Video: Students Travel Africa In Their Own Socks

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – How often do you get to walk on the continent of Africa? Some students at Armstrong Middle School had the opportunity to do just that as the National Geographic traveling map made a stop in Starkville.
Sponsored by the Mississippi Geographic Alliance, it’s a unique and interactive way for students to learn.

Students traveled Africa in their very own socks.

The big traveling map is a hands-on, or in this case, feet on, way of learning geography for students.

“I thought it was really cool, it was really fun,” said 6th grader, Alyssa Pruitt.

Dr. Kenneth Anthony teaches the students about Africa and says it’s a way to get them interested in learning about other parts of the world.

“The idea is to just peak students interest in geography, teach them a little bit about geography and show them something about geography and show them something I think is just pretty cool, a map that takes up most of the floor of half a basketball court,” said Mississippi State instructor, Dr. Kenneth Anthony.

During the lesson, Dr. Anthony focuses on regions of Africa and also a lesson on Nelson Mandela, teaching students the importance of his influence.

He says although we mostly rely on the internet for maps and direction, this allows an interactive learning experience for students.

“It’s not to many situations where children can actually walk on a map and this map is large enough that students can walk on it. Every student will have a chance to walk on it, engage in it, an activity, doing something they can’t do on a computer screen,” said Dr. Anthony.

For the students, this is a first time experience but each took away something different.

“It’s good to use the big map because we usually use our phone or atlas, I liked it,” said 8th grader, Keyoma Selvie.

“I thought it’s a great learning experience because we don’t have any chances where we can walk on a map and experience it, so it’s very good,” said 6th grader, Nadia Borazji.

The big map will be on display for the community at the Armstrong Middle School gym Thursday and Friday evening from 6 to 7:30