Families of Everett School District students can explore North America tonight without leaving the Cascade High School campus.
With support from the Washington State Geographic Alliance, Cascade is hosting the National Geographic Society’s giant traveling map of North America tonight and Tuesday.
The school is hosting a family and community event from 6 to 8 tonight in the gym, 801 E. Casino Road.
“We’re pretty excited about this,” said Melissa Webster, a Cascade government and geography teacher.
The North America map measures 26 feet by 35 feet. It comes in 10 pieces that will arrive in a semi truck.
Webster has been on a waiting list for two years to land a session with one of the National Geographic Society’s giant maps.
During the school day, students from elementary, middle and high schools will get to take their journey wearing socks. Webster hopes tonight’s activity will attract people of all ages.
“The idea is to get students interacting with the map versus just looking at a map on a wall or on a table,” Webster said.
High school students will serve as tour guides for younger students and teachers have several different lesson plans to teach geography concepts, such as latitude and longitude and place names.
The North America map is the third in National Geographic’s Giant Traveling Map series. Africa began touring in 2006, followed by Asia in 2007. In the 2008-09 school year, more than 90,000 U.S. students are expected to walk on one of the maps.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
