Geo-Exchange Box

Overview:

In this September introduction activity, classes send a box of clues to a class in another Oregon community along with hints to help them learn about their community. Students research their own geographic area, determine what they will send in their box, then collect and assemble the exchange box. Students will develop awareness that different communities within our state have distinct natural products and resources, jobs and community requirements. Students will be able to describe ways their community differs from their "pen pal" community.

Connection with the Curriculum:

Social Studies, Language Arts, Science, Geography

Teaching Level: 2-12

Connection to State Content Standards:

2 Describe the physical and human characteristics of places and regions and how they change through time.

Connection to National Standards:

10 The characteristics, distribution and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics.
11 The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface.
16 The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources.

Materials: Box to send through the mail, collect and select clues.

Procedure:

  1. Concentrating on things that are common and special to your community, begin researching. Make a mural depicting the natural features of your city area.
  2. Each student selects an item to put in the box and writes a brief explanation of the item. Choose items that may be unique to the area and items that may be "mysterious" to classrooms in another city. Items can be selected in several ways:
  3. Make a card that illustrates a plant or animal common in your area. Identify local industries and select representative commercial products from the area, select photographs or slides typical of the city and area.
  4. Find historical maps and journals that describe the history of the area. Select and send recipes that use regional forest and or agriculture products.
  5. Collect, pack and send the box to the recipient classroom by the agreed-upon date.
  6. Decide which clue you will display first to the class. Select a hard one. Decide how many clues you want to look at each day and how long you want to search, clue by clue, until you guess the area.
  7. Conclude the lesson with a comparison of differences and similarities of each area according to the clues. Predict and guess the area.

Extensions:

Ask students what clues they would add or omit next time. Ask "what if?" questions: What if we sent a box to students in New York City? Alaska? Moscow? Ask students to write a letter to the other class, discussing the clues and their reaction to them.