A map is a type of visual story. Just like a story, a map includes elements of “who, what, when, where, why, how.” Focusing on the “where”, students explored ways to express the various other elements of place through color, text, and perspective. Through this process, students created maps that told a story of place in a way that connected to their own lives.

Collaborative Map
All of the students worked together to create a large mixed-media map of State College. Students designed visual and textual cut-paper landmarks of places they deemed important and added these to the map. This project allowed student's individual ideas of place to combine together into a collaborative vision.

T-Shirts
Students experimented with various techniques including bleaching, stenciling, and using fabric markers and spray paint to create t-shirts that related to the overall class theme of place. After coming up with initial ideas, students met with peers to discuss how they would implement their plans. As students worked through the process of layering different techniques, problem solving became a key skill in learning from the materials.