Name of Project: Explorer's Map
Classroom, School: Jackson Preparatory Magnet School
Cooperating teacher: Christopher Nelson
Grade Level: 5th Grade
Presenter's Name: Jean Fideler
Subject: Geography
Arts Content: Design, Drawing, Painting
Curricular Link: Geography, Social Studies, Math
Overview of Project
Create explorer maps of various explorers, tracing correct route and placing
it in context with students today. Draw a route of their explorations; show mode of travel, what
they found in their explorations.
Essential Questions
Who found America?
Where did these explorers come from?
Where am I from?
Where is America in relation to the rest of the world?
Where do I fit into my world?
Subsidiary Questions
Why would someone leave his or her country?
What makes our country diverse?
Where do I fit into my country?
Prior Knowledge
Explorer information, Explorer's route, Some map-reading skills
Examples of student or artist work
A sample map made by another 5th grader
A sample map made by me (in progress for demonstration)
Old maps made by explorers from their Social Studies text book.
Assessment
Students will create an accurate map of route of the explorer, correctly identify natural resources,
animals found, different routes used, terrain or areas that were difficult to pass.
Answer these questions
Where did my explorer come from?
Where did he go/explore?
How did he get there?
How long did it take to travel there and back?
What route was most successful?
Materials
Watercolor Paper for Map: 11x15, mounting paper 20 x22 (Canson or other colored paper)
World Map copied on 11 x 17 paper
Watercolors
Black pens
Fine color pens or markers
Glue stick or studio tac
Pencils
Brushes
Procedures &mdash First Day
Show students world maps to draw from, demonstrate drawing the map on watercolor paper, then
have students draw maps onto paper in pencil, or transfer map onto watercolor paper by rubbing
graphite on the back of the world map and then tracing it onto paper.
Demonstrate watercoloring the map for the students; then have students watercolor their maps,
paying attention to where their pencil drawings are. We'll try to indicate arid and temperate
zones using colors the students have learned about in science and also have them paint the
oceans blue.
If there's time at the end of these steps we'll discuss how we could indicate things on the map
like natural resources, and also discuss what symbols or markings they'll use for things like
animals they saw or made use of, also symbols for things they traded.
Procedures &mdash Second Day
I'll give a brief presentation of what the maps the explorers created looked like,
and I'll show some examples of old and imperfect maps.
Once the maps dry we will draw the travel routes of the explorers on them (both coming and leaving)
and then fill in the information on the maps as they want. We'll create a "key" on one side of the
map to indicate what things mean, and we'll discuss using different colors or lines for each route
(like a dotted line or a double line). Different colored fine point pens will be what we'll use to
work on the maps.
We'll mount the maps onto the darker paper for a more finished look. When they're finished the
students may roll them up and tie them if desired.
Teacher Reflection
Each student has a different explorer in this situation—
they're each writing a report about an explorer and so each map will be unique. At some point
they'll all be working on different maps.
Each student will need to know the information about their
explorer before that process begins.
Students' reports and maps should at a minimum be shared with each other when the project
is finished (both the written report and the explorer map). Ideally the maps would be hung or
somehow displayed for the rest of the school.