for future reference. Expand your students’ world with Maps101!