Home: The Story of Maine
A Part of the Main: European Settlement of
the Mainland
Lesson 2: Mapping With Words
Alignment with the Learning Results:
Guiding Principles:
A CLEAR AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR
Uses oral, written, visual, artistic, and technological modes
of expression.
A RESPONSIBLE AND INVOLVED CITIZEN
Recognizes and understands the diverse nature of society.
GEOGRAPHY
A. SKILLS AND TOOLS
Students will know how to construct and interpret maps and
use globes and other geographic tools to locate and derive
information about people, places, regions, and environments.
Middle Grades (5-8):
- Visualize the globe and construct maps of the world and
its sub-regions to identify patterns of human settlement, major
physical features, and political divisions.
- Develop maps, globes, charts, models, and databases to
analyze geographical patterns on the earth.
Students Will:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the personal relationship
that Wabanaki peoples had with the land by analyzing selected
Wabanaki place names.
- Practice map-reading and map-making skills.
- Explore the idea that history can be encoded in language.
Materials:
- A good-quality map of Maine (i.e. Delorme's Maine Atlas
and Gazetteer)
- Place Names Chart
- Getting to Know Wabanaki Place Names worksheet
- Assignment Sheet #2 with Grading Rubric
Background Information:
There are five major Indian tribes represented in Maine today:
the Penobscot Nation, the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Maliseets,
the Micmacs, and the Abenakis. As we study the history of Native
Americans in Maine at the time of European contact, the naming
and location of tribes becomes very complex. In the interests of
simplicity, we are referring to all Indian tribes in Maine and
the Maritimes as Wabanaki Indians. This term includes the
Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Micmac, and Abenaki tribes.
Wabanaki tribes speak distinct languages, all of which derive
from the Algonquian language family. The place names used in
this lesson derive from these four Wabanaki languages:
Penobscot, Passamaquoddy/Maliseet, Micmac, and Abenaki.
Timing: 3-5 days in class, with time at home to complete the
project
Procedure:
- Before watching A Part of the Main: European
Settlement of the Mainland with your class, ask students to
brainstorm what they know about Maine Indians. Make a list on
the board together. Then, as students watch the video, ask them
to look for information about the culture of Maine Indians. Do a
second brainstorm after they have seen the video. Ask students
some of the following questions:
- What was the relationship between Wabanaki Indians and
animals?
- What was the relationship between Wabanaki Indians and
the land?
- What are some of the ways that Wabanaki Indians used the
land?
- In what ways did Wabanaki culture differ from European
culture five hundred years ago?
- Tell students that one thing that distinguished Wabanaki
culture from European culture was the fact that it was an oral
culture—the Wabanaki had no written language. But they did have
several rich spoken languages that can teach us a great deal
about their culture.
- Ask students: how do we find our way around today?
Generally, with maps. But if there were no maps to use, nor any
paper and pencil to create maps with, how would we give
directions? In most Wabanaki languages, place names served as a
kind of map of the landscape. Places were named descriptively,
for their characteristics and their usefulness. Read them a few
names from the Place Names Chart to give them the idea.
- Give students the Place Names Chart and the Getting to
Know Wabanaki Place Names worksheet. Have them complete the
worksheet alone or in pairs.
- Put a good map of Maine on the overhead projector, or
have students examine copies at their desks. Can they match the
places named on their chart with their locations on the map?
What is the journey that the place names listed on the chart
follow?
- Tell students they will be drawing their own detailed
maps of this journey down the Penobscot River. Go over the
characteristics of a good-quality map by studying the map of
Maine. Review (or teach) the following topics:
Direction (N, S, E, W)
Latitude and longitude
Using an index and/or a grid to find a location
Scale (how the distance on the map corresponds to the distance
on the ground)
Legend
You might also want to have your students visit web sites on
the Internet that have examples of well-made maps. Some
suggestions are:
- Give students Assignment Sheet #2. Go over the assignment
together, as well as the expectations listed on the Grading
Rubric. Students should work on their maps individually. Give
them enough time (1-2 weeks) in class and at home to finish.
When they have completed their maps, have them evaluate their
own work using the Grading Rubric. Then, use the same criteria
to grade them yourself. Display student maps in the classroom.
Extensions:
- Visit the Osher Map library in Portland or browse their
wonderful online exhibit of the Cartographic Creation of New
England at http://www.usm.m
aine.edu/~maps/exhibit2/.
- Have students research English and/or French place names
in Maine and compare them to Wabanaki names. What kinds of
conclusions about European and/or American culture can they make
by studying these place names?