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The Impossible Map

Development in long-range travel and the growing importance of the Arctic and Antarctic regions make it necessary to understand how maps may be misleading. Experiments with a grapefruit illustrate the difficulty of presenting a true picture of the world on a flat surface and it is concluded that the globe is the most accurate way of representing the earth.
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Development in long-range travel and the growing importance of the Arctic and Antarctic regions make it necessary to understand how maps may be misleading. Experiments with a grapefruit illustrate the difficulty of presenting a true picture of the world on a flat surface and it is concluded that the globe is the most accurate way of representing the earth.

Geography and Geology All subjects
  • director
    Evelyn Lambart
  • animation
    Evelyn Lambart
  • narrator
    Bill Bolt

Education

Ages 9 to 14
School subjects
Geography - Physical Geography/Geology Mathematics - Geometry Science - Physical Science
Before viewing, have geography students attempt to represent the world accurately through a flat medium. They might duplicate the film's lessons by painting, peeling and cutting the objects from the film. Initiate hand-made or digitally produced globe projects, comparing results to the flat maps. Media literacy students can examine changing styles in documentary narration and visual instruction, and make a one-minute instructional film without narrative for contemporary student audiences.

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The Impossible Map
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