History Lessons By Teachers

New England River Valley Map Project

Created 06 April 2009 by April Cannon

Grade Level(s): lower elementary (K - 3), upper elementary (4 - 6), lower elementary (K - 3), upper elementary (4 - 6)
Historical Era(s): Colonial 1600 - 1750, New Nation 1750 - 1800, Contemporary Era 1945 to present, Colonial 1600 - 1750, New Nation 1750 - 1800, Contemporary Era 1945 to present
Content Area(s): US History, US History, Geography, Geography

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"Plan of the Town of Deerfield"

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Connecticut River and Sunderland Bridge from Mt.Sugarloaf

Summary and Objective

Students will understand that three-dimensional landforms, landmarks, and geographic features are represented on maps using symbols. Students will understand that map symbols are described in the map key.

Teaching Plan

Step 1. Pre-activity: Cover your classroom with two-dimensional maps of all kinds. Put a letter next to each map and design a map hunt. For example, design a worksheet that lists rivers, mountains, towns, and landmarks that can be found on the individual maps placed around the classroom.

Step 2. Students roam the classroom during the map hunt and as they find the features listed, they write the letter of the map in which they find these features next to their description on their worksheets.

Step 3. Read "Mapping Penny's World" and review map symbols and key.

Step 4. Choose several local area maps for students to review. Prepare students for the upcoming Map Project by focusing their attention on the different ways three dimensional geographic features, towns, houses, businesses, etc. are represented on two dimensional local maps.

Step 5. Map Project: Tell students they are cartographers and their job is to design a two dimensional map of a river valley (or whatever landforms are relevant in your area). Students will make maps of an imaginary river valley, but their maps should be realistic and consistent with a New England river valley.

Step 6. Discuss the details of the project. Student maps must include date, title, key, symbols, compass rose, labels, 3 towns, roads that connect them, mountains, rivers, lakes, and valley. Tell students that some of their maps will be selected to be converted into table top relief maps. Maps will be selected based on the detail they provide of the three dimensional features in their river valley.

Step 7. Choose four or five two-dimensional map projects. Choose maps that will give the most information to groups making table top relief maps.

Step 8. Students work in small groups to convert selected map projects into table top relief maps with salt dough and paints.