Today we assembled our Tracing Map Booklets for geography for Cycle 1. I have found this easier to manage than tracing with wet erase markers on sheet protectors. Each child made their own packet. It has 4 pieces of tracing paper, so the child can trace on one each day we aren’t at community day. My kids will trace while I’m doing read alouds, or when they have some down time when they are waiting for me to help them with their individual subjects. I have found this method actually gets us to trace the map 4 times a week. Below are details how you can make one too.
Materials
- 4 sheets of Tracing paper (I like this brand and keep it around my house for art projects).
- 1 sheet of colored construction paper
- Stapler
- Wide clear packing tape
- Black line Maps from the Classical Conversations Foundations Guide (I printed the Africa and World maps (I had the World map slightly enlarged on a copier so some of the tiny features were easier to see).
Make the Tracing Map Booklet
- Have each child pick out what colored construction paper they want for their book.
- Line 4 sheets of tracing paper on top of the construction paper.
- Staple along the short edge to make a booklet.
- Use wide packing tape and wrap over the edge with the staples. This helps keep shape to the booklet and protects your table from staples sliding over it.
How to Use the Tracing Map Booklet
- Insert the black line map under 1 piece of tracing paper. Have child trace the feature for that week’s memory work. I have my older students label each feature; my younger kids just trace and say the name.
- On the next day, fold back the first piece of tracing paper revealing a fresh piece. Move the map to behind this piece of tracing paper. Have student trace and label the features again.
- Continue doing this for 4 days.
- My daughter likes to use colored pencils and color everything a different color. My younger kids just use a pencil. Even the 2 year old was tracing today and saying “Mesopotamia.”
- Keep adding to the same map booklet every week. You will be adding to the same map. It will be beautiful to see it all together. Later in the semester when we do world features, we will make a another booklet.
