I'm afraid Colton has heard me ask this question over the last couple of weeks more times than he prefers. Reason? Long story long (you know I can't do short), over the holidays his Uncle Steve brought him home one day. Uncle Steve hasn't been here, at our new home, but one or two times so Colton eagerly did his best to help out. Through their adventure (past the exit from the highway) it became apparent that this 4th grader of ours doesn't exactly know how to get home.
With the DS left at home (or at least, no longer used on drives around town) I now have my very own human GPS. At each turn I will stop and ask which way to go. He then looks at the map and our surroundings to figure out where we are and where we need to go. I printed out 3 maps on card stock paper for durability. I planned on laminating them so he could highlight our route as we go then wipe clean for the next trip, but then remembered he's an auditory learner - telling me how to go will imprint on his mind better.
1) Zoomed in of our house and including the school.
2) Zoomed out of most of the places we frequent in town, including our house.
3) A map from our house to Nana's, Mimi's, and his 2 aunt's houses (they all live near one another - easy).
He had fun pretending to BE a GPS using a robotic voice for me one day...
"In 1.3 miles turn right at Old Gunter Road. In 1.7 miles turn left on Pleasant Home Road." etc
So, now, instead of having his head down in that dern DS he is learning to enjoy the world as it passes by again, and more importantly how to get to school and home.
I love when he's learning real life application! Map reading skills, directional skills, deduction and reasoning, and the simple fact that he's becoming aware of his surroundings, not just punching buttons.
Uncle Steve, maybe he'll be able to get you here in a less round about way next time you come for a visit!
heather
This has made me wondered if my boys could tell someone how to get them home....hmmmmmm. Might have to "test" them.
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