Schoolchildren get large-scale lessons on Africa

National Geographic program takes kids around the globe with gargantuan maps

John Sena | The New Mexican

10/8/2008 - 10/9/08

For Teresita Hamman's fifth-grade class at César Chávez Elementary, Wednesday was the closest most of them have ever been to visiting Africa.

The class of about 20 students kicked off their shoes Wednesday afternoon and slid their way around a 35-foot, vinyl map of the continent, learning about the animals and plants that inhabit the place.

"What animal is king of the jungle?" asked Gerard Izard, who is a parent of a César Chávez student and was born in Algeria.

"The lion," shouted the group.

Izard continued his tour by pointing out the areas of Africa where lions live. He also showed students where they could find gorillas, cheetahs and, of course, camels. "A camel can go 10 days without a drink of water," Izard told the wide-eyed bunch.

He also told kids about the countries that used to have colonies on the continent.

The map is purported to be the largest map of Africa in the world and is part of National Geographic Live!, a traveling education program.

"I think it's exciting," said Izard, who added he had hoped to walk students through every country but didn't have the time. "And they can walk on the countries."

"I think it's very interesting," said 10-year-old Julian Padilla, who was fascinated with the size of lakes and rivers in Africa.

"Anything that they can touch makes (a subject) more relevant," Hamman said of her students' feet-on experience. Because her class is studying plants and animals, she said, the map came at just the right time.

While Africa was at César Chávez, a similar map of North America was at Ramirez Thomas Elementary. The Africa map will travel to Wood Gormley on Monday, and North America will go to Alvord on Friday.

The maps will travel to 20 Santa Fe schools throughout October and in February.

The tour is aimed at fifth- and sixth-graders, said Connie Schaekel, community relations manager for the Lensic Performing Arts Center, who helped coordinate it.

Students study geography in those grades in New Mexico, Schaekel said, and received educational materials to prepare them for the maps' visit. The maps themselves come with activities including games, books, videos and music.

Contact John Sena at 986-3079 or jsena@sfnewmexican.com.