Group+A

​Part A:

 * 1) Download the MrSID viewer from the American Memory site. This is necessary to view the full detail of the map. @http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/help/compression.html
 * 2) Use the SEA method to analyze the June 8, 1944, HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map. @http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/maps/wwii/index.html
 * 3) Post your small group's SEA worksheet to your group's page on the wiki.

Part B:

 * 1) Review some of the other maps in the series of WWII Military Situation maps.
 * 2) Use the discussion area for your small group on the wiki to answer the following questions about the series of maps:
 * How can this series of maps be used in the classroom?
 * What prior information would be necessary for students to use these maps effectively?
 * Would you use these maps in your classroom? Why or why not?

Part C:

 * 1) Although maps may be typically thought of as social studies resources, they can be used in other areas as well. On the wiki, brainstorm ideas with your group for using maps in multiple subject areas. Be as creative as you can. Provide links to maps if possible, but you may share ideas even if you can’t find a specific online resource to match the idea.



Part A:

I was thinking that we could put our ideas for part 1 in the wiki first then I can copy it to the SEA worksheet when we are finished instead of downloading and uploading the changes each time. I also set up the space below to organize our thoughts. Awesome start Rob, I will get on this tomorrow - snow day home with the kids (more or less productive, hmmmmm). Thanks for offering to do the SEA. I think this format is a better way for us, as well. ~Jen Sounds great Rob! I have some things already done on my laptop at school, so I'll add my stuff Thursday. Melissa Thanks for getting us started! I echo what Jen said...this should be much easier! jess

Scan: -2400 hours on June 8 1944 -A lot of rectangles with X's in them and various numbers outside of the boxes -Map of a country with some tactical drawings overtop -Country borders a large body of water-ocean? -Highly detailed, shows towns, villages, bodies of water -Stamped in bottom right corner and left corner -The word secret is struck through

Evaluate: -There is a key on the map which explains the boxes. US and British forces are to the north of the bomb line and German forces are to the south of the bomb line. -After further inspection of the map, the map is of France. -Official map...has various "important" stamps in corners--Library of Congress stamp, declassified stamp, etc. -Map has the word "Secret" written in the upper righthand quadrant, which was underlined and (later?) crossed out. -Shows 2 of the most famous American units, which are the 82nd & 101st airborne. -Shows details such as roads & rivers - "drawing" near bombline on map is located near the bodies of water / Bay of the Seine - "declassified" maybe coincided with the strikethrough of "secret" -A look at the "situation" or placement of US, Britain and the enemy troops at that point in time

Analyze: -This is a map of a bombing run by Allied forces on German forces shortly after the D-Day offensive during WWII. -The rectangles with the X's in them could be aircraft carriers and the arrows could indicate the bombers' flight path. -American and British forces seem to be fairly equal in size, effort. -Allied forces are united, but separate--American's on the west side of the attack, British on the east. -Allies seem to have strong idea of where enemies are located. -The bomb line shows that there are several German units that fall outside the bomb line. - Prior knowledge ignited by this map: These "bombings" led to the defeat of German Army Units in France. Paris became liberated and US/British continued to push back Germany / "the enemy". - Further investigation showed that this map is from a series of maps detailing the progress of allied forces pushing toward Germany. They helped evaluate and plan for future strategies.

Part B:

How can this series of maps be used in the classroom? These maps could be used in the classroom to allow students to analyze the decision making of the commanders during WWII. They could look at the troops placement and the enemies placement from both perspectives and make predictions on what the commanders did or offer their opinion as to what they think they would have done in that situation. Analyzing the war from that perspective will be a valuable learning opportunity to understand what happen on a much deeper level.

Even though I would not use this collection at the 2nd grade level, this collection of WWII maps would be extremely useful in the middle/high school classroom. It would give students an excellent overview of the situation and what was going on militarily at the time. Sometimes maps used in school text books are lacking in detail and are also usually very small, and do not represent a true picture of the situation. One of the maps in this collection deals with the situation of the US 12th Army group on December 15th, 1944 or otherwise know as the Battle of the Bulge. The students viewing that map can actually see the bulge in the US lines and understand why it was called the “Battle of the Bulge”. So this highly detailed collection can be another tool in teaching and getting students to understand World War Two battles. Furthermore, it does help make more interesting in that they can visualize the situation instead of just sitting there taking notes of a chalkboard.

Students could use these maps as they are learning about WWII. Some may have prior knowledge of the war while others would not. While issuing these maps in a series as they are learning, they could play the role of a commander evaluating the maps. They could strategize the best way to move forward. Bringing out a playboard of the game of risk might help reenact some of the scenarios. As they "play," lessons could unfold about how the events actually took place and the results.

​ As a high school English teacher, I could use this map in connect with the unit we do on "Anne Frank". In her diary, Anne often talks about the Allies and how all her hopes of being rescued are tied to them. She elaborates on how their illegal radio is basically the only source of information about the Allied Front and their advancement across Europe. This map, and the collection it is part of, would help my students better understand just what obstacles were facing the Allies as they fought their way across occupied Europe. I could also use this map to spark a writing prompt wherein the students are asked to imagine that they are living in that section of France during June of 1944 and talk about what life would have been like for them.

What prior information would be necessary for students to use these maps effectively?

Students would need background information on WWII and more specifically the D-Day offensive. They would need to know the geography of where the war was fought and which countries were allies of one another. They would need to know the general idea of what happened during these military campaigns to further understand what information these maps are presenting.  In order for the students to understand this collection of maps, they would have to have some prior knowledge about World War II. They would need to have some understanding about who were involved such as who were the Allies and who were the Axis. Plus, where the fighting was taking place, why it was taking place and at what time it was taking place. Furthermore, they we need some understanding of the goals of each side. This would allow them to understand why the battles were being fought in certain geographical areas. It might also help to give a sort explanation of the symbol key, so that students would have some basic knowledge of the military symbols used on the maps. Without prior knowledge these maps would not make much sense to the students.

I think students only really need to know what happened up until this point in WWII. When these maps are presented to the students, the teacher would begin to offer lessons about D-Day and Battle of the Bulge. I agree that students would need to be aware of allies, enemies and purpose of the war. Reading maps, understanding scale, keys and symbols would be necessary to interpret this map.

You all have covered this pretty thoroughly. To repeat, the students would need knowledge of WWII--time period, background info, causes, Allies, occupied Europe, etc. They would also need to know how to read and interpret a map. Geographical background on Europe would be helpful, as well as information on D-Day.
 * Would you use these maps in your classroom? Why or why not?

I probably would not use these maps in my classroom because WWII is not part of the curriculum I teach. I would suggest that they be used by our AP US History class or American Studies classes to better understand WWII. If I had to make a stretch, I could use the maps as part of a foreign policy decision making scenario for my government class. I could have them analyze the maps and make a briefing to Congress or the President as to what the situation in France is at that time. I usually use more current foreign policy decision making scenarios, but this could possibly work. I frequently get requests from English teachers for maps so that students can understand the context of a particular book that they might be reading. It helps them understand where a book is taking place and allows them to use higher level critical thinking skills when they are analyzing the book if they have that background. Math teachers can use interpreting maps as part of teaching measurement and conversions. It would be a cross curricular way to involve social studies in a math class or math in a social studies class. I could also see art students studying a historic event or time period and creating a map based on their artistic representation of the event or time period.  I most likely would not use these maps in my Social Studies lessons as my 2nd graders would not fully understand them. However, I would at least show them that they are military maps from World War II. This way they could at least be able see what they look like. This is important because every year a man comes to my school and displays his World War II memorabilia during Veteran's Day. His display contained numerous documents, field gear and uniforms. Many of his documents were authentic military maps in actual World War II map cases. All of these items were described to my students and told how they were used. This would allow my students to at least know on the map who were the good guys and were the bad guys.

As a math teacher in the elementary level, the way I might be able to incorporate these maps would be to focus on scale and conversions. The connection to WWII would simply be a connection I would make with the students to emphasize real world relevence across time periods.

I would probably not use this map in my classroom. It is far more detailed than a background to "Anne Frank" would require, and beyond that I don't see a use for it. It's an advanced map that would be best used in a History class wherein WWII is being covered.

Part C: *Calculate time needed to travel from one place to another - conversions of the scale
 * __MATH__**:
 * Measure distance from one place/town to another
 * Use longitude, latitude, etc
 * Find area of pieces of land

*Locate the setting of a story or book on a map *Use a map to follow the journeys of a character ("The Cay", "The Witch of Blackbird Pond") - Create own map including made-up locations (ex: all cities have a long e sound in them, all rivers have an action verb in the names, all roads are actually adjectives, etc.)
 * __Language Arts__**:
 * Locate birth places of authors on a map
 * Have the students write about a trip they would take using a map
 * Teach nouns, proper nouns using a detailed map

*Design a map of your house, street, town, etc -Use model magic, clay, paint, etc. to display topography.
 * __ART__**:
 * Create maps by drawing and/or painting
 * __Geography__**:
 * Shade and color a map to show topography, landforms
 * Use a map to show the different features of an area of study
 * Teach continents, countries, states, etc


 * __History__**:
 * Use a map to show the path of historical figures (ie Lewis and Clark, Magellan, Colombus)
 * Show spoils of war, etc through changes in countries across the centuries
 * Have students use a map to illustrate how they would proceed in a given war simulation