Looking at Canada's Geography

The Great Canadian Textbook Challenge

A publisher is writing a student textbook about Canada’s geographical regions. They are inviting school classes to submit visual representations of Canadian regions that could be used as the chapter title page spreads for the textbook or as multi-media introductions for the online version. Each visual representation needs to include:

• images that represent the diversity of geographical features in the region
• a caption for each image that provides key information about the geographical feature
• descriptive phrases or words that will engage students and help them appreciate the vastness of Canada’s geography.

The visual representation will be submitted as a multimedia presentation. Your class has decided to participate in the challenge. You will work as a group on some parts of the task and work individually on other parts.In addition to the visual representation, the publisher wants to include some information within the chapters to help students compare and contrast the various geographical regions of Canada. Your teacher will assign two regions for you to compare and contrast. Use the information you have researched as well as what you learn from viewing the presentations of other groups to provide you with background information. Select an appropriate graphic organizer to help organize the information.
Do your best work––the publisher will use the best school submission for the textbook!

Part One- Independent Work

Research features of an assigned region

1. Chose a geographical region:
• Western Cordillera, Interior Plains, Arctic Lowlands and Canadian Shield, Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Lowlands , Appalachians.
2. Use print and online resources to find between 5 and 10 key facts about the terrain or landforms of your assigned region.
3. Locate at least five terrain or landform photographs or images in various sources, such as magazines, Web sites, art collections and calendars. (I would recommend using Web sites)
• Since the publisher will need to obtain permission to include the photographs and information in the textbook, students must cite references using Bibme.com as part of your research.
• Creative Commons
• Behold.cc/
• Everystockphoto

Part Two-Select the five best representations of a region-Group Work

1. Meet with other students based on assigned geographical regions.  Share their key facts and images you found during your independent research with other members of  your group. Once everyone has presented,  choose the 7-10 best photographs or images that represent the diversity of geographical features in their region. You will be using googledocs to make your presentation since all group members can work on the same project while on different computers.


2.  Create a caption for each image. Your group will determine how to write the captions. Suggestions include assigning individuals or partners to create the captions or working together as a group.
*Your group also needs to decide on descriptive words or phrases that will engage students and help them appreciate the vastness of Canada’s geography. Consider criteria when selecting key images, captions and phrases:

• represent the diversity of geographical features in the region
• communicate accurate information
• engage and interest students.

Example

Part Three- Share selections with the class

1. Each group will share their multimedia presentation with the class.

Part Four-Compare and contrast two geographical regions

1. Once the posters or multimedia presentations have been shared, you will beassigned two regions to compare and contrast. You will work individually using a graphic organizer to record important ways the two regions are similar and different. You will have to support your choices by giving reasons.

Part Five- Ranking Canada's Geographical Regions

1. Now it's time to rank Canada's Geographical Features.  Which region would like to live in based on what you know about it's geographical features? Below is a list of criteria that you should consider while making your list

• landforms or other geographical features
• natural resoures
• proximity to bodies of water and arable land
• climate
• elevation and its relationship to climate
• rainfall
• beauty

Ranking Assignment

2. Once you have ordered the geographical regions, you must support your choices. This will be done on your blog where, in paragraph form, you must give reasons (be sure to use the criteria above) for your thinking.  You can use text, pictures and videos in your explaination.

ASSESSMENT

Canada's Geographical Features Presentation Rubric

Self Assessment-Group Work