Initiating Activities: As an introduction the students read the story "ME ON THE MAP" which explains each map and its symbols. Through a series of activities given in our textbook, the students learn about symbols and keys, compass rose, grids, and directions. Students made a series of maps through which they showed their growing awareness of their environment. Students were shown different types of maps. The first map was of the classroom incorporating a compass rose and symbols.

Transportation- Earlier in the year students were invited to the library to see train sets. We also walked to a nearby small airport to see a plane. In art class, the teacher talked about different types of transportation as the students sketched.

The music teacher taught students patriotic songs: "This Land is Your Land"- "America the Beautiful"-"The Star Spangled Banner."

Student Activities: Working in cooperative groups, the students made a map of the school (three dimensional) and a neighborhood (birds-eye view). The imagined that they were flying over their neighborhood to create the map. Students were then given an outline map of our school district with directions on how to color the different areas. They talked about why people came here and why they settled where they did in various areas of the community.

As a class we brainstormed how we identified each state and how we might visit certain states as well as using cardinal directions. The students were given a blank map of the United States. On their blank map we drew in the major rivers, mountains and lakes. Then the students colored Michigan one color and then the states they have visited another color. They also put on their key-how they travel to the other state(s).

The field trip to the Iron County Museum included all three areas of maps, transportation, and communication. Historical aspect: students were shown what people packed to travel to our community in the "Grandma's Trunk" presentation. Then students boarded the trolley to imagine how people traveled while living here years ago. Map skills were reinforced as students walked the Museum Park grounds using a map to find the different areas and buildings. Different types of historical communication were shown to the students. Telegraph instuments were demonstrated and directions for Morse Code were given. The students then practiced using the Code on the telegraph keys. Finally, string games were shown as they were played by early settler children. The games children played in the past can still be played with the string that is used today.

Culminating Activities: In art class students chose their favorite means of transportation and sketched and colored pictures that were displayed in the WIC Student Art Show. One of the patriotic songs that the students learned in music class is song weekly following the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance.

After the students colored a map of the community, we next wrote a class story about people who lived in that community years ago. The students had to incorporate what they packed to travel, how they traveled, and how they communicated. They needed to make certain that the places were described in relation to other places in the story. On newsprint they drew the locale. Students played: Where is the teacher (i.e. Mrs Scalcucci)-classroom/city/county/United States? Working in groups, they also created their own community on a large sugar cookie. They frosted the cookie. Then they used licorice for the river, chocolate chips for hills, and different candies for buildings and houses. A key was created for each. High School helpers assisted the groups.