HOW TO MAKE A RAG MAP

OBJECT: A Map of Palestine Constructed with Pieces
of Rags

Here is another way of teaching children sacred geography.

It is a map of the Holy Land made of pieces of canton flannel cut out into various forms and put together in map form before the class. Secure a piece of black canton flannel or dye it black if it cannot be secured in that color. Mount it on a frame with the rough finished side on the front, giving it a slight tilt backward. Make this background as large as you desire, the larger the better, and make all the figures herein mentioned of the same material and put the rough side of each figure against the background, pressing down the figure and smoothing it out with the hand, and it will stay in its place without the use of pins or tacks. The fact that it stays put develops a great degree of interest in the little folks, and they will watch you with big eyes of curiosity. In building this rag map first cut out a number of strips about one inch wide, and with these make the coast-line.

After this cut out strips of blue representing the water ways and put them in their proper places. After this cut out a number of pointed pieces about five inches to the peak. These will represent the mountains. Put these in their respective places. Now cut out a number of square red pieces about two inches square, and cause these to represent the cities and put them in their proper locations.

After this much of the map is finished drill the children in the location of the rivers, mountains, and cities. Let them put the figures in their proper places and build that part of the map themselves. After this teach them the Bible history of each locality.

Cut out a star in yellow, put this over Bethlehem, and tell them the Christmas story. Put a red cross over Jerusalem, and call it the Crucifixion City, and tell them the story of the Cross. Now make a flat form of a water-pot and place it next to the city of Cana and tell the story of the first miracle.

Next cut out in brown a small ladder and place it next to Bethel. Tell the story of Jacob and his dream.

Cut out a representation of a bottle which you call a "bottle of oil," and place it near to Jericho, and tell the story of the Good Samaritan and how the oil was poured into the wounds of the man who fell among thieves.

Cut out now a representation of a hammer and place it over Nazareth, and tell the story of the Carpentershop and how Jesus worked in it while he was learning his trade. Cut out a side view of an altar and put it on Mount Carmel and tell the story of Elijah and the priests of Baal.

Cut out a representation of a green tree; place that next to Gethsemane and tell the story of the prayers of Jesus under the olive-trees.

Cut out a white representation of a tent and place it by the side of Hebron and tell the story of Abraham and the Visiting Angels.

Now cut out a number of dark green trees, and place them in the Mountains of Lebanon in the far north, and tell them the story of the building of Solomon's Temple, and how they took the timber from these hills to build the Temple.

Cut out a representation of a one-story Oriental house, and place it near to Bethany, and tell the story of the Home of Mary and Martha, the place where Jesus loved to go. After the map is finished take down these pictures, and ask the children to put them back into their proper places and tell the Bible story connected with each.

This method of teaching sacred geography you will find to be very interesting to boys and girls because they are building together. Here is another use to which you can put the rag method.

If you so desire you can make profile or front-view pictures and tell more Bible stories with them. Here is a representation of the Ark and Tower of Babel.

Put the hull part of the ark in place first, then add to the top, and later put on the door and window; this will give a fair representation of the Ark of Noah. The Tower of Babel can be built this way also.

It is possible to draw line pictures on the smooth side of the flannel with the oil crayon which is now found in all the stationery shops at small cost. After the figure has been drawn out cut it into a number of pieces and put them together on the background to add a little variety to this method of teaching. Bring all the rags out of a bag which you call the "Ragged Prophet's Bag." Turn the bag upside down, allowing all the rags you use to fall out on the table top. Have the rags you use all pinned together so they will not mix with the other rags of the bag.

This is how we use rags to teach big ideas. Let's try it.