Are you ready for a real challenge? Did you ever stop to think that you might be able to draw a map of the WORLD – over 190 countries – from MEMORY? David Smith’s Mapping the World by Heart is described as an “innovative approach” where students do intensive study of the world – its continents, countries, mountain ranges, rivers, and major cities – inspiring in them a love for geography and God’s creation, the ability to think globally, and the satisfaction of imprinting a map of the entire world into long-term memory.

The use of clever mnemonics aid students in their learning -- Some already written and shared by the teacher (Did you know that “Ecuador is on the equator?”), and others to be created by the students themselves and shared in class! So, bring your grapefruit ☺, a determination to tackle a challenge, and go for the globe! You’ll impress even yourself with what you’ll be able to accomplish. Why a grapefruit, you ask? To skin it in such a way as to demonstrate the challenge and distortion of a flat map of the world, of course!

The content of this class is extensive and rich and will take 2 years to accomplish fully. Plan for weekly homework. 

1. Colored pencils 

2. Pen or pencil 

3. Loose leaf paper for note taking

4. 1” three-ring binder for notebooking 

5. Set of 25 maps online at Mapping the World by Heart, FableVision Learning or Rainbow Resources