Mapping Project
We all carry maps in our heads of the places we know. These are called mental maps. No two people have the same mental map of any single place. Mental maps (like all maps) are selective representations of reality. Our own mental maps reflect our experiences, our interests, our likes and our fears.
On an 8½-by-11 inch piece of unlined, white paper, draw a freehand map of your hometown showing only those buildings, transportation routes, natural features, etc., that you can recall from memory. Do not consult an existing map. Label all features you have included on your map, to the best of your ability. Make sure to include the name of the city.
Once you have completed your map, print a street map of your hometown from the Yahoo map site on the web (or a comparable source): http://maps.yahoo.com/. Make sure to zoom in or out as necessary (use the zoom bar at the top of the screen) and center the town in the frame (click on the center of the city), so that the map you print includes only your hometown and all of it. Choose the "Printable Map" feature before you print. Your street map will not be graded; it is intended only to give your instructor a sense of the geography of your hometown.
Turn in one paper copy of your mental map and one copy on transparency film, along with a paper copy of the Yahoo-produced street map. Check the AHC Bookstore or copy shop about making copies on transparency film. Make sure your name is on each sheet, but do not staple them together.