Helping Middle School Students See the Why Behind Where
Maps can show students where something happened. Interactive maps can help them begin to understand why.
Harden Barker is the MTSS and Gifted Education Specialist at Phillips Middle School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. At the 2026 Esri Education Summit, we spoke with Harden about his experience using National Geographic MapMaker and how it is helping his students develop spatial awareness.
Giving students control of the map
Harden has been working with MapMaker for the past two years, with more extensive use during the most recent school year.
He found that students who were already interested in maps naturally gravitated toward MapMaker. One feature students particularly enjoyed was the ability to change layers and immediately see the effect on the map.
“Overall, the students really liked the program because they were able to change layers in real time and be able to see them instantaneously, how it affected the map,” Harden said.
That ability to interact with the map gives students an opportunity to explore relationships rather than simply look at a finished map.
Adding geography to history
Harden also uses maps to help students understand the geographic context behind historical events.
For example, when students study the development of early settlements in North America, they can look beyond the locations themselves and examine the geographic characteristics that helped shape where settlements developed.
Harden described students looking at features such as deep-water ports to better understand why places such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Norfolk developed where they did.
MapMaker helps students “see the implications of events in certain locations around the world,” he said.
Instead of only identifying a location, students can begin thinking about the geographic factors that influenced what happened there.
Developing spatial awareness
Harden sees this kind of exploration as an important way to develop spatial awareness in middle school.
By manipulating layers, students can see how different information changes the map and begin recognizing how different factors relate to one another.
It is also something Harden has been able to incorporate within a regular class period. He said the MapMaker activities his students have completed can fit within his 45-minute class period.
For educators who are considering MapMaker, Harden describes it simply as a fun program that students can access without needing a login.
Watch the video to hear Harden talk about his students' experience with National Geographic MapMaker and how he is using interactive maps to build spatial awareness.
Resources:
