I was asked to do a presentation for some kindergarteners and was wondering if there is something already compiled that is age appropriate?
Hi Ashley, I'd say the key thing to keep in mind with any audience is that they tend to comprehend things in relation to what they already know about, and scaffolding experiences helps (one step, then another). With kindergartners, they know rooms and buildings and outdoors and roads and sidewalks and birds and spiders and such. You can ask them to do things like point to you, point to the door to the room, point to where the closest bathroom is. To add difficulty, ask them to close their eyes and point. Ask them to draw as fast as possible (thus no real detail) what they would see as a spider overhead ... then as a bird flying over the school grounds. Get them to use terms indicating distance (even just nearer/farther), direction (even just "that way"), and scale, based on things they know. Help them recognize symbols ... a circle as a person from overhead, and a large rectangle as a table, and a smaller box with an X in it as a chair ... a map is a representation. For additional ideas, see http://k12.maps.arcgis.com "08.Elementary".
When I did a GIS Day presentation for a kindergarten class last year, I read Dr. Suess's There's a Map on My Lap book (There's a Map on My Lap!: All About Maps (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library): Tish Rabe, Aristides R... ). I brought in a map of each type described in the book and as we got to each, I placed that map in the center of the circle and asked the kids to tell me about the map. I also had ArcMap set up on the projector and we created a map together. I asked what things should be on the maps then I added each layer as the kids called it out. Use .lyr files so you can predefined the symbology and export only the data you will use so the draw times are as fast as possible. Roads, buildings, schools, fire stations, police stations, homes, parks, swimming pools, shopping centers where the main things the kids called out. The teacher was very good a helping directing their ideas. I used only the area that was in that school's zone so the kids could see things they knew. Main thing is to keep it interactive with something they are part of. It was a big hit and the kids had alot of fun.
There are a few things I have done with GIS and mapping with kindergartners.
No matter what you do, the kids will enjoy meeting you and learning about what you do! And they will all have stories and questions to ask at that age. (And be prepared to have the internet not work the day you visit if you do an online map - if you have a back up plan-- it won't be needed). Enjoy it!
Shannon
Shannon H. White, PhD
William & Mary