Task: Students will draw a map & create a penpal letter to a student in his or her country of study.
Note: The best map and letter for each country will be scanned and featured on the class wiki.
Double check your information for accuracy!
Steps to Success:
Map:
 Make sure to write the mapmaker’s name (YOU) in a bottom corner.
 Start with a blank outline of your country (traced or printed). Draw in the bordering countries.
 Label your country and the bordering countries (ALL CAPITAL LETTERS)
 Label the capital and 5 other major cities (Remember to capitalize the first letter)
 Label major physical features using appropriate symbols (Remember to capitalize the first letter)
 Draw a box to use as the key, and label it. The key should include:
o A symbol for the capital city (usually a star)
o A symbol for other cities (usually a dot)
o A logical symbol for each of the physical features (mountains, rivers, etc.)
o A compass rose (showing cardinal directions: N-S-E-W)
 Add a scale under your key, which you can calculate by:
1. Finding a reference map with an accurate scale
2. Using the scale on that map to find out how many miles or kilometers go into an inch
1 inch = ____________________________
3. Finding a part on that map that is exactly one inch long
4. Measuring the same section on your map ( _____________________ inches)
5. Now you know that the distance in step 2 = the measurement in step 4!
 Use colored pencils to shade your map (blue for water, one color for bordering countries, one color
for your country, etc.)
 Check spelling and capitalization of all labels
 Check that all stray marks are erased, and the map is neat and clear.
Penpal Letter:
 Complete the Penpal Letter Organizer first. You must calculate the latitude and longitude
distances yourself!
 Look up facts and write a list of at least five facts on the chart.
o For each fact, make sure to think of an interesting related question that you want to
learn more about.
o For each fact, write down the source on the bibliography page.
 Ask a peer, teacher, or parent to check your work.
 Type your information into a Final Draft Penpal Letter. If you want, you may also create your
own format, but it needs to include all the required information.
 Do a final check to make sure that your work is all correct!
Penpal Letter Organizer
Dear Friend,
My name is ______________________ and I am a student in Massachusetts,
which is in the United States. I am studying your country as part of a school project.
I have been learning about differences between your country and mine:
ME
YOU
Capital City
Country
Continent
Hemispheres
Absolute
Location
(L&L)
Relative
Location
(North, South,
East, West)
_____ º _____, _____ º _____
_____ º _____, _____ º _____
__________________ (NSEW)
part of the continent of
_______________, with the
following borders: (write the
name of the country and where it
is relative to your country. For
example, Libya to the Northeast)
_________________________
__________________ (NSEW)
part of the continent of
_______________, with the
following borders: (write the
name of the country and where it
is relative to your country. For
example, Libya to the Northeast)
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
If I wanted to travel to see you, I would need to travel _________________
(distance in km or miles) going in the _________________ (North, South, East,
West) direction. That would be a long trip!
Facts about the Country and its Culture:
In your letter, you will need to finish the sentences:
* I have been learning a lot about your country. I learned that…
* I still have a lot of questions! I am wondering…
Choose five and write a key fact and a question for each:
Climate
Religion
Government
Types of Transportation
Languages
Plants and Animals
Industries and Resources
Ethnic Groups
Technology
Housing
Education Other?
Category
Example:
Technology
Fact
Only 12% of the people in this country
have a personal computer.
Question
How has technology changed the job
market over the last 20 years?
I would love to hear from you, so that you can tell me about your life and maybe answer
some of my questions. Please email my teacher at skrakauer@innovationcharter.org,
and she will get your letter to me. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Bibliography
Sample Citations:
Example
“Today’s Culture.” www.afghanistan.net. Last updated July,
Internet
2003. Afghani Government. April 8, 2006.
Source
Book Source:
Butler, John. The Middle East at
Peace. New York: Joe Publishers, 1999.
Encyclopedia: “Food and Culture in France.” The World Book Encyclopedia:
Volume 6. 2001.
List sources that you use for your research, using the format shown above:
Steps (put a period after each step)
1. Title of article in quotes.
2. Website link underlined.
3. The words “Last updated” with the
latest date that can be found.
4. Who publishes the website.
5. Date you looked at the site.
1. Author’s Name (Last name, First).
2. Title of the book, underlined.
3. Place Published, Colon (:), Publisher,
Comma (,), Date published.
1. Title of article in quotes.
2. Name of Encyclopedia, Colon (:)
Volume Number.
3. Year Published.
My Penpal Letter
Dear Friend,
My name is ______________________ and I am a student in Massachusetts, which
is in the United States. I am studying your country as part of a school project. I have
been learning about differences between your country and mine:
ME
YOU
Capital City
Country
Continent
Hemispheres
Absolute
Location
(L&L)
Relative
Location
If I wanted to travel to see you, I would need to travel _________________ going in
the _________________ direction. That would be a long trip!
I have been learning a lot about your country. I learned that…
I still have a lot of questions! I am wondering…
I would love to hear from you, so that you can tell me about your life and maybe answer
some of my questions. Please email my teacher at skrakauer@innovationcharter.org,
and she will get your letter to me. Thanks!
Sincerely,
_____________________________