Mapping in Three Dimensions

What is a mental map? How do children "know" a place? These questions are very alive for me right now as I continue to explore childrens sense of place with the teachers and children at the preschool. Are drawn maps a grown-up construct, or do children "see" places that way? What about children who are not fluent in the languages of drawing and painting? I know that I perceive places sometimes as smells. How can we adults "hear" childrens conceptions of places as smells, sounds, feelings? How can children talk to us in other non-traditional-school ways of knowing?

Creek, plants and rocks (Isabel, 4)

I love getting caught in webs of ideas like this. I know that after the inquiry has gone on for a while, and I have a big pile of drawings and photographs and childrens words, I will find some kind of an answer for myself.

In the meantime, here are some pictures of a map that has grown up from the table, from a drawing into a 3 dimensional representation of our forest. Nolan and Isabel are very familiar with this place because their class goes outside every day. Their intimate relationship with our forest, including the labyrinth, pavilion and creek show in these built 'maps'.

 

Sabot School with building, labyrinth, path, trees, pavilion and parking lot. (Nolan, 4)

 See more unconventional maps at http://strangemaps.wordpress.com





                                                                                         'Map of Love'