DUMAS, TEXAS -- A giant traveling map of South America is making education fun and interactive at some Panhandle schools. Texas Tech University College of Education has rented that giant map from National Geographic. They're taking it to rural school communities and engaging the minds of young students. Pronews is spotlighting the map tour in this week's Region 16 Education report.
"With us being so connected with the entire world thanks to the internet, our students need to have more geographic awareness of where places are so that way they can look on a map and be able to find these places they're hearing about when things are happening in a country and they can have a connection and go, oh we have studied that," said Katie Snyder, 2nd grade teacher at Sunset Elementary.
Students Pre-K through 4th grade at Sunset Elementary in Dumas had the opportunity to learn all about South America. With direction from Texas Tech faculty, students scattered about to where mountains are, rivers, oceans and yes, even acted like the animals that live in there.
"I think the more actively engaged you are, your body movement helps you remember things. So for those kiddos who have done this who have done the mountains can go back to their classrooms and they can draw the shape of South America," said Reese Todd, Texas Tech Associate Professor.
It's not just for students. In the evening, the whole community is invited to take part in a South America adventure.
"Our goal is to teach people a little bit more about geographic literacy because we think our kids don't know enough. So we do a teacher work shop the day before and then spend all day with the kids," said Todd.
Todd says they will travel to rural communities for 12 weeks and hopes by the end to have had 20,000 feet on the map.
