MCPS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC. → SMALL GRANTS → UPDATING MAPS AND GLOBES
Updating Maps and Globes
Viers Mill Elementary School
2006-2007 Small Grant
At Viers Mill Elementary School, Barbara Hlavka, media specialist, was awarded a Small Grant in 2006 to refurbish the school’s seriously outdated map and globe collection. Many of the maps were at least seventeen years old and the globes were outdated by twelve years. The purpose of this project was to update these materials beginning with one fourth grade and one fifth grade classroom. The classrooms that received these materials were based on the number of special needs and ESOL students in the homerooms. Other students also benefited when regrouping occurred in reading/language arts classes. Both of these classes are targeted for special education support through our new home school model.
Teachers noted that the globes attracted students during classroom transitions, indoor recess, and before school. Students would independently use the globe to locate various countries around the world.These maps/globes are recent enough that they even show Eritrea (just above Ethiopia) the home country of several of the school’s students. To see the name of their families’ country and its outline delighted students. Many students and their immediate families came from various countries in Central America. They took special pride in locating their countries of origin.
These materials made it easier to make concepts more tangible for students. On raised relief globes,
students can actually feel and see the mountain ranges projecting from the earth’s surface. On the physical globe the depths of the ocean floor are also vivid so students can see that islands are actually mountain tops reaching above the level of the ocean rather than floating land masses.
From the youngest to the oldest students, these vivid globes were a constant source of attraction and discussion. The educators at Viers Mill Elementary will continue to find ways to bring these same benefits to other classrooms that are still lacking current materials.