Introduction

The art of fine writing, creativity, and holiday celebrations have much in common. What better occasion than Valentine's Day to share dreams and feelings about love? Who hasn't dreamed of traveling to a beautiful, exotic island to spend time with loved ones or to just "get away from it all"? With carefully selected words we can often convince others that we have found the "perfect get-away,"  allowing them to visualize in pictures and details what we convey in words!

Task

Create the perfect get-away--Valentine Island! Let your island taken on the shape of a heart while the terrain includes exotic landmarks and beautiful scenery.  Add appropriate symbols to identify the physical features of your "ideal" island get-away. Then color your map to create a happy and blissful illusion. Add a legend  with appropriate symbols to distinguish points of interest, major cities, capitols, and other interesting physical features. Finally, compose a paragraph that vividly describes the mythical Valentine Island. The paragraph will serve as a travel brochure to convince someone to travel to Valentine Island.

Process

Planning

• Sketch a rough draft of a map of your island, indicating what  your "island" looks like. Remember that it must be heart-shaped.

• Add such physical features as swamps, forests, snow on the mountains, waterfalls, sand dunes, lakes, etc. Add a compass rose somewhere on the map.

• Include eight or more places of interest, such as major cities, recreational facilities, tourist attractions and landmarks. Names to these points of interest with words that relate to Valentine's Day.

• Include a legend on your map. Select a symbol for each physical feature and present these in a table on the map.

• Create an original but unique name for your mythical island.

• Capture the emotions of a visit to your island in a one-paragraph essay that will convince others to visit.

Computer Lab

• Select  a map to template to use as your starting point.

• Use AutoShapes, Clip Art, and draw tools to enhance the features of the map.

• Create a table to present your legend.

• Print your map and color it with map pencils.

• Use Microsoft Word to write your paragraph.

Resources

• Click one of the shapes below to open the map template that you will use. Follow your teacher's directions to save the template.

• Follow the directions at your computer to create your map. You teacher will give you specific directions during the creative process.

• Ask permission to print your map. Color it with map pencils.

• Open Microsoft Word to create your paragraph. Follow your teacher's directions for saving, editing, and printing your paragraph.

Evaluation

Conclusion

Created by Kaye Barnard and Lynne James 2002

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