Puzzle Map of the World

Montessori Puzzle Map of the World Lesson Activity for Ages 3 to 6

Geography

3 – 6 years approx.

To introduce the child to the flat representation of our world.
To prepare him for later map work.
To lead him towards abstraction – moving from the 3 dimensional to the 2 dimensional.
Visual Discrimination
Strengthening the hand for writing

You can buy this item on Amazon to use with this Montessori Lesson

If the child does not prick the map of Africa deep enough into the plasticine there will be no impression of Africa once he has flattened it.

This is an individual exercise done on the table on a work mat.

Ask the child to carry the puzzle map to the floor in the way that you have previously shown him.
Ask the child to bring the control map and place this below the puzzle map.
Tell the child you are going to show him how we get from a round world to drawing a flat world. Tell the child that it is easier to draw a map this way – on a 2 dimensional level.
Tell the child that when we draw a flat earth we can see the whole world and not just the part that we are looking at, as is the case with the globe.
Roll some plasticine into a sphere and compare it to the globe. With a sharpish instrument, prick out a representation of Africa. Show the child. Place the plasticine on the board, take the knife and cut it in half.
Place the halves on a plastic mat and one by one press them flat. Compare the flattened half to the puzzle map of the hemispheres. Saying that this is how we get a flat representation of our world. Say that when we cut a sphere into half we get two hemispheres – the eastern and western hemispheres. Do this as incidental naming but re-do this once the child has learnt his compass directions.
Invite the child to have a turn.