This document provides an introduction and overview to using blackboard drawings for teaching geography. It discusses the benefits of blackboard illustrations for engaging students and enhancing their understanding of course material. Various ways the blackboard can be used are outlined, including sketch maps, diagrams, summaries, and spontaneous drawings. Example topics that are suitable for blackboard illustrations include countries, regions, landforms, industries, and transportation types. The document also provides pointers on blackboard technique, such as using clear lettering, focusing sketch maps on key details, and building maps incrementally in front of the class. Enlargements of illustrations for more permanent use are also addressed.

2. THE TEACHING AIDS SERIES 8
BLACKBOARD DRAWING
FOR GEOGRAPHY
J. STEWART CRICHTON, D.A.
Lecturer in Art, Jordanhill Training College, Glasgow
AND
GORDON RAE, M.A.
Principol Lecturer in Geogrophy,
Jordanhill Training College, Glosgow
THOMAS NELSON AND SONS LIMITED
London Edinburgh Paris Melbourne Johannesburg Toronto and New york

3. THOMAS NELSON AND SONS LTD
Parkside'Works Edinburgh 9
36 Park Street London'Wr
3rz Flinders Street Melbourne Cr
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Johannesburg
Tnou.rs NELsoN AND SoNs (Celraoa) Lro
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97 rue Monge Paris 5
First published ry58
Seeonil Impression tg6o

4. FOREWORD
The purpose of this book is to illustrate the uses to which the blackboard can be put in
the teaching ofgeography and to encourage teachers to develop their own technique o{
presenting the subject.
Of all classroom aids, the blackboard is the most common and the most readily
available. fts contribution to the geography lesson can hardly be exaggerated, for the
subject-matter of geography is so well suited to blackboard illustration. fn general, the
blackboard may serve its purpose in one or other of the following ways :
r Representation of an extempore sketch-map in completed or partly completed
form, or built up entirely in front of the class.
z summary of essential points made during the lesson or in revision.
3 Graphic illustration of geographical terms or vocabulary.
4 Spontaneous drawing of items of immediate interest.
5 Sketch or series of sketches illustrating a point or theme.
6 Well-executed explanatory diagram in completed form.
All such blackboard work, as exemplified in these pages, may help to arouse or
satisfy the interest and curiosity of a class, to hold their attention and to increase their
understanding of the subject.
The topics presented are not so much a textbook of subject-matter as a guide to the
great variety of illustrations which are possible in teaching geography. As well as
making use of these, teachers may find some satisfaction in working out blackboard
examples for themselves and in developing their own blackboard technique. The
number of items shown on each page has made it impossible to reproduce the various
illustrations in scale.
J. S. C.
G. R.

5. CONTENTS
Observational Geography 6 Norway 24,25
Wind Canada 26,27
Day and Night o
o India zB, zg
Rainfall 9 Australia 30, 3I
Simple Landforms ro, I I Egypt and the River Nile Z2, ZB
Lancashire 12, 13 The Suez Canal g4
The Midlands of England T4, 15 The Story of Rubber 35
The Woollen Industry r6 The Story of Cocoa 96, g7
Glasgow and the River Clyde t7 The Story of Oil 38, 39
East Anglia rB World Products 40
Northern Ireland rB Transport Types 4r
Fishing r9 House Types 42
Shipbuilding 20 Animals in the service of man 4Z
Coal-mining 2I Antarctica 44, 4b
Topic Maps oo Latitude and Longitude 46
Topic Sketches 23 Building up scenes 47

6. POINTS TO NOTE
Writing
Block or script letters are best for geography illustrations. They are more easily executed
and in a big clear form they are legible from the rnore distant parts of the .l.rrroo*.
In developing your lettering technique do not use exaggerated loops or any ornate style.
Blackboards
for gggsranhical purposes the squared or lined blackboard is not very satisfactory. A
fixed blackboard is commonly used ; .so is the green roller board. White chalk is good,
but yellow, especially on a green surface, is ahollear. Coloured chalks are indispensable
but frequently, in certain lights, blue is not very distinct-dipped in water it'can be
made more bold.
Sketch-maps
Make the map outlines clear and bold. It is not possible or desirable to show a coastline
in great detail. The sketch-map is a pricis- of important information ; therefore, only
the,s'alient points in the lesson must 6e picked out for representation on it. A frame
enclosing a blackboard map gives it a finiihed and compact look. Try out various ways
of showing items before committing_yourself to any 6ne method, ..g. to*rrs may be
shown by a bold white or red circle O, and capital cities by a promi.re"nt square El
The blackboard map completely prepared beforehand'r"r'J., a useful purpose, but
the map which is built up before the c.lass, item by item, is very much tnot. *-thwhile.
As a model to pupils a good blackboard sketch-map technique is essential.
Enlargements
The illustrations in this book may be reproduced in an enlarged and more permanent
form in two ways :
I By the guideJine enlargement
as shown here :
By means.of an epidiascope. Place the illustration in the epidiascope project
^brack ;
i! :l .the of paper, copy the details and complete in
with
piece oi ir,
aid of an epidiasclpe, a permanent outrine-map in white paint"o16rrr.
(e.g. the home county ; the British rsles) may be reproduied. on a section
of the blackboard or on the linen back of a disused wall-map which has
been first well-coated with blackboard paint.

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