Making Maps That Answer Both “Where?” and “Why?”

Maps inherently answer the "where" question. But student-generated, annotated maps can also answer the "who, what, when, and why" questions.

The Interactive Atlas provides plenty of opportunities to hit all of those W's. And a search of the term "atlas" will reveal the over 40 lessons that use the tool to create annotated maps on topics from Lewis and Clark to the Amazon Rainforest.

First, a word about the ease of “where”: like most map resources, the Interactive Atlas, in both its English and Spanish language versions, is an ideal reference tool. Students explore geography at the world, continent, country, or state level. The drop down menus allow students to choose which labels are visible.

The Interactive Atlas allows students to view multiple layers of information.

If students need to find Andorra and have no idea where it is, they select the World map and use the alphabetical list of countries to zoom in on this tiny nation nestled between France and Spain.

Both the world and continent-specific maps are searchable by country.

With "where" now answered, what about the other four Ws? How can they be conveyed on a map? The draw tools, available on the left panel, transform the Interactive Atlas reference resource into a creative map-making tool.

Annotation tools allow students to add text. lines, shading, and flags.

Tool-Based Lessons with the Interactive Atlas

In addition to the Interactive Atlas itself, SAS Curriculum Pathways offers standards-focused research projects that culminate in students designing online maps to showcase their learning. Students use the draw tools in the Interactive Atlas to create color-coded map labels that illustrate their research findings.

For example, using the tool-based Lesson Colonial Regions: New England, Middle Colonies, and Southern Colonies, students use external research sites and the Interactive Tool William Penn and the Middle Colonies to define characteristics of the three colonial regions.

This annotated student map displays the three regions that made up Colonial America.

Another tool-based lesson using the Interactive Atlas, South American Language Triangle Map, illustrates the potential effects of language on the relationships between bordering countries in South America. Students do research to create a map with triangles connecting countries where the same, or two-to-three different, primary languages are spoken across three contiguous countries. Students also research the colonial influence that explains the variety of languages in this region.