Geography knowledge spreads around Alaska

This photo provided by the National Geographic Society demonstrates the impressive size of the Giant Map of North America.

In celebration of Geography Awareness Week (Nov. 15-21), the UA Geography Program will transform school gyms around Alaska into geographic learning labs. Thanks to the National Geographic Society, the gym floors will temporarily be covered by the Giant Map of North America, a 26-foot by 35-foot cartographically accurate map modeled after the National Geographic Atlas of the World.

From Fairbanks to Juneau and points in between, UA Geography Program Education and Outreach Coordinator Katie Kennedy will take the map to elementary and middle schools for lessons on the map (literally) and family geography nights. Along with the map, the evening events feature GIS activities and a geography jeopardy game. Kennedy makes the map lessons memorable and fun by incorporating age-appropriate explorations, traversing the continent from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to the Panama Canal and from Iceland to Baja. The children identify common land and water forms, learn cardinal directions, locate the largest cities, track population growth, compare carbon dioxide emissions, and explore major watersheds. All the activities incorporate physical movement and games to teach students place names, physical geography, and cultural geography as well as map reading skills.Appropriately, the theme for Geography Awareness Week is “Get lost in mapping: Find your place in the world.” The site offers games, activities, and lessons about mapping, along with a blog-a-thon and a daily mystery location quiz.

The UA Geography Program works with teachers and students around the state to further geographic knowledge of the Earth. In addition to offering a bachelor of arts degree, three bachelors of science degrees, and a master’s degree, the geography program reaches thousands of kindergarten through twelfth graders with its various outreach programs.

In Fairbanks, Kennedy will take the giant map to five elementary schools from Nov. 10-17. Hunter and Two Rivers schools will host family geography nights. She will visit three schools in Eagle River and two in Anchorage, Nov. 19-25, one in Douglas and four in Juneau Nov. 30-Dec. 4.

Related reading:

Video of giant map of Africa in action, SNRAS Science & News, Jan. 27, 2009

Giant map of Africa tours local schools, SNRAS Science & News, Jan. 9, 2009