Draw a Simple World Map

In 1995, Geography for Life: The National Geographic Standards stressed the importance of children knowing how to draw a map of the world. It suggested using simple ovals for each continent. We loved the idea and created a lesson for Draw Write Now, Book 7. 

The Common Core State Standards recommends that students “use a mix of drawing, dictating and writing to compose explanatory texts.” Drawing a simple world map helps children develop their own mental map, always at the ready as they build an understanding of our world. It’s easy to see how drawing a simple map can add to the ability to use explanatory texts.

Map Tips

Common Core

The Common Core State Standards provide a clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. Individual states are adopting the standards, see New York

See The Common Core’s  English Language Arts Standards (pdf, 30kb) as they apply to Draw Write Now, from our publisher, Barker Creek.

Draw-Write-Now Book 7

Animals of the World

Prepare the Paper 

Fold a sheet of 8-1/2 x 11” paper into quarters. Reopen the paper, and position it horizontally on the desk. The horizontal fold line is the Equator, and the vertical fold line is the Prime Meridian, with the North Pole at the top of the line and the South Pole at the bottom. 

Look at a Globe

Refer to a globe or a flat map while introducing and drawing each continent. Use the Equator, Prime Meridian and the edges of the paper as guides.

• North Pole and South Pole—the northern and southern points of Earth’s axis of rotation.
• Equator—the horizontal imaginary line that circles the globe, halfway between the two poles.
• Prime Meridian—the vertical imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole through Greenwich, England.

Use Crayons

Color each continent using a crayon, shifting the edges or enlarging the oval to adjust the scale and proportion of the continent. (The instructions show the continents outlined, but it’s best to omit outlining or leave outlining to the end.)

Encourage the children to write all the names horizontally and to keep the size consistent.

Labeling the Equator

Include the geographic lines and points: Equator, Prime Meridian, N, S, E, W.

50/50, Fiction/Nonfiction

Is nonfiction a significant part of your child’s reading material? The Common Core State Standards recommends that fifty percent of children’s reading text be fiction and fifty percent informational material, like science, social studies and history. Look for books that explain or are factual. Use written text to learn about the world.

Vocabulary

Drawing instruction improves vocabulary, because basic words are demonstrated during a drawing lesson. While teaching, simply describe a line or shape and describe their relationships to each other. You may not even realize that you are modeling these words: over, under, above, below, left, right, diagonal, curved, straight, horizontal, vertical, near, around, between, center, half, quarter, smaller, larger, short, long, zig-zag, choppy, smooth.

Read More…

Read multiple books on the same topic. A variety of sources provides a broader understanding of the topic. Nonfiction books on the Arctic: One Small Square: Arctic Tundra by Donald Silver, Houses of Snow, Skin and Bones by Bonnie Shemie, Here is the Arctic Winter by M. Dunphy, Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklyn Bradley.

Draw Write Now, Book 4

Polar Regions, Arctic, Antarctic

Polar bears live in the Arctic.

Thick fur keeps them warm.

They are strong swimmers.

They swim in the icy ocean.

“Why do Arctic foxes follow polar bears? Polar bears hunt seals, but eat only the fat of the seal. Arctic foxes follow the bears and feast on the leftover seal meat.” See Alaska’s Three Bears, by Shelley Gill.

 Common Core

The Common Core State Standards provide a clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. Individual states are adopting the standards, see New York.

  The Standards, ELA

(pdf, 340kb)
The English Language Arts Standards as they apply to Draw Write Now, from our publisher, Barker Creek.