Geography Introduction: Here's Why
Drawing a map, like
reading, or algebra, is a difficult skill to learn and if one sets an
8-year-old down with a map of the US and says "draw this," the child
will be as overwhelmed as if he were confronted with reading Shakespeare
before he could read The Cat in the Hat, and will quickly
abandon it. Sure, a child could understand and appreciate the story of
Hamlet as well as read a map at the age of 8, but if you ask her to READ
Hamlet or DRAW a map, that is another story. The intellect of a
child far outpaces her skills and if you ask too much too soon from her
skills you can forever extinguish a desire for more.
In this series of books I simply want to introduce children to
geography by giving them a primer in the borders and locations of
states, provinces and countries. By doing so I hope to invite them
further into the beautifully complicated world of geography.
Are these drawings cartoons? Absolutely they are, and in the best
sense of that word. The word "cartoon" originated in the Middle ages and
meant what we would today call a "sketch," something that the artist
drew as he thought out, or prepared to draw his masterpiece. By engaging
students in drawing "cartoon" maps I hope to give them enough
self-confidence to someday give the real thing a try.
From the back cover…
Any time we discuss a person, place or thing, there is a “where”
about it. Where were they born? Where do they live? Where did it happen?
Where was it made? Geography is a necessary lynchpin of these
discussions. A child who knows where Switzerland, or China, or Togo is
reaps more from such discussions than a child who doesn’t. All books
about history, literature and science will become broader and deeper for
children who are familiar with the world around them, who know the lay
of the land.
Geography is essential to a child’s education and basic to that study
is a simple outline of states, countries and continents. In Draw Antarctica
we give students an easy introduction to committing the map of
Antarctica to memory. Through simple step-by-step instructions, students
will learn to draw the continent of Antarctica.
A good education seeks to broaden a child’s mind and entices him to
explore. Today, through books and videos a child can virtually travel to
faraway places. Studying geography will augment those travels and his
journey will be that much richer because he knows where he is going.
