I hope it's okay to post this idea here. My dh (who has a degree in Geography with a concentration in Cartography) and I were discussing the choices between doing paper maps and transparency maps. Our dd loves to do maps, but gets very frustrated when she labels something and then finds out later that she has written over an area where she needs to label something else. I thought the transparencies were going to be the way to go for her. But, they are SO expensive (plus getting them shipped over here is a whole other saga).

Dh, who, in addition to his degree, is also the Obi-Wan Kenobi of PowerPoint, suggested that his young Padawan Learner (dd) should do her maps in PowerPoint.

He showed me how to pull up the map, click on the camera tool, and paste it into PowerPoint so she can work her maps on the computer and then print them when she is happy with how they look. No more frustration at having to erase and no expensive transparencies!!

They are both so excited about it that I just had to share!

I was wondering if you could give a little more information about how this is done with Power Point and what the finished maps look like.
Thanks,

PLH

Terrie,

I love this idea! I've always wanted to learn how to use Power Point and I've just had a taste of it trying out your husband's Jedi training method. My son is going to love doing it this way! Plus, I should now be able to actually read his map work.

Thanks for posting the suggestion!

quote:

Originally posted by PLH:
I was wondering if you could give a little more information about how this is done with Power Point and what the finished maps look like.
Thanks,

PLH

Hi PLH!

Once you paste the map into PowerPoint, you just have to click and drag the corners to make it page sized. Then, it's only a matter of creating a text box in each location where you want to label something. The finished maps come out looking a lot like the teacher maps.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for sharing this cool idea - my computer geek wanna be son should really like this! Can you add color to the maps? An I just showing my complete ignorance here? (grin)
Thanks mucho!
Blessings,
April

Hold on, Obi-Wan is on his way . . .

He says to use the "free draw symbol" and trace the outline of whatever you want to color and then use the "fill" to put the color in there. He says it will take time -- the lumpier the coastline, the longer it will take, but it can be done. As far as the land, though, the color will end up covering up anything that is already there (rivers, mountains, etc.)

He says, that if you're going to add color, do that FIRST and then add your labels so that your labels will be the top layer.

I'm thinking that having dd color in the water and land with colored pencils might take a little less time. Her biggest frustration has always been the neatness of the labels, though, and not the coloring.

Hope that helps!

Thank you Terri and Obi-Wan!
This sounds really cool - I will turn my son loose with this idea next week!
Blessings,
April

I found a cheaper substitute for transparencies. We use sheet protectors, cut them down to size, punch holes in them and off we go. I get two for each sheet protector. You can't put them through the printer, but they work great with markers.

Hope it helps.

The above situation is exactly what I was hoping to find for my ds. BUT, does anyone know how to do it on Keynote instead of PowerPoint with a MAC?

Thanks in advance,

Candace

It works just the same with Keynote. I open the map in Preview and orient it the way I want it (portrait or landscape). I click on "copy". I open Keynote and pick a nice theme (usually parchment) and pick one of the edit boxes and click paste. My map is now in the box and just needs to be sized. Then, add text boxes (you'll probably have to make the font size smaller) and add labels.

I love this idea and it has made my kids so much happier in doing their geography assignments. My son is such a perfectionist and has always hated doing maps because of the labeling. Thank you so much, TerrieS!

Blessings,
Becky

quote:

Originally posted by Candace A.:
The above situation is exactly what I was hoping to find for my ds. BUT, does anyone know how to do it on Keynote instead of PowerPoint with a MAC?

Thanks in advance,

Candace

Thanks Becky. I am new to Mac's so I need the walk-through.

Actually, I don't think this will work for me. I am on Year 3 and using the DE, which means that MapAids is opening up with LockLizard and therefore won't let me copy or change the document.

I'll have to keep thinking about how to make it work for my kiddos.

Thanks again,

Candace

Ummm.. Ok now I am feeling really silly.... I get the cut and paste idea into Power Point, I can probably figure out the labeling thing but WHERE am I getting the original map from???

Thanks

Janice