Part 2 of Geography has to do with local maps. Our box unit explained that maps use keys to represent items in non-verbal or universal language. This post explains how we applied the lesson to real life. I used our home address as point A. I then chose our local library (about 4 miles away from our home) to be point B. By using local points of interest, Austin is able to apply his knowledge by memory. Let's see how well that memory serves him in designing and translating maps.
Sketch Map
I asked Austin to draw a wordless map explaining how to get from point A to point B first in pencil and then in colors. I told him to consider that the map reader might make a wrong turn and need to know how to get out of a mistake. He drew restaurant food to represent stores. He used dotted lines to represent roads, multiple dotted lines to represent highways, and curved dotted lines to represent curves in the road. He also used landmarks, like the house on the corner that is highly decorated for Christmas right now, a box with a police car for the station, and a book inside of a box for schools. He could've stuck to drawing details in this map forever. When he was done, he explained the key to me. We drew a box to represent buildings and a a dotted line to represent roads, but I wrote jibberish in the key to represent an alien language. We forgot some roads and restaurants of course, but that's ok because it isn't being published.
This quick and very basic map, that respectively excludes unimportant focal points is known as a sketch map. Sketch maps are useful, but not as useful as a detailed map because there is more room for error on the reader's interpretations.
**This exercise was my way of explaining to Austin that the language of maps are unspoken. They are almost entirely visual. You can read it regardless of what language you speak. The pictures and curves are self-explanatory knowing the context of the symbol from the key. Since you don't know jibberish, you'd only need to look up a few words for the entire map to make sense to you.
Using a detailed map
We held our concept of point A and B. Now we are using a detailed map from Google Maps to plot our travel between library and home. First, I asked Austin to write directions based on Google Maps. I asked him to pretend he was a GPS, so that he would include "continue on ___ past (intersections). When you reach (intersection) turn l/r.
We used Apple TV to view the directions from Google Maps, so that we could compare their instructions with our own. I could have printed these directions, but Apple Air saves me the ink and paper. Austin announced that it wasn't fair because he didn't have a map key. Then I threw him a treat in the air...just kidding. I shouted, "Bingo" and high fived him.
We compared Austin's sketch map to the Google Map and (without bias, of course) gave the positives and negatives of both. We discussed who would prefer either map and why. While Austin's map is easy to draw and understand, it is not as precise as the 'final draft' from Google Maps.
**This exercise was my way of explaining to Austin that keys are important whether or not the map includes words and/or pictures. Without the key, Austin cannot truly guess the distances on the map.
Conclusion
Sketch maps are greatly appreciated by lost visitors, while detailed maps are sometimes hard to read without their bilingual translations. Both maps successfully explain a path from one point to another. Neither map is necessarily better than the other, but a person may have preferences. You just use what you've got to get where you need to go. If that isn't a metaphor for life, I don't know what is! Austin's imperfect map is perfectly acceptable. It is to the point, easy to read, and quickly accessable by memory. In some ways, it's better than Google Maps, especially to someone who only speaks jibberish.
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