HOW TO TEACH USING THE GLOBE IN A GEOGRAPHY LESSON
The most accurate world map is a globe. The globe is the most accurate representation of the earth. Since the globe is a sphere like the earth, it therefore has properties that cannot be found on a flat map. The globe being a conceptual model is used to help learners grasp concepts in a geography lesson depending on the topic. The model of the earth (globe) enables learners to see the world in all of its complexity.
This presentation discusses the model of the globe as one of the learning and teaching aids and explains how a globe is used in a geography lesson. According to Soanes and Stevenson (2003) a model is a three dimensional representation of a person or thing. The fact that the model is (more than high definition) in three dimensions makes acquisition and retention of information easier. Consequently, learning becomes less abstract but concrete and more interesting.
Kochhar, (2005:123) describes ‘Teaching Aids’ as “devices which present units of knowledge through auditory or visual stimuli or both with a view to help learning”. Teaching Aids of all sorts are meant only to help in teaching and not to act as a substitute for teaching nor to replace the teacher, Das (1985). It should be mentioned that there are many ways of classifying Teaching Aids. However, educational research indicates that learners remember only 10% of what they read 20% of what they hear and about 50% of what they hear and see, Nacino (1982: ) et al.
According to Kali and Linn (2008), visualizations play a large role in helping science learning because they make unseen and complex material visible. By making certain content more animated, users have a better understanding of the concepts and gain a richer picture of the process behind a particular topic.
Globe Tossing
The teacher guides the pupils by tossing the globe from one to another. Each pupil has to find a place or feature named by the person tossing/passing the ball and then names a place or feature on the globe for the next person to locate. This can be a useful 'settling’ activity when children return from another subject such as physical education (P.E.) with children joining in as they come into class. They might be confined initially to places named on the globe but this might be extended as they become more knowledgeable and experienced. Here the teacher throws the globe to a student at a time. They look at the location under their left thumb when they catch it and have to come up with three clues (on the globe) e.g. neighboring countries, continent, major river, cities etc. for the rest of the class. The person who guesses correctly then gets past the globe.
Care for the earth
Here the teacher can teach can employ class discussion on how to care for the Earth. Start with how to look after the globe because it needs to be handled carefully. Use this as a metaphor for environmental concern, care and responsibility, issues to do with pollution can be highlighted to inculcate the mindset of environmental responsibility, Simon (2002). With the facilitation by the teacher, the class discusses the fragility of the Earth and changes that are occurring to it, such as climate change.
Spin the Globe/Roll-a-Globe
In groups of six, pupils spin the globe on the table or floor. Each pupil to identify one of the places or features (longitudes or latitudes) that is facing them when the globe stops spinning. One pupil rolls the globe across to another. He /she say which feature of place is uppermost on the globe when it reaches them.
Actually you can also watch this video for further understanding.
Where in the World?
The teacher can brainstorm pupils about certain features or places of the world. For example, naming particular features and/or places (archipelago) for pupils to find and point to on the globe; Serengeti National Park or Barotse plain. The pupil then passes the globe to the person sitting next to them. The teacher repeats the task on other pupils.
Spot the Biggest/Smallest/etc
The teacher can ask the pupils to find the largest continent or ocean or the smallest of four named islands, countries bigger or smaller than another country, the longest mountain range or river or the largest lake or inland sea, Simon (2002). The teacher allows the pupils to set each other features and places to find places where they have been during the holidays. Children note the country or region of the World. This might be an informal geography activity or a task in a project on titled 'Places we have been to'. This can be extended to include 'Places where we have connections'.
Atlas Connections
The globe can also be used in combination with other learning resources such as text books specifically the atlas since it has very similar information. This can be used for pupils to note the differences between maps on a sphere and on a flat surface. In this case the teacher introduces the both the atlas and the globe to find features and places on both. Globes often do not have as many places named on them as an atlas will have named in its pages. Children may look up a place or feature in the atlas and find it on the globe.
Using question and answer method pupils being led by the teacher discuss the similarities and differences between the globe and the atlas as representations of the Earth, what is shown and why, how these features and places are shown, and where distortions in the shapes of features are and why.
In the News
The teacher takes the pupils to the Demonstration Hall for news broadcasts. As news is being presented, brainstorm the pupils to estimate the location of places where the events have taken place on the globe. This can be done in pairs or groups to promote teamwork. They might check locations at home or in school on an atlas; then have them show where these places are on the globe and outline what the news item was and why it interested them.
Briefly, the model of the globe is a very important tool for teaching about a geography lesson because it brings the abstract to near reality. After all, what is the purpose of the model? Bringing the abstract into concrete, the complexity into simplicity and the unknown into the known so that learning (knowledge, skills, attitude and values) is enhanced.
REFERENCES
Das R.C. (1985) Science Teaching in Schools: New Delhi Sterling Publishers Private Limited. Kochhar. S.K (2005) Teaching of History. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Limited.
Kali, Y and Linn. M.C (2008) Designing effective visualizations for elementary school science, the Elementary School Journal, 109.
Nacino Brown, Oke. F.E and Brown D.P (1982) Curriculum and Instruction; An Introduction to Methods of Teaching: London, Longman.
Simon Catling (2002) (3rd), Placing Places: Sheffield, Geographical Association Limited.
Soanes Catherine and Stevenson Angus (2003) Concise Oxford English Dictionary: London, Oxford University Press.
