A National Geographic Floor Map at RES

Swimming the Atlantic Ocean, surfing in the Pacific, walking around the entire perimeter of the United States--and all in the same day!! Students  will be doing each of these things, and a lot more with the National Geographic Floor Map which has been installed at RES on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Darcie Rankin, enrichment teacher and Linda Riell, physical education teacher have been working together to share the giant floor map with students from all grades.  The map of  North America covers most of the gym floor and allows students to experience geography through physical movement and play.  In the younger grades we have focused our time on identifying major physical features of the continent, as well as finding our home state and areas of student interest.  In the upper grades we have connected our exploration to classroom learning. Third graders are mapping the Oregon Trail as a connection to their unit on Westward Expansion and fourth graders are identifying states and capitals via a team relay to connect to their study of the various states.

The traveling map was brought to Vermont thanks to the Vermont Geographic Alliance and teachers across the state working together to transport the map from location to location.

We hope this will be a memorable experience for students that is both fun and connected to their learning!