Pin Maps of Israel

Israel at the Time of Christ materials I created for our local level 2 and level 3 atria.


I started with the materials manual (the last two versions of the level 2 printed manual and the online materials manual), I checked atlases and other resources (both ones the children would be able to access in the atrium as well as resources accessible outside the atrium) and did some serious modifying.

I then created my own documents and materials that reflect the actual appearance of Israel and what we can determine historically. No two atlases are 100% identical, so what I have prepared is what I hope to be a good representation of Israel while also reflecting the nature of the regions puzzle map we utilize in the level 1 (and early level 2) atrium.

Pin Map Love - a previous post about this material.

The materials are available for purchase at Garden of Francis - Israel Pin Maps - Time of Jesus. A portion of this work was developed with direct assistance of a handful of catechists at our local parish, so a portion of all pin map sales will be directly tithed to that parish. Pins are are also available with options for each pin map board or a complete set.

All features on one control map
and a working (mute) map with all features
Level 2 might not have this set -
more likely to have a larger control map available
as well as individual control maps for the maps described below.
OOPS! Missing the Mountains of Perea to the eastern edge of Perea.*
Total of 42 locations/pins. 

the mute working map for "Cities and Regions"
3 Key Cities (white pins with red lettering)
18 Cities, Towns, Villages (red pins with black lettering)
4 Regions (white pins with black lettering)
WHITE = previously known
Red = cities
Black = general usage

the  mute working map for "Mountain Ranges, Desert, Bodies of Water"
OOPS! Missing the Mountains of Perea to the eastern edge of Perea.*
This map is for geographical areas:
Mountain Ranges: 5 yellow pins (with green lettering)
Desert: 1 yellow pin (with black lettering)
Water: 4 blue pins (with black lettering)
Yellow for land areas; blue for water areas
Green for mountain reference

the mute working map for "Mountain Peaks"
7 green peaks (with black lettering)
Green for mountain reference

For level 2, it is BEST to have a separate container for each pin map. So the children go to the shelf and have for each of the pin maps

• Working mute map (this is the one with holes)
• Control map (can be the wooden map photocopied and mounted onto tagboard, add labels)
• Booklet (this provides some information on each location, the corresponding Bible verse - and tells them the name of the place so they can find the pin to place it on the map)
• And the box of pins for that map only

At level 3, they can have ONE box with all the pins and a set of atlases and other maps to research where to place the pin for each geographical location. In my level 3 atriums, the children earn the privilege to work with the pin maps by researching and filling in two pages listing each of the locations by Bible verse (they look up the Bible verse and write in the name of the location). 

The pins for the maps: 

I bought ours from Nienhuis (Heutink in the US). They are sturdy pins with sturdy flags, available in all the colors we need. I order the "extra flags" in sets of 10, currently $6.60 for a pack. Shipping is expensive through them, but I try to order other items to bring down the shipping cost. Nienhuis/Heutink Pin Map Flags in packs of 10

This particular tacklebox is a "Flambeau Incorporated"
I cannot locate an item number.
A Plano 345500 6-12 Compartment Adjustable is rather similar, but smaller.
The Plano 2360099 Prolatch 3600 Stowaway seems quite identical to this one.

The tacklebox I use for level 3 is perfect for this age - they can have the pins in one container, divided out like this. It has 6 compartments; I have inserted a divider in one to split between the two land ranges of "mountain ranges" and the one "desert." I would like to add a symbol above where I labeled the section (on the underside of the lid) to show which color combos go in which section.

I have also labeled the contents on the underside of each slot.
These could be color coded.

All of the cities we use
Cities are represented in red. = 18 new
The three key cities the children already know from L1?
Those are written in red on the white flags - to emphasize them. = 3
Regions are white flags as well (already known) with red lettering. = 4

Mountains are represented by green; and yellow shows a land "area"
So yellow with green for the mountain ranges. = 5
Yellow with black for the desert. = 1
Green with black for the mountain peaks. = 7

Blue is water - that's the easy one ;)  = 4

Anything with two names, I wrote the second name on the back of the flag.
The Sea of Galilee is also Lake Tiberias
Golgotha is also Mount Calvary

Biblical Geography Scripture charts: 

The level 2 children also have these charts on hand -
they can look up a geographical location in the Bible
to read more about it. 

The level 3 children have this blank chart they fill in, using context clues
from the heading of that particular page and the Scripture verses noted.
Then they can work with the pin maps in any order they choose. 

The booklets:
I don't have a ready photo of the booklets. The pages I personally utilize fit 3 to a page and the booklets have red or green covers depending on the color scheme chosen by the atrium I create them for. I only recommend using them for level 2 as the information they pull from is best researched by the level 3 child using the blank Biblical Geography charts.

OOPS! Missing the Mountains of Perea to the eastern edge of Perea.*

Pin Map Love

I love the pin maps. They are a useful technique for mastering geography without being all boring about it ;) 

We have modified this work for our local atrium spaces. 

In level 2 and 3, we have the following: 

1. Cities and Regions (pins: 18 red, 7 white)
2. Mountain Peaks (pins: 7 green)
3. Mountain Ranges, Desert, Bodies of Water (pins: 4 blue, 6 yellow)

(this is the "old" CGS set up which we have chosen to keep - they've been modified a bit)

In level 2, there is a control map for each map and a corresponding booklet with a page for each pin. We modified the booklets to include EVERY location with a Scripture reference. 

We also removed some locations that NO ATLAS or internet search could tell me the proper location for. We ditched those ones. 

This way, the child can read the corresponding booklet, see the Scripture reference, locate the city/etc. on the control map and pin the location on the blank map. They also have access to various atlases and a large wall map, but this helps them to focus in. 

In level 3, we have all three of the above maps AND we have a wooden blank pin map that contains all of those features on one board. There is only ONE control map to use for all 4 mutes: it has everything on it. 

All features and All Features control - in level 3

No booklets. Instead, I hand them a chart of Scripture references - look up the Scripture passages, find the name of a geographical feature - when the chart is complete, I check it for accuracy. When all are accurate, they have earned the privilege to use the pin maps. 

At this level, they have to use the atlases in the atrium to find their locations, place it on the blank pin map of their choosing (they can work with any of the 4 wood map options) - then use the control map to check their work. If they get something wrong, they need to go back to the atlas and see what happened - maybe one atlas says one thing and another says something different..... Tricky! 

Two level 2 children working with the level 2 versions. The control maps are photocopies of the wood maps, then we used sticky labels for the names, mounted the copies onto tagboard and wrapped in contact paper. You can see the children are on their third map (the other two are finished, in the background). 

Yes, they should be working on rugs. We are having a scenario with rugs on this particular day ;) 

up close of the Cities/Regions blank pin map

The level 2 labels in our local atrium
These are not very sturdy as the labels like to slide off
and the pins bend
But they work for getting started! 

City of Jerusalem - First and Only Making

The City of Jerusalem work is a favorite of the children. They can manipulate the walls of the city, locate all the places of Jesus' last days, touch the tomb and the cenacle and the garden - and begin to get a sense for where everything is and how it fits together. Children as young as 4 receive presentations on this material and children as young as 3 are fascinated with just LOOKING at the material!

Even adults work with it and say, "I get it!" The older children (level 2 and level 3) and the adult wants to re-create Jesus' last days and hours, but also want to re-create what happened at the Presentation in the Temple, the finding of the Child Jesus and other accounts that happened in Jerusalem. So frequently, a child reading a Scripture passage related to Jerusalem will want to go sit next to the material while reading, even if all the action takes place in one location.


The first time I wanted to present this work to my first atrium children, I ran short of time that week. partly because I was having serious issues getting the computer file right - I started with a photograph of a poster of the City of Jerusalem, turned it black and white and literally erased everything I didn't want. But it wasn't printing out right. Asked a friend for help on settings and finally got it - printed it out on multiple pieces of paper, cut out the sides of a large box (either from a child safety seat box or the box for the pack-and-play I didn't want - or something like that), and affixed the paper pages to it. Traced my son's blocks to use as walls. Added some coloring and voila:

We no longer have the blocks so I need to replace the walls.
Still have the charts though!
As simple as it comes; thrown together;
just need to white out the mistake and retrace the walls
and it will be functional for another atrium.
Essentials. 

Any of you history buffs noticing a HUGE mistake I made on the original maps????

I still had the additional WALL that was added much later! So I have parts labeled wrong! Where I have that white tower in the upper right corner? That is supposed to be on the squarish looking thing on the "inner wall" - the Tower of Antonio. Argh! It took me 2 years to figure out what the issue was - by then I'd made all the Scripture booklets a few times over, with the incorrect map as a page. Then I got it fixed, but still had the old file - which popped back up when I moved to where I am now to set up atriums here.... So if you are IN one of those atriums and reading this - please check your Scripture booklets! I fixed what I had to access to at the time, but that leaves one more parish unchecked! Sorry! That file is now totally deleted! I have the file, am happy to share - or check the closet in the office - there should be extra replacements when I printed a BUNCH of them at once and laminated them ALL in preparation for replacements.


The tomb fell apart during my presentation. So it has been glued back together with wood glue. In preparation for use in the new atrium, everything is to be wrapped in a layer of plaster cloth. It is presently styrofoam or small cardboard pieces shaped and wrapped in Crayola Model Magic. The garden trees are plastic ferny-tree-like things from my son's animal scenery.

The crucifix is broken off a plastic broken rosary.

And the original candle holder was/is (I still HAVE IT!!!!) a square of cardboard wrapped in masking tape, with a birthday candle inserted and the tape wrapped around that, loosely. I then removed the candle and dipped in my son's sandbox sand (very fine) to make the tape not just too sticky anymore.



Who said the materials need to be fancy?

This is the ESSENTIALS!


;)




For the record, I have never made a City of Jerusalem since. I am routinely asked if I will make walls, but I haven't yet done it. Maybe because I know how basic and cheap it can be (the model magic was soon to dry up anyway - my daycare kids did NOT like to use it; paper and ink and tape were fresh - all else was found around the house or would have been garbage if I didn't use it here.



ESSENTIALS!