Title – Thirteen Colonies Map Project

By – Jamie Rettke

Subject – Social Studies

Grade Level – 5th-6th

State Standards

State Goal 17: Understand world geography and the effects
of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States.

Learning Standard 17.A: Locate, describe and explain
places, regions, and features on the Earth.

Leaning Benchmark 17.A.2a: Compare the physical
characteristics of placing, including soils, land
forms,
vegetation, wildlife, climate, and natural
hazards.

Leaning Benchmark 17.A.2b: Use maps and other
geographic representations about instruments to
gather information about people, places, and
environments.

Objectives: When asked, the students will be able to

1. Locate and label various geographic elements such as rivers
and mountain ranges

2. Identify ten major colonial cities

3. Utilize various maps to gather information about geographic
locations

Materials: (for each student)

Writing materials (black pen, blue pen, and pencil)

Coloring materials (markers, crayons, or colored pencils)

Oversized map displaying colonial America

Direction sheet with detailed directions for construction of map

Procedures

1. Distribute map project direction sheet. Read aloud all directions
with students. Stress to students that they pay close attention to
directions, as they call for using specific colors. If there are no
question, pass out blank maps to each student. Suggest to
students that they should first write all material in pencil, in case

of mistakes. They can later go over the writing in pen or marker.

2. List pages in current social studies book that may be used by
students to identify cities, rivers, and mountain ranges.

3. Project may be divided over a number of days. Remind students
to take their time as neatness counts.

Assessment

A total of 100 points will be awarded for this thirteen colony map
project. Students will be evaluated based on labeling, identification of
information listed, grammar, and neatness of project. A separate sheet is
available for the break down of point and final grade.

Evaluation

Overall, the students did quite well identifying and labeling areas on their
maps. The only area of difficulty was getting the students become active
researchers. Although pages of maps to be used were listed, students often
claimed they could not find the information. It was almost as if they wanted
someone else to do the work for them. When cases like this arose, I simply
told the students the information they are looking for is in fact on the map,
and they must attempt to find the information on their own. It was also
important to remind the students to take their time and be neat.

The Thirteen Colonies Map Project

(hand out to students)

1. Label the major colonial cities on the map in black ink. Capitalize
all proper nouns.

Boston

Plymouth

New Port

Providence

New York

Philadelphia

Jamestown

Charleston (Charles Town)

Savannah

Williamsburg

2. Use blue marker to draw the rivers. Then label the rivers in blue ink.

Capitalize all proper nouns.

Connecticut River

Merimack River

Hudson River

Potomac River

Delaware River

Roanoke River

Sauquehanna River

3. Using green maker and the symbol in the Map Key, draw the
mountains. Then label the mountains in blank ink.

White Mountains

Adirondack Mountains

Appalachian Mountains

4. Label the Atlantic Ocean in blue ink. Using a blue pencil or blue crayon,
shade along the coastline.

5. Using different colors (colored pencils or crayons only) to show the
following colonies: one color for the New England colonies, another
color for the Middle colonies, and a third color for the Southern
colonies.

6. Color the title.

Evaluation of students:

Social Studies Map Project Thirteen Colonies

Name _________________________ Date _______________

Labeling (42 points)

_____ Cities (20)

_____ Rivers (14)

_____ Mountains (6)

_____ Atlantic Ocean (2)

Identification (24 points)

_____ New England Colonies (8)

_____ Middle Colonies (8)

_____ Southern Colonies (8)

Grammar (16 points)

_____ Spelling (8)

_____ Capitalization (8)

Neatness (16 points)

_____ Coloring (8)

_____ Printing (8)

Extra (2)

_____ Student Name (2)

_____ Total Points

_____ Grade

Comments: ___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

Jamie Rettke

TheNewTeacher2@aol.com

Tinley Park, IL

http://members.aol.com/thenewteacher2/teach.htm