Making Map Folders

I have been homeschooling on a shoestring for 15 years. Actually, my string is more like the one you pull out of the strip at the top of the dog food bag—quite thin. And, in all these years, I’ve learned what things are absolutely necessary and what are not. Believe me, most are not.

One of the “must haves” for a homeschooling family is a supply of maps. A wall size United States and a wall sized World are great. However, they are costly and do not last forever. You could opt to spend that money on a nice World Atlas. But with an atlas, you may not want to mark it up—and that is essential.

We just solved our map issues by making Map Folders. To make your own map folder, you will need:
· A manila file folder
· An outline map of the U.S. printed on cardstock
· An outline map of the World printed on cardstock
· Glue sticks
· Coloring utensils

Just do a Web search and you will find plenty of sources for your map outlines. You might also choose different maps. If you are doing an extensive study of Africa, let’s say, you could print one of just Africa for that study.

Step 1: Cut the tab off the top of the file folder to give you a straight edge.

Step 2: Cut the world map down the middle and paste each half on either side of the seam inside of the file folder.

Step 3: Using masking tape, attach the U.S. map to the back of the closed file folder along the fold. This allows it to open like a page, protecting the map side of the card from wear and leaving the back of the folder for artwork, notations or whatever other things you come up with. We taped small envelopes there for storing markers representing the books read in our Five In A Row study.

Step 4: Decorate the cover.

Now, whenever we read a book, study a new person or place, we color the setting on our maps and place some sort of marker close by.

Happy Mapping,