Subject Update: Geography - 8/27

As an introduction to Geography, today we took a look at the importance of good map making.  To accomplish this, we took a virtual trip to snowy Siberia in search of gold.  Half the class entered the classroom as cartographers, mapping out the location of different gold deposits located around the classroom while the rest of the class were designated as geologists, waiting in the common area for their maps to be made to find their treasure.

(some of the maps our 7th graders drew)

When the geologists entered, they saw a very different classroom than the cartographers had mapped, as a "snowstorm" had blown through Siberia, covering up where the gold deposits were and moving much of the classroom furniture.  They had to rely on their maps to find where the gold was located.  Some were more successful than others, but it definitely proved the point of how important good maps are to navigation.

Ask your 7th graders about this activity and how successful they were at finding the gold!

With the Chromebooks being handed out today, tomorrow we will start to work with our online Geography textbook.  Our book is provided through TCI (the link is posted here and also available under the "Quick Links" tab).  This weekend, your 7th grader should be able to show you all the many features this online book provides.