Teaching Geography Using Literature in K-University Classrooms

Dr. Kay Weller

Minn of the Mississippi, Paddle-to-the-Sea and Seabird for the elementary and middle school students

These books are by Holling Clancy Holling and should be available in most school or public libraries. Because these books are very content laden it is appropriate for these books to be used from grade 4-9. As I re-read these books it was apparent that all levels of students would have much to learn from them.
If you are using these books with young children perhaps you will want to read them aloud to your students.

Goal: To learn to read books for geographic content.

Objectives:
TSW read the book and identify the 5 themes of geography in their geography/literature journal making chapter field notes.
TSW research National Geographic Society magazines and find an article about the region in the book and write a one page comparing information from the NGS article and the book.

Procedures:
1. Assign students the task of generating a geography/literature journal that they will use throughout the school year as they/you read them.
2. Have students read Minn of the Mississippi, Seabird, and Paddle to the Sea and make journal entries for each chapter identifying and analyzing the five
themes of geography. Have the student paraphrase the passages and tell why it is an example of the theme they are writing about based on their analysis. There should be at least 1 example for each chapter.

Examples:
a. Land of Ancient Waters (Chapter 1 Minn of the Mississippi). Page 8 correlates with national standard 7; bottom paragraph is excellent. It could be paraphrased as follows: Volcanoes turned rock crystals to granite that were ground into soil by millions of rains. Seas came and went for millions of years. There was a period of heat again followed by the ice age. Glaciers plowed through stone crushing mountains leaving boulders, gravel, sand and dust across the Northland. This passage focuses on movement (glaciers), location, place, and region (Northland). The theme movement refers to the movement of the glaciers. The theme region refers to the Northland or upper Mississippi.
b. Students should illustrate each entry with a picture or preferably a map that depicts one or more of the themes they are writing about. This particular passage could be illustrated with a picture showing a glacier crushing all in its path.
c. Islands In the Seas (Chapter 12 Seabird). Page 30 paragraph 3 also correlates with national standard 7; could be paraphrased as follows: The Seabird looked down on palm-fringed atolls of white coral. Coral is formed by pulpy creatures whom have died over many centuries. The black island is formed by a volcano so is different from the coral island. Some islands such as the black one are actually the tops of mountains according to the Whaler. This passage focuses on region (South Pacific region), place volcanic islands that are black and not on the chart so location is a bit uncertain (possibly on the Ring of Fire).
d. Students should illustrate each entry with a picture or preferably a map that depicts one or more of the themes they are writing about. This entry could include a map showing the relative location of the island or a map with islands colored.
e. Paddle Finds One End of Lake Superior (Chapter 11 Paddle-to-the-Sea) Paragraph 3 can be paraphrased as follows: Paddle reached the narrow and western end of Lake Superior at Duluth, MN. It is a city built on a hill. Across the river is Superior, Wisconsin, which is on a flat plain. Lumber is a major product being shipped out of the port. Another natural resource being shipped from there is iron ore. This entry focuses on movement of natural resources and location (relative). It relative location because Duluth and Superior are relative to each other and Lake Superior.
f. Students should illustrate each entry with a picture or preferably a map that depicts one or more of the themes they are writing about. For this entry a map of Lake Superior would be appropriate showing the location of Duluth and Superior. Perhaps drawing a map from memory would be useful.

3. Have students research using the National Geographic Society magazines or CDs and find an article about the same region or topic of the book. The student will then write a one page paper comparing and contrasting the article and the book.

Assessment: Journal, comparison paper and illustrations or maps.