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Overview:
This lesson introduces students to some of the world's natural and archaeological wonders. Students will design theme parks that showcase some of these wonders, with each wonder representing a different section of the park.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, art
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 4: "The physical and human characteristics of places"
Time:
Four to five hours
Materials Required:
- Computer with Internet access
- Blank Xpeditions outline maps of the world
- Poster or construction paper
- Markers or crayons
- Copy of a fairy tale which takes place in a forest, and includes pictures of people doing activities in the forest (e.g., hiking or camping)
Objectives:
Students will
- view pictures of the natural and archaeological wonders of the world;
- discuss the different "lands" in a typical theme park;
- design theme parks showcasing some of the wonders of the world; and
- write paragraphs explaining their choices of wonders to include in the theme parks.
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
Organizing Geographic Information
Answering Geographic Questions
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Have students look at pictures of some of the world's natural and architectural wonders. You can find examples of wonders at the Potential Attractions and Six Famous Wonders links from the Wonderworld family activity page. They can also link to pictures of the Great Wall of China, the Hoover Dam, and Stonehenge from this page. Point out the locations of the wonders on a world map.
Ask students if they have ever been to an amusement park such as Disneyland. When they walk from place to place in such a park, do they notice that they are going through distinct "neighborhoods"? For example, Disneyland has Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and Main Street USA. Each section looks different and has different types of shops, restaurants, and rides.
Divide the class into small groups of three or four students each (or have students work individually), and have them design theme parks that showcase four to six of these wonders. Each wonder should be in a separate "neighborhood" of the theme park.
First ask students to think about how they would like to lay out their park. Give them large pieces of poster or construction paper and ask them to divide it into sections of the park—this paper will serve as their park map. Then have them draw the wonders in each section of the park.
Each wonder can be turned into a ride, restaurant, show, or other fun attraction that the kids would want to visit, but it must look like it does in real life. For example, there could be a roller coaster that looks like the Great Wall or a bungee-jumping ride off a model of the Hoover Dam.
If you teach upper grades or advanced students, ask them to research the cultures that built the wonders and to incorporate details of those cultures into each of the park's "neighborhoods." For example, what types of costumes would people working at the Great Wall rollercoaster wear? What kind of restaurants would they have in the Hoover Dam ("all-American") section?
Development:
Ask students what thoughts come to mind when they think of being in the forest. What about being in the desert? Or being on an airplane? Write their words on the board as they contribute their ideas. Do all students feel the same way about these places, or are there differences? What do students think might be the reasons for these differences?
Read the class a fairy tale that takes place in a forest. You can find some fairy tales at National Geographic's Grimm Brothers interactive feature. Discuss the characters' feelings about the forest. Do they like the forest? Are they afraid?
Show students pictures of people doing activities in the forest such as hiking, watching birds, logging, or looking afraid at night on a camping trip. Ask students to think of words to describe each of these people's ideas about the forest. Do all these people think about the forest in the same way? Do any of these people have the same feelings about the forest as the characters in the fairy tale?
Closing:
Ask students to interview their friends and relatives about their feelings toward the forest and/or other features of the natural or human-made landscape (e.g., the desert or airplanes). Have them bring their interview results back to class and discuss the results with their classmates.
Ask them to write paragraphs or draw pictures depicting the different impressions that people can have of the same places, based on the results of their interviews. Then discuss the reasons why people can have these different impressions. For example, what types of experiences can make one person like the forest while another person hates the forest?
Suggested Student Assessment:
Have students write paragraphs explaining why they chose the wonders that they included in their theme parks.
Extending the Lesson:
Have students map the wonders they have placed in their theme parks and then write flyers or brochures that could be given to potential visitors, describing the wonders and the places where they are located in "real life." This may require some additional research on the wonders and the countries where they are located.
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