A Bird's Eye View: Wondering with Maps

Explore a map from long ago and begin wondering about the places where people live.

There is so much to see and learn from maps. They are more than just a way to represent a place on paper; maps also are sources that can be analyzed for how they are constructed and what they communicate.

All maps tell stories that reflect certain perspectives about places and spaces.

Panoramic maps, also known as bird's-eye views or perspective maps, portray a city as if viewed from above.

Today to see places, spaces, and people on the ground from above we can fly in a plane, take a trip in a hot air balloon, fly a drone, or ride an elevator to the top floor of a tall building. Albert Ruger, an artist who drew many panoramic maps, lived long ago and did not have these options available to him. If he wanted to view the land below, he might climb a mountain or elevated area but that was limited based on location. His maps capture his perspective of the streets, buildings, and major features of an area.

A Bird’s Eye View: Wondering with Maps explores one of Ruger’s maps from long ago.

In this interactive episode, we use an historic panoramic map as an object for active inquiry to engage children in wondering about this representation of a place where people live. Students closely observe the geographic features -- rivers, shorelines, and farmland -- of the place, along with its plant and animal life and manmade structures. Students collect clues in the researcher journal and use them throughout the adventure. There are a number of pathways for inquiry. Students may apply their geographic and historical thinking strategies to wonder about movement of people or reflect on the unique qualities of the area that define it as a place.

Recommended Citation:

Berson, I. R., Berson, M. J., & Snow, B.  (2020). A Bird’s Eye View: Wondering with Maps [App]. Newburyport, MA: Bert Snow & Co. Retrieved from KidCitizen, a Congress, Civic Participation, and Primary Sources Project from the Library of Congress, https://www.kidcitizen.net/