This is a guide for second graders just starting out with Map Study and for families of 3rd through 5th graders new to our school as well.
Step One: Place your monthly study map in front of you. Find the side which has the Pronunciation Guide on the right hand side. So we can keep instructions simple, let's mark this as Side A. Then, turn your paper over and mark a B on this side.
Step Two: Looking at side A, you will see two columns of geographic locations grouped into levels.
If you are in the second grade, you may practice and study any- and as many- levels as you want to learn. If you are in third-fifth grades, please check with your teacher as to how many levels to study.
Step Three: Starting with Level 1, take a look at the first location. Ask yourself- do I know anything about this place? Where it is? Who lives there? Have you or a friend traveled there? Does this location sound familiar? After thinking a moment, take a look at your map on side A and make a guess to where the location is.
Step Four: Once you have guessed-- or decided you don't know-- turn your map over to side B and locate it on the map. Then turn your map back to side A and label it with the name of the location. If the location coves a large area, draw a circle around it. If it's a smaller area, consider coloring it in or around the border of the country/feature with colored pencils to highlight borderlines.
Step Five: Work through the locations on each of the levels you want to study. Remember, Level 5 is almost always the capital cities of countries in Level 1, and if you learn the names of these capitals, it's a simple way to achieve two levels.
Practice studying your maps every so often, at least a couple of times a week. You can go through the levels you want to achieve, using your Blank World Map to see if you can find the locations without the help of identifying labels. Feel free to work with a friend and share ideas of remembering where these geographic locations are. Ask a parent, a friendly adult, a sibling or a friend to help you practice or you can work on your own. If you are needing more help in studying or understanding the maps, have your parent contact this geography studies coordinator at laurelhurstppc@gmail.com .
On our Check days, you will get to show a friendly adult the places you have learned the locations of, just by pointing to them or indicating their area. As each location is found, they will be crossed off in your little book. For each level completed, you will receive a stamp for your book as well as beautiful stamps to glue in.
