Grades 3-5 Lesson Plan - Transportation at the Fair

Map 17 Main Page

Core Map: Indexed Standard Guide Map of the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago (Chicago: Rand McNally, 1893). Newberry Library call number: Map 2F oG104.C6:2W6 (Printable PDF version of the Core Map)

Overview
This lesson will familiarize students with map reading, modes of transportation, and using a map to interpret the past. Students will imagine a day at the fair to demonstrate knowledge of the role transportation systems play in a community.

Objectives
By the end of this lesson students are expected to:

1. identify map features related to transportation.
2. recognize the importance of transportation within a community.
3. synthesize a written piece that incorporates knowledge of transportation within a community.

Key Terms
exposition, scale, symbol, transportation

Materials
core map, maps that show different modes of transportation, chart paper or overhead transparency divided into three wide columns

Time
One hour plus homework time

Getting Started

1. Create a three-column page. Label column one, "Methods of Transportation." Brainstorm a list of modes of transportation (ex: airplanes, boats, trucks, trains, cars, bicycles, rollerblades, etc.). Write list in the first column.

2. Discuss maps and map symbols. Label column two, "On the Map." Ask students to think about what they see on a map that shows these modes of transportation (ex: representations of airport runways, airport symbol, harbor, port, highways, railroads, bike paths, pedestrian walkways, etc.). Add these to the modes of transportation list, next to each type, in the second column. You may want to share maps that show different modes of transportation and have students check their list against these maps.

Developing the Lesson

1. Introduce the core map. Encourage students to notice any clues that might tell them how transportation was used on the map. (Please be aware that students looking for evidence of automobile and airplane use will not find it, since the fair occurred before automobiles were introduced to the United States (1896) and before airplanes were invented (1903).) They should:
   • identify which is land and which is water; See how buildings, streets, walkways, railroads, etc…are shown
   • notice the waterways throughout the fairgrounds. Tell why are they there. Tell which appear natural and tell which appear to be man-made.
   • locate and trace the path of the "Intramural Railroad." Tell what was its function.
   • use the scale to determine the distance from one part of the map to the other.

2. Activate prior knowledge (see Resources for pictures and maps of recent world's fairs or expos). Have you ever been to a place away from your community, such as a fair, exposition, special event, other attraction that brought people from far away? (for example, a state or county fair, boat or car show, amusement theme park with educational exhibits.) How did you get there? How did you get from place to place? How did other people get there?

3. Study a map of a recent fair, expo, tourist attraction, or special exhibition (see Resources). Search for transportation methods. Are there any we haven't listed yet? How many of the ones that we listed are on the map?

4. Review the two lists of modes of transportation and their symbols or clues. Label the third column, "What it Looks Like." Make a third list of modes of transportation (in the third column of the chart) from the map. Students can click on the map to see some pictures of the types of transportation.
   • Boats: used in harbor, pier, lagoon, lake; note the various water bodies are all interconnected (these include sailboats, steamers, and gondolas)
   • Horse-drawn vehicles: (wagons, omnibuses, carriages) note the lack of parking lots; horse-drawn vehicles were not allowed in the public areas of the fair; why not?
   • Pedestrians: walkways, trails on Wooded Island; bridges to Wooded Island are much narrower than the streets
   • Moving Sidewalk: a conveyer that moved people while they were standing
   • Intramural Railroad: trace it, identify use; probably used to move people within the fair, it loops at both ends
   • Central Railroad Station: notice how many rail lines are going into the station.
   • South Side Rapid Transit Railroad: feeds into the transportation building from the city (note: "Elevated RR" = "The El")
   • Cable Line: far west of midway on Cottage Grove Avenue

5. Students in small groups discuss which modes of transportation were used for different purposes within the exposition community (moving people or goods, moving through the fairgrounds, etc.). Assign one mode to each group and have the group make a brief presentation to the class. They should use the map to support their ideas.

6. Students are to write two paragraphs about a day at the fair. Students could be visitors from the local area or from out of town. They are to tell what kind(s) of transportation they used to get to and from the fair and to describe what those trips are like in one paragraph. In the second paragraph, students are to tell what kind(s) of transportation they used to get around the fair and to describe what those trips were like.

Evaluation
For 4 points, the student writes two paragraphs about a day at the fair. The first paragraph should include what kinds of transportation they used to get to and from the fair and a description of what those trips were like. In the second paragraph, they should include what kind(s) of transportation they used to get around the fair and a description of what those trips were like.

For 3 points, the student fulfills three of the requirements listed above.

For 2 points, the student fulfills two of the requirements listed above.

For 1 point, the student fulfills one of the requirements listed above.

Extension
Have students create a map of a fantasy fair of their own. Have them decide on a focus or a theme. Ask them what things they would want to see or do at a fair. Make a list of these. Students could cut out or build representations of these attractions. Talk about size and scale before they do this. Ask students where these attractions should be located. Students could place these representations on a part of the floor that you have marked off. Ask students how someone can get to the fair and show this on the map. Do the same with how to get from place to place within the fair. Have students create maps on chart paper or using a computer drawing program.