Mapping the World by Heart [Ring-bound]

David J. Smith (Author), Julia A. Young (Editor), Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 16, 2010

If you placed blank sheets of paper in front of your students, could they draw a detailed map of the entire world? It may seem hard to believe, but after exploring the innovative Mapping the World by Heart curriculum, students have a comprehensive knowledge of geography that allows them to map the world entirely from memory!
- Teaches students to draw entirely from memory detailed world maps including the names, borders, mountain ranges, rivers, and major cities of more than 190 countries. - Gets students excited about geography and encourages them to think globally. - Promotes positive student interactions and collaboration, both in small group work and as a class. - Provides teachers with flexible lessons they can easily integrate into their existing curriculum. - Gives students a constructive goal to work towards all year long. Product Format: Designed for grades 5-12, Mapping the World by Heart includes a set of maps and a comprehensive teacher s guide that makes it easy to integrate lessons and activities into any class s existing curriculum. Combining memorization with the real use of knowledge, practice, mnemonics, large and small group activities, and games, Mapping the World by Heart inspires students to study and love geography. The award-winning curriculum is the creation of David J. Smith, a teacher with over 25 years' experience in the middle school classroom. TIME Magazine, NBC s Today Show, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and the Associated Press have written about David Smith and the great success his curriculum has brought to classrooms across the country. FableVision founder Peter H. Reynolds fell in love with David's breakthrough approach almost 20 years ago. He was with Tom Snyder Productions when they first published Mapping the World by Heart in 1992. At that time, Peter provided the charming illustrations for the teacher s guide, which remain with the product to this day. Recently, Peter and David connected and decided that FableVision Learning was the perfect new home for this innovative and creative geography curriculum. It is with great pleasure that FableVision Learning has added Mapping the World by Heart to its growing collection of tools for your creative classroom. When it was first released, Mapping the World by Heart was awarded the Breaking the Mold Award by the U.S. Department of Education. It has been through nine complete revisions, and is updated regularly. Includes: Comprehensive Teacher s Guide - Contains detailed lesson plans and reproducibles for students. - Three new supplements for teachers who wish to focus on a special area Mapping Canada by Heart, Mapping the U.S. by Heart, and Mapping Mexico by Heart. Reproducible desk-outline maps, 11 x 17 inches - 10 regional maps (Canada, U.S., Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, Europe, Eastern Europe and North Asia, South Asia, Oceania). - World maps blank grids and filled-in outline maps of the world in each of three projections Mercator, Robinson, and Equirectangular.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This program is exactly what the teacher ordered. The units are user friendly and can be easily adapted for the home school user. When teaching kids who are more advanced you can double up on the units, or space them out for those requiring a slower pace. You can tailor each section as needed. When done with this entire curriculum the children will have a more firm understanding of where in our world they are. --Dennis R. Hall's review on Amazon

I used this curriculum with a homeschool co-op. I taught twelve children ranging from grades 4-12. Our before world maps from memory hardly contained any information and very unusual continent shapes and locations, even the one done by grades 9-12. As we mapped and labeled each continent, we also did a study of the history and culture of the countries in each continent. Every week, each student researched a different area of each culture and gave oral presentations in class.(these ideas/activities are given in the curriculum.) Our end of year maps from memory are the best endorsement I could give. I wish you could see them. The continents were accurately drawn and 70 to 80 percent of the details like landforms, political divisions and capital cities were included. Our best map was completed by a 6th grader who was able to list every single item on the mapping the world by heart list given in the curriculum. There is some teacher preparation in doing extra activities recommended in the curriculum. My only complaint was that the map sheets were not available in smaller quantities so we had to come up with our own outline maps to label. I highly recommend that every student be required to complete this curriculum before reaching highschool. My history class no longer has to ask -Where is that? --Joan Brancaleone's review on Amazon

I am a 7th grade teacher from Madison Wisconsin. I have used this program for 12 years. I teach about 150 kids each school year and all of them, from the very brightest to the very lowest ability children, learn it in their own right. We practice one continent at a time and learn mnemonic devices to reinforce newly acquired knowledge. For example, the phrase -Cute James Hates Doing Puzzles represents the Caribbean Islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico in order from west to east. The word BASMOQN represents the lower Canadian provinces in order from west to east: British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland. I show the students how to draw each region and we practice, practice, practice. When I feel they're ready, I test them on each region by asking them to draw it by heart on their posters with nothing more available to them than a list of the correct spellings of the names of countries, provinces, and water bodies. The finished product-a big map of the world drawn by each student from memory, is truly breathtaking and every year parents and students who've had older siblings come through my class tell me that they still have their map. I highly recommend this program. --Colleen Reilly's review on Amazon

I used this curriculum with a homeschool co-op. I taught twelve children ranging from grades 4-12. Our before world maps from memory hardly contained any information and very unusual continent shapes and locations, even the one done by grades 9-12. As we mapped and labeled each continent, we also did a study of the history and culture of the countries in each continent. Every week, each student researched a different area of each culture and gave oral presentations in class.(these ideas/activities are given in the curriculum.) Our end of year maps from memory are the best endorsement I could give. I wish you could see them. The continents were accurately drawn and 70 to 80 percent of the details like landforms, political divisions and capital cities were included. Our best map was completed by a 6th grader who was able to list every single item on the mapping the world by heart list given in the curriculum. There is some teacher preparation in doing extra activities recommended in the curriculum. My only complaint was that the map sheets were not available in smaller quantities so we had to come up with our own outline maps to label. I highly recommend that every student be required to complete this curriculum before reaching highschool. My history class no longer has to ask -Where is that? --Joan Brancaleone's review on Amazon

I am a 7th grade teacher from Madison Wisconsin. I have used this program for 12 years. I teach about 150 kids each school year and all of them, from the very brightest to the very lowest ability children, learn it in their own right. We practice one continent at a time and learn mnemonic devices to reinforce newly acquired knowledge. For example, the phrase -Cute James Hates Doing Puzzles represents the Caribbean Islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico in order from west to east. The word BASMOQN represents the lower Canadian provinces in order from west to east: British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland. I show the students how to draw each region and we practice, practice, practice. When I feel they're ready, I test them on each region by asking them to draw it by heart on their posters with nothing more available to them than a list of the correct spellings of the names of countries, provinces, and water bodies. The finished product-a big map of the world drawn by each student from memory, is truly breathtaking and every year parents and students who've had older siblings come through my class tell me that they still have their map. I highly recommend this program. --Colleen Reilly's review on Amazon

About the Author

David J. Smith has 26 years of experience teaching geography, history, and English in public and private schools. The U.S. Department of Education honored him in 1992 with their Breaking the Mold Award for this curriculum, and that, along with feature stories on The Today Show, and in Time Magazine, the Boston Globe, the New York Times, The International Educator, and other media, propelled him out of the classroom and into a full-time consulting practice. Since 1992, he has given workshops, seminars, and addresses in 30 countries and 38 states, both on Mapping The World By Heart curriculum and on geography and geographic literacy generally, focusing on what he refers to as world-mindedness across the curriculum.

Product Details

• Ring-bound: 188 pages
• Publisher: FableVision Learning; FableVision Learning First Edition edition (July 16, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891405659
• ISBN-13: 978-1891405655
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #739,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

image: copyright 2009 Susan Lapides
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Read about the new edition of "Mapping the World By Heart", and see an introductory video, by pointing your browser to
http://www.fablevision.com/mappingtheworldbyheart/
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DAVID J. SMITH is a classroom teacher with over 25 years' experience teaching English, Geography, and Social Studies in grade levels from 4 to 12. He achieved recognition for his unique method of teaching seventh graders to draw maps of the entire world from memory, now published by Fablevision as a highly successful curriculum, "Mapping The World By Heart". In 1992, Smith won the U.S. Department of Education's "A+ For Breaking The Mold" Award for this work. Since 1992, he has been a full-time consultant, providing lectures and workshops on geography and global issues, and on IT issues, to teachers, parents, student groups, and others in the United States, Europe, Africa, South America, Australia, and Asia.

The "Mapping The World By Heart" curriculum directly addresses standard number 2 of the US geography standards, and has achieved phenomenal results in public and private schools throughout the U.S. and in locales as far-flung as Cote D'Ivoire and Japan. It is popular because it works. At the beginning of the school year, students draw maps of the world, and "the results are predictable," said one article about the program; "The maps always show incredible gaps in students' mental images of the world, with the only places included being the places that are real to the students -- where they live, where they've traveled." But at the end of eight months, these same students are able to draw detailed maps that include the names and borders of 190+ countries, with their capitals, mountain ranges, rivers, etc. The technique used is both traditional and up-to-date: lots of memorization, but not the old-fashioned methodology of rote-for-rote's-sake, but rather memorization informed and enriched by the real use of knowledge, study, practice, mnemonics, and games.

Time Magazine, NBC's Today Show, The L.A. Times, and the Associated Press, among others, have acknowledged Smith and the success of his curriculum. Besides the curriculum, Smith has written articles for the New York Times's Education Life section, for The International Educator, for The World Paper, NESA Notes , and Independent School Bulletin.

He has also written five other books -- "If The World Were A Village", which was published in March, 2002, by Kids Can Press in Toronto, and "The CEESA Web-Site Manual" and "Emergency Procedures Handbook for International Schools" were published respectively in 1998 and 2003 by the US State Department.

The sequel to "If The World Were A Village", entitled "If America Were A Village", (isbn 1554533442) was published in August, 2009.

His newest book, "This Child Every Child: A Picture Book For Children About the Rights of Children" (isbn 1554534666), was published in February, 2011.

"If The World Were A Village" (isbn 1550747797) has been widely and favorably reviewed in journals such as Booklist and Horn Book and School Library Journal. It was chosen by the American Booksellers Association as their #1-recommended book on the BookSense 76 Children's list for Spring-Summer, 2002, and Newsweek chose it as one of 10 children's books on their "recommended reading" list in August, 2002. In addition, it won the H.C.Andersen Prize for 2003, the International Reading Association's Children's Book Award for 2003, and was named a Smithsonian "Notable Book of the Year". It has been published in 20 editions, in 17 languages other than English, including Braille.

Besides book visits and assemblies, David offers consultation services, workshops and platform presentations on geography and global awareness for schools and professional organizations.

David was born in the United States, but is a permanent resident of Canada; he and his wife live in North Vancouver, BC.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positive Review from Forsyth School, June 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mapping The World By Heart Lite (Ring-bound)

Our school has been using David Smith's "Mapping the World by Heart" curriculum for three years. My fourth grade class studies US History, and I have adapted the curriculum so that my class maps the United States by heart. Our sixth grade, for their last project before graduation, maps the world by heart. This is truly a wonderful project that challenges even the most gifted students, yet also gives different students a chance to shine in the classroom. Every year students, faculty, and parents come to the final dispay of our maps and exclaim, "There is no way that I could do this!" Imagine the pride that a ten or twelve-year-old feels when they have acquired knowledge that their parents find astounding. Many parents have framed their children's USA and world maps and have put them up in the home as artwork! The curriculum is broken down into mini-lessons and is very easy to follow. Even if you did not want to use the entire curriculum, there are plenty of good geography resources and lessons included. In my opinion, every student in the United States should be required to use this curriculum. It is truly incredible what geography our students know when they leave our school!

69 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Results, May 15, 2003

By 

Joan Brancaleone (Nazareth, PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mapping the World by Heart: An Innovative Approach to Learning Geography (Book & Video Cassette) (Ring-bound)

I used this curriculum with a homeschool co-op. I taught twelve children ranging from grades 4-12. Our "before" world maps from memory hardly contained any information and very unusual continent shapes and locations, even the one done by grades 9-12.
As we mapped and labeled each continent, we also did a study of the history and culture of the countries in each continent. Every week, each student researched a different area of each culture and gave oral presentations in class.(these ideas/activities are given in the curriculum.) Our end of year maps from memory are the best endorsement I could give. I wish you could see them. The continents were accurately drawn and 70 to 80 percent of the details like landforms, political divisions and capital cities were included. Our best map was completed by a 6th grader who was able to list every single item on the "mapping the world by heart list" given in the curriculum. There is some teacher preparation in doing extra activities recommended in the curriculum. My only complaint was that the map sheets were not available in smaller quantities so we had to come up with our own outline maps to label. I highly recommend that every student be required to complete this curriculum before reaching highschool. My history class no longer has to ask "Where is that?"

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positive review from Latin School of Chicago teacher, February 25, 2003

By 

"jdowd47" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mapping the World by Heart: An Innovative Approach to Learning Geography (Book & Video Cassette) (Ring-bound)

The "Mapping the World By Heart" curriculum is a must for any social studies teacher. It has easy-to-follow lesson plans, great projects and games, outline maps, and lots of useful geographical resources. The actual project of mapping a geographical area "by heart" is the best (and most amazing) project that I have ever done with students. Currently, my students IN 2ND GRADE can draw South American maps by memory. To my students' surprise, many of their parents can't even label the countries in South America on a blank outline map! I have also used the "Mapping the World By Heart" curriculum to have students map the USA and Canada by heart. I have also seen 6th grade world memory maps at another school that are TRULY amazing.

Even if you decide not to have your students map the world by heart, the lesson plans and information alone included in the curriculum are worth the cost.