Project 1:North America

Posted by lapazfarm on January 26th, 2007 filed in geography, Curriculum or Lack Thereof..., Superboy Work Samples

Ok, I think I have enough time to blog about one project!LOL! Boy, things are pretty hectic around here lately!

Anyway, Superboy is embarking on his “Around the World” study. Since we are studying the US in history, we thought we’d start geography with North America. His first project is a salt-dough map of the physical features of NA.

Here is the almost finished product:

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It still needs to be glued to a board, a key added, and a frame put around it, but it looks pretty good as is. I showed him how to enlarge a picture from an atlas by using the latitude and longitude lines as a grid. He modeled it on cardboard out of salt dough, forming mountain ranges, plains, lowlands, etc (it is hard to see the relief in this photo from above). He baked it in the oven, and then painted it over several days, adding the various colors to distinguish the elevations and water features. Then he added a layer of clear sealant.

Next step was to make map pins. He typed up labels from a list of 53 physical features I gave him. We laminated the labels, stuck colored pins through, and stuck them into a half-sheet of fun foam(double thick). Here are the pins ready to put into the map:

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(sorry for the blurry picture) The green are for physiographic regions,the red for tectonic plates, the yellow for mountain ranges, and the blue for oceans, rivers, seas, bays, etc.

I have to say that he has learned SO MUCH from just making this map, not even counting the pinning activities (which we have just begun). And I have learned alot as well, from observing, checking and advising him on shapes, locations, place names, etc. I think it is a great way to begin his global studies, and Superboy is excited about plans to make one for each continent as we go along. I am excitied that we will have some wonderful, useful, permanent manipulatives for years of use in our geography studies.

11 Responses to “Project 1:North America”

Sara Says:
January 26th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
It looks great!
Dana Says:
January 26th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Wow! What creativity… and patience! Such a big project. It looks amazing!!!
Shery(Sherri) Says:
January 26th, 2007 at 11:56 pm
What a fun project! You don’t halfway do any project, do you?
I can’t wait to see the rest of it! I look forward to seeing what you two are up to…getting motivated by you!
Bethaol.com Says:
January 27th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Once again you’ve shown us another fantastic project. You are so creative. I love it! Very impressive. Thank you for sharing with us.
Jennifer Says:
January 27th, 2007 at 8:34 am
That is amazing. Wow.
Steph Says:
January 27th, 2007 at 11:32 am
WOW! You and Superboy are amazing!
Donna Marie Says:
January 27th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
This is beautiful…what a nice looking project. I feel inspired…I am a very visual learner and teacher…I forgot about doing this with my dc… my ds is saying “Oh-oh! She is at it again…I feel more projects coming on!” he he!
Rebecca Says:
January 31st, 2007 at 10:47 pm
This is really a wonderful project. I would like to make one myself!
Kathryn Says:
February 5th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Another wow! Well done Superboy.
Dana Says:
September 17th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Could you tell me a little more about how you made the push pins? What kind of paper is that? Did you stick the pins through the paper? What kind of pins are those or where can you buy them? We’re doing some mapwork and I think my dd would love this. Thanks!!!
lapazfarm Says:
September 17th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
The pins are just some sewing pins (I think) that I picked up at the drug store. I have them stuck in a sheet of green fun foam which has been cut in half and then the two halves put together to make a double thickness.
I have to tell you, though, the salt dough ended up getting too hard to push the pins through after awhile. We ended up having to drill tiny holes and then fill them with soft clay to push the pins in. Next time we make one of these we need to re-think the recipe.