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Activity 2: Whose World?

You will need:

• 9 world maps provided A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I
• diagram of compass points (optional)
• adhesive

Diagram

Preparation:

Print out and photocopy maps A–I; divide the class into nine groups, and give each group a different map.

What to do:

1. First, ask the pupils to jot down immediately the first thoughts that come into their heads when they see the map.

2. Ask each group in turn to call out one of the things on their list, and write them up on the board. Discuss these initial thoughts. Are they words which suggest the map is strange or wrong (for example, 'stretched', 'upside-down', 'the UK is in the wrong place', 'too big')? If so, why do they think this is? If the maps are not familiar, what did they expect them to look like?

3. Ask pupils to find the UK on their world map and to describe its position and orientation, using the worlds 'top', 'bottom', 'left', 'right', and 'right way up', 'sideways', 'upside-down'.

4. Discussion:

• Is the UK where they expected it to be?
• Where do they think it should be?
• Why do they think it should be there?
• Which countries are at the top and centre of the maps?
• Does it make any difference which countries are in these positions?
• How do they feel about these countries?
• Do they feel differently about the countries at the bottom?
• Where are the poles?

> Activity 3: Looks familiar

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