THOMASVILLE- Katie Brewer, fifth grade MERIT social studies teacher, applied for and received a PAGE grant to purchase Raised Relief maps to help with her geography lessons throughout her social studies units.

Each year, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) seeks out teachers in need of classroom materials or professional learning through grants. PAGE gives up to $100,000 to educators as individual grants of $500.

Brewer was pleased to receive several United States Raised Relief Maps and World Maps to enrich her lessons. Raised Relief Maps typically feature three-dimensional representations of geographical features, allowing students to feel the elevation changes on the map. This tactile aspect can greatly enhance the learning experience, especially in a classroom setting.

“The maps provide a hands-on approach to learning, allowing students to better understand and remember geographical features, which can be more challenging with traditional flat maps,” Brewer said.

According to PAGE representative, Michele Dechman, the grant was very unique due to the distinctiveness of the maps. She visited the classroom recently because she was eager to witness the students using the maps.