Teaching with and through Maps

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 25.04.03

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Why Teach with Maps?
  2. The U School: Innovation, Competency Portfolios, and Change
  3. Interconnected & Multidisciplinary Learning
  4. Connecting Sustainability To Big Issues Using Maps
  5. Using Maps to Learn About Philadelphia
  6. Offer Hands On & Interactive Learning Opportunities
  7. More Labs & Maker Spaces
  8. Details about Specific Maps & Unit Essential Questions:
  9. Multiple Maps of NOW: Contemporary Environmental Justice Maps
  10. Teaching Strategies 
  11. Annotated Bibliography:
  12. Appendix on Implementing District Standards.
  13. Notes

Mapping The Future

Anna Herman

Published September 2025

Tools for this Unit:

Notes

1 “View of Critical Review of Geographic Illiteracy in the United States: A Multifaceted Analysis.” 2024. Journaljgeesi.com. 2024. https://journaljgeesi.com/index.php/JGEESI/article/view/741/1456.

2 Liben, Lynn S., and Roger M. Downs. 1994. “Fostering Geographic Literacy from Early Childhood: The Contributions of Interdisciplinary Research.” Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology 15 (4): 549–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/0193-3973(94)90022-1.

3 Arthurs, Leilani , and Sarah Baumann. 2021. “International Journal of Cartography List of Issues.” Taylor & Francis 9 (1): abstract. https://doi.org/10.1080/tica20.

4 Kidman, Gillian, and Chew-Hung Chang. 2023. “Maps and Geographical Education to Encourage the Joy of Learning for All.” International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education 32 (3): 177–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2023.2231282.

5 “View of Critical Review of Geographic Illiteracy in the United States: A Multifaceted Analysis.” 2024. Journaljgeesi.com. 2024. https://journaljgeesi.com/index.php/JGEESI/article/view/741/1456.

6 “The U School.” 2025. The U School. 2025. https://uschool.org/.

7 “2892 Miles to Go.” 2023. 2892 Miles to Go. 2023. https://www.2892walk.org/.

8 ———. 2021b. “Repercussions of Racist Maps Still Impact Neighborhoods Today.” Hidden City Philadelphia. December 16, 2021. https://hiddencityphila.org/2021/12/repercussions-of-racist-maps-still-impact-neighborhoods-today/.

9 United Nations. 2015. “Unanimously Adopting Historic Sustainable Development Goals, General Assembly Shapes Global Outlook for Prosperity, Peace | UN Press.” Press.un.org. September 25, 2015. https://press.un.org/en/2015/ga11688.doc.htm.

10 McFarlane, Donovan, and Agueda Ogazon. 2011. “The Challenges of Sustainability Education.” Journal of Multidisciplinary Research 3 (3): 81–107.

11 Arthurs, Leilani , and Sarah Baumann. 2021. “International Journal of Cartography List of Issues.” Taylor & Francis 9 (1): abstract. https://doi.org/10.1080/tica20.

12 Arthurs, Leilani , and Sarah Baumann. 2021. “International Journal of Cartography List of Issues.” Taylor & Francis 9 (1): abstract. https://doi.org/10.1080/tica20.

13 Sinclair, Lauren. 2025. “Map Elevation with Play Clay.” Arcgis.com. 2025. https://learn.arcgis.com/en/projects/map-elevation-with-play-clay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

14  Mathews, Adam J, Lisa M DeChano-Cook, and Cynthia Bloom. 2023. “Enhancing Middle School Learning about Geography and Topographic Maps Using Hands-on Play and Geospatial Technologies.” The Journal of Geography 122 (5): 115–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2023.2226156.

15 Sinclair, Lauren. 2025. “Map Elevation with Play Clay.” Arcgis.com. 2025. https://learn.arcgis.com/en/projects/map-elevation-with-play-clay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

16 Diachenko, Inna, Svitlana Kalishchuk, Mykhailo Zhylin, Andriy Kyyko, and Yuliya Volkova. 2022. “Color Education: A Study on Methods of Influence on Memory.” Heliyon 8 (11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11607.

17 Salisbury, Morgan. 2019. “GEOLOGY in COLORS: USING SIMPLIFIED, COLORABLE GEOLOGIC MAPS as a VISUAL and INTERACTIVE TOOL to DEMONSTRATE the FUNDAMENTALS of WHATEVER GEOLOGY CLASS YOU TEACH.” In Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 51:2–4. Geological Society of America .

18 Kovačević, Nikola, Jordan Aiko Deja, Maheshya Weerasinghe, Pucihar, Klen Čopič, and Matjaž Kljun. 2024. “Retzzles: Do Jigsaw Puzzle Actions on Interactive Display Maps Increase the Retention of Map Information?” ArXiv (Cornell University), February. https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2402.06741.

19 Obama, Barack. 2016. “Presidential Proclamation -- National Week of Making, 2016.” Whitehouse.gov. Whitehouse. June 17, 2016. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/06/16/presidential-proclamation-national-week-making-2016.

20 Bonderud , Doug . 2020. “Technology Helps Schools Answer the ‘Why’ of STEAM Learning.” ED TECH. January 21, 2020. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2020/01/technology-helps-schools-answer-why-steam-learning-perfcon.

21 Dougherty, Dale. 2024. “How Many Makerspaces?” Make Things. 2024. https://makethings.make.co/p/many-makerspaces.

22 “K-12 Education | MIT Edgerton Center.” 2022. Mit.edu. 2022. https://edgerton.mit.edu/k-12-education.

23 Wheeler-Dubas, Maria. 2021. “#BioPGH Blog: Pennsylvania of Yesteryear | Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens | Pittsburgh PA.” Phipps Conservatory. March 11, 2021. https://www.phipps.conservatory.org/blog/detail/biopgh-blog-pennsylvania-of-yesteryear.

24 Stanford, Scott D., Ron W. Witte, Duane D. Braun, and John C. Ridge. 2016. “Quaternary Fluvial History of the Delaware River, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, USA: The Effects of Glaciation, Glacioisostasy, and Eustasy on a Proglacial River System.” Geomorphology 264 (264): 12–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.04.002.

25 Elsayed, Sarah. 2022. “The Ice Age in Pennsylvania.” Landscape History of the Allegheny Plateau. May 9, 2022. https://alleghenyplateauhistory.wordpress.com/2022/05/09/the-ice-age-in-pennsylvania/.

26 “History - Delaware Nation.” 2019. Delaware Nation. 2019. https://www.delawarenation-nsn.gov/history/.

27 Cohen, Amy. 2021a. “Coaquannock Map Shows Lenape Land before William Penn.” Hidden City, November 26, 2021. https://hiddencityphila.org/2021/11/coaquannock-map-shows-lenape-land-before-william-penn/.

28 DuBois, W.E.B. (1903) 2009. The Souls of Black Folk. Edited by Brent Edwards. Oxford Univ Pr.

29 Du Bois, W.E.B. 1920. Darkwater. Edited by William Edward. IndyPublish.com.

30 Been, Joshua. 2022. “Mapping the Du Bois Seventh Ward.” ArcGIS StoryMaps. Esri. February 20, 2022. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/01879ebec3e74cf186d07ce1aeacbcf5.

31 ———. 2021b. “Repercussions of Racist Maps Still Impact Neighborhoods Today.” Hidden City Philadelphia. December 16, 2021. https://hiddencityphila.org/2021/12/repercussions-of-racist-maps-still-impact-neighborhoods-today/.

32 Nelson, Robert. 2023. “Mapping Inequality.” Dsl.richmond.edu. 2023. https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/.

33 ———. 2021b. “Repercussions of Racist Maps Still Impact Neighborhoods Today.” Hidden City Philadelphia. December 16, 2021. https://hiddencityphila.org/2021/12/repercussions-of-racist-maps-still-impact-neighborhoods-today/.

34 “Grist.” 2019. Grist. Grist. 2019. https://grist.org/.

35 Heitor, Danilo. 2025. “The Hunger and the Hunger.” Grist. July 15, 2025. https://grist.org/climate-fiction/imagine2200-the-hunger-and-the-hunger/.

In our first 2892 Miles to Go collection, every student story connected personal experiences and wicked real-world questions to tangible places they knew of, could visit, and could share with others through maps. 

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