Goals:

1.  Develop using navigational directions.

2.  Use navigational directions within the short story, "Bonnie's Voyage," to find the destinations.

3.  Work effectively with other students to create a map.

Resources/Materials:

1.  Copies of "Bonnie's Voyage," for each student.

2.  Diagrams showing directions and degrees.

3.  A compass.

4.  Graph paper.

5.  Rulers.

6.  Protractors.

7.  Large sheets of plain paper.

8.  A poster showing the results of "Bonnie's Voyage."

Time:

This entire lesson will require approximately 2 hours to 3 hours and 10 minutes of classroom time depending on the quality of group discussion. (Step 1: 20-30 minutes; Steps 2-5: 30-45 minutes; Step 6: 10-20 minutes; Step 7: 10-15 minutes; Steps 8-9: 30-45 minutes; Steps 10: 15-30 minutes; Step 11: 10-15 minutes)

Procedure:

1.  Introduction - Give a basic explanation of navigation and connections to the sea.

2.  Show students an example of mapping and writing clear directions.

3.  Students will write their initials on a piece of graph paper.

4.  Then, students will prepare navigational directions for a classmate describing how to graph these letters.

5.  Students will exchange directions and plot the letters accordingly.

6.  Discuss the importance of giving the right directions and the ability to write correct directions.

7.  Students will read the short story, "Bonnie's Voyage".

8.  Divide students into groups of three.

9.  According to the directions in the story, plot the course of the voyage and draw the islands. Students will make their own key to their map.

10. Each group will share with the rest of the class what they have discovered and discuss the importance of exact measurements.

11. In conclusion, Simon Says will be played using navigational directions.

Assessment:

1.  Each student will hand in the directions for their initials and the initials that they plotted. Criteria for Success: Each student will have plotted 3 letters correctly.

2.  Each team will turn in a map of the islands and the route traveled according to the short story. Criteria for Success: Each team will have 4 islands plotted correctly.

Curricular Strands & Major Concepts:

1.  Language Arts - reading the story, writing directions so others can understand and follow them, communicating within a group.

2.  Science - how to use a compass, navigation.

3.  Math - drawing things to scale, estimation, degrees (unit circle), navigation.

4.  Social Studies - map making, directions.

Possible Extensions:

1.  Plot a historical journey.

2.  Discuss the role of the stars and constellations in navigation.

3.  Discussion of navigational error and its impact on outcomes.

4. Write own direction-based short story.

Sailing into the 19th Century - developed by Angela Hamerlind, Renee Kust, & Kevin Feyen

This page submitted by St. Norbert College Ocean Voyagers Program