U.S. Map Playground Project U.S. Map Playground Project Back to Literacy Community Literacy Project   Why not have your club consider this fun and interactive project for the 2012-2013 Rotary year. MAP PROJECT (20'X30')  CONTACT a member of the literacy committee to reserve the map and Rotary wheel stencils today. This is a neat community and literacy combined project. Interact members will find it fun as well. Schools just need to have a proper surface that would be available over a weekend with no traffic. One day for cleaning (power washing) and preparation of the site and the second day for painting. The expense is minimal, approx. $350 and even less if a local business would like to help your Rotary club sponsor it.  Both the company logo and the Rotary logo and club name can be painted near the map. Staff will use the map to teach geography and social studies through creative play.  Parents and grandparents will be encouraged to visit the school grounds and use the huge map to trace the wanderings of family trips and play other games with their children. The map will benefit children for many years to come. 35 Ways to Use Your Map      Use chalk for some of the following: Mark longitude and latitude lines. Mark time change boundaries. Mark state boundaries. Mark state capitals. Label interstate highways. Label major rivers. Color code rivers to show which flow into each other. Label famous places, such as Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, and battlefields. Label National Park sites.  (And if there's one near you, take a field trip!) Label historical boundaries, such as the original 13 colonies, states that signed the Constitution, areas of the Louisiana Purchase, gold rush areas, northern states, southern states. Mark the dates on which each state entered the Union. Trace the migrations of North America's earliest settlers. Label sites of major Indian cultures. Label sites and dates of the migrations of ethnic and religious groups. Mark the number of U.S. senators and representatives for each state. Label each state's electoral votes. Create a distance scale. Calculate the number of miles from your city to places students would like to visit. Calculate the time it would take to travel from one city to another at the legal speed limit. Calculate the approximate number of square miles in each state. Use cutouts of people to represent the populations of each state.  One figure could represent one million people. Identify and label topographical features, such as mountain ranges, deserts, and river deltas.  (Go beyond chalk to do this.  Use as much scrap as you can.) Identify and label the climates of various regions. Using newspaper and TV weather reports as sources, identify and label weather fronts.  (A string of hand-holding students can demonstrate the movement of current frontal systems.) Trace the jet stream. Label rainfall and temperatures on a daily or weekly basis for selected cities. Plot, using longitude and latitude readings, a hurricane's movement. Show the path of a tornado. Label sites of major natural resources. Label changes in the geologic history of the U.S. from the Paleozoic period to the present. Trace bird migration patterns. Label sites of major archeological finds. Ask each student to identify one place he or she has traveled to. Identify places the students would like to visit. Have each student choose one area, such as a town or city or historical area, and mark places of interest. MAP PAINTING Suggested Supply List  Item Required   Notes  9" roller covers  6-8 6 colors of paint use 9" rollers (all but white)  3" roller covers  8-10  3-4 for white, 5 for colors (not light blue)  Drop Cloths  1    Wet Wipes  1 box    Paper Towels  1 roll    Chalk - White  2-3 pieces  I use sidewalk chalk - use white, not a color  Pan Liners  8-10  Optional, but makes clean up easier  Trash Bags  2-3 large    "Dillons" bags  10-15  For removing used covers from rollers  Paint stir sticks  7-10    Brushes -1"/2"  7-10  I buy disposable ones at Harbor Freight  Plastic Cups  7-10  For use with the brushes  Masking Tape  1 roll  To line off a section for the logo  CD for School  1  Games, etc.  Atlas for School  1  State Farm kids atlas (if available)  Promo items  As available  T-shirts, caps, pins, etc.  Sidewalk Chalk for School                                               Item Required  Notes   Stencils  1  Map, logos  9" rollers  6  For colors all except white  3" rollers  6-9  3-4 for white, other colors if desired  Long handles  6-10  Broomsticks usually work  Paint pans  7-8  Size to match the liners  Empty milk jugs  10-20  For weights to anchor stencil (fill w/ water)  Paint can opener  1    Boom Box  optional  For fun!  Tunes to paint by.  Blower  Optional  For cleaning surface  Cordless drill  Optional  For stirring paint  Hose & keys  If needed  Garden hose and keys for outlets  Brooms  If needed  Ask school to ensure surface is clean  Dolly  If needed  Optional  Buckets - large  Optional  For clean up; or use storage container    Item Need   Left  Paint  Color  White Spray  1 can    For logo    White Spray  6 cans    Tough Coat    *White Borders  1 gal.    SK Acrylic Traffic Pt  White  *Red States  1 gal.    SK Acrylic Traffic Pt  Dixie Red  *Blue States  1 gal.    SK Acrylic Traffic Pt  Han Blue  *Orange States  1 gal.    SK Acrylic Traffic Pt  Yellow (Orange- RD 1x16)  *Green States  1 gal.    SK Acrylic Traffic Pt  Yellow (Green-S/R 4 TBS; BB 5X)  *Yellow States  1 gal.    SK Acrylic Traffic Pt  Yellow  *Blue Water  1 gal.    SK Acrylic Traffic Pt  White (lt blue-OY-18.75; BB-1x3; RD-7.5) * Rotary Clubs should volunteer to perform touch-up as needed annually

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