Suggested Activities
In this challenge, students explore the distance and directions between specified communities, including the Inuit, Acadian and prairie communities that students will explore in later inquiries. Before students begin, ensure that they are familiar with the cardinal directions and the names and locations of the provinces and territories. Print the cardinal directions on the sides of a wall map of Canada to assist students in using directions when answering. Invite a student to locate the community in which the school is located on the map. Point to another location and ask students to describe the direction a person would travel to visit that community. Create a chart indicating the time it takes to travel using various forms of transportation (e.g., walking 20 km/day; by bicycle 100 km/day, by motor boat 200 km/day, by car 600 km/day, by airplane 6000 km/day). Provide a strip of cardboard divided into these various units so that students can count the number of days each mode of transportation would require to reach a specified destination.
Ask students to trace the route to a mystery community based on the travel clues provided. Start with very simple clues (e.g., I travelled West from our community by car for four days) and progress to more complicated sets of clues (e.g., I travelled East from Whitehorse for four days by car, North for two days by bicycle and South for one day by boat). Ask students to trace the route travelled and the community that is the destination for the journey.
When students have practiced with several examples, provide each pair of students with an outline map of Canada that indicates the provinces/territories and major cities. Distribute cards with travel clues leading to specific locations and ask students to work with a partner to play the "Where am I now" game. Focus on travel to and from students' own community and Inuit, Acadian and prairie communities. Arrange for students to take turns providing clues and asking their partner to trace the route and identify the destination community. As an extension, invite students to create their own travel clues to a mystery destination.
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