Materials
- North American map
- large poster board or butcher paper
- crayons or colored pencils
What to do
Pin up a large piece of poster board or butcher paper in the classroom or on an outside wall. It should be wide enough so all the children can stand and draw on it at the same time.
1. Read one of the books or a related book and talk about Alaska with the children.
2. Show the children where Alaska is on the map. Point out how far north it is from the continental United States.
3. Ask the children what they think it would be like to live in Alaska. Explain that most people there live in cities and towns. What do the children think about igloos and polar bears?
4. Provide each child with markers, crayons, and colored pencils. Invite them to draw and color something about Alaska on the big paper. Make sure each child has enough space. If the children are not sure what to draw, suggest polar bears, igloos, arctic foxes, glaciers, and so on.
5. After the children finish their drawings, help them sign their names below their work.
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
- Can the children describe Alaska in some way?
- What Alaska features did the children draw?
-Shirley Anne Ramaley, Sun City, AZ
