We're off and running already in the first week of school! I like to get the kids into the process of making art right away so we started off the first day with the big idea of BELONGING. While we study this idea and ask How does artwork help a community express belonging?, we're going to look at other cultures and how they express this same idea with artwork. Every fall we study an ancient culture with our big idea. This fall I decided ancient Asia would fit well with the big idea. Using the app World Atlas from National Geographic was an awesome way to show my students exactly where Asia is compared to where they live. Instead of looking at a flat map or having to store a globe in an already crowed art room, this was a digital globe. For some classes I showed them on my projector using my Reflector app and others used the iPads as a small to explore this continent. Students really got to visualize the old tale of if they digging a hole to China!
I did pay for this app, but felt it was worth the $$$ because I can use this app across multiple lessons and for all grades. What other ways do you use a virtual map?