Giant Floor Map Puzzles are one of my favorite teaching tools in upper elementary!
For many years my biggest struggle teaching social studies was all the things my students didn't know about the WHERE.
"What country do you live in? What city? What continent? Is Paris a country or a city?" It didn't matter what question I asked, they often looked at me blankly.
I tried everything I could think of - the tried and true: maps to label and color in, appeal to the senses: mnemonics and chants - and more.
I worked hard all year each year to make sure my kids left me literate in the simple basics of their own geography. But the results were far less successful than I hoped.
UNTIL I brought out the large floor map puzzles. My upper grades kids loved them! They begged for floor map puzzle time. But most important - all of a sudden, they were able to answer my questions about the world, and their place in it.
HOW TO USE GIANT FLOOR MAP PUZZLES
I started with a single puzzle that I used as a rotation activity. It was so successful, I eventually collected enough floor map puzzles so my whole class could work on them at the same time.
WHAT KINDS OF PUZZLES?
My idea was to have a collection of as many different puzzle stations as possible. I collected world maps, country maps, with some specialized maps thrown in for fun (puzzle maps of the solar system, national parks, etc.)
MOST IMPORTANT: WORLD AND COUNTRY MAPS
The big ticket items are the world and country maps, as those address the important geography skills I want to target. I like to have 3 country maps and 3 world maps available and want groups to work with these frequently. Though I mix in novelty maps to keep things interesting, it's the world and country maps that make the difference in their knowledge of the world. It's important to make sure students have lots of time with these main maps.
HOW MANY PUZZLES?
One puzzle for 3-5 students works well. For a class of around 25, I like to have about 6 large puzzles. I often add a few small desk puzzles in case a student needs the quiet of working alone for a bit.
HOW MUCH TIME FOR FLOOR MAPS?
I soon discovered how much my students loved working on the map puzzles and how much they were benefitting.
So, I schedule the map sessions into our geography lessons - and also integrate them into our regular routine all year. I keep our floor maps handy, and whenever we have some extra time, or need a quick break, or time to relax, we pull them out.
You can do floor maps for a quick single rotation (when the groups have completed one map, we pack up) or have your groups rotate through 2 or 3 maps in a session. (Groups work on their map until it's complete, then put it away and get another map from the pile. You will need more maps than groups for this system to work.)
As the groups put together their puzzles, I walk around passing out $1 bills to engaged workers. (I usually have a classroom economy.) Walking around, observing and interacting is an important component of floor map management.
Something that boosted learning even more was when I let them know I was paying those I overheard saying the names of the (country, state, etc.)
I wanted to hear, "I found Japan." or "Here's Louisiana!" as I walked around. Why is that so important? Seeing the shape and size of the puzzle pieces, touching and putting them in their places, and speaking the names is very powerful learning.
So, I schedule the map sessions into our geography lessons - and also integrate them into our regular routine all year. I keep our floor maps handy, and whenever we have some extra time, or need a quick break, or time to relax, we pull them out.
You can do floor maps for a quick single rotation (when the groups have completed one map, we pack up) or have your groups rotate through 2 or 3 maps in a session. (Groups work on their map until it's complete, then put it away and get another map from the pile. You will need more maps than groups for this system to work.)
FLOOR MAP MANAGEMENT
I set the basic ground rules: stay with your group, keep focused on the task, talk quietly, etc. The engagement is always high, so management isn't usually an issue. If interest starts to wane on a particular day, I wrap things up after just one rotation.As the groups put together their puzzles, I walk around passing out $1 bills to engaged workers. (I usually have a classroom economy.) Walking around, observing and interacting is an important component of floor map management.
Something that boosted learning even more was when I let them know I was paying those I overheard saying the names of the (country, state, etc.)
I wanted to hear, "I found Japan." or "Here's Louisiana!" as I walked around. Why is that so important? Seeing the shape and size of the puzzle pieces, touching and putting them in their places, and speaking the names is very powerful learning.
NOVELTY MAPS
Though the main goal is working on the world and country, I like to include some specialized maps thrown in for fun, just to spice things up in the rotation and keep their interest. These novelty maps can be puzzle maps of the solar system, national parks - whatever you can find. You can even have a personalized aerial-view jigsaw map made of your school's hometown!NOVELTY MAPS:
THE SOLAR SYSTEM, WOODEN & MAGNETIC MAPS
NOVELTY MAPS: JIGSAW PUZZLES & GLOBE PUZZLES
WHERE TO FIND FLOOR PUZZLE MAPS
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING PUZZLE MAPS
The reason this is so important: the power of the floor map puzzle play is seeing, touching, saying the name of and placing the individually shaped country or state.
HAPPY PUZZLING!
Happy puzzling!
P.S.
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