You have to use two things in this activity:

1. The online Atlas of Canada at atlas.gc.ca
2. Your imagination!

You are to imagine that you are the manager of our class’ soccer team. One of your duties as manager is to plan our trips. We have been invited to play against a Grade 3 class in another Canadian province, in another town or city.

Your job is to locate that town or city on a map, draw a route from our town to our competitor’s town and find out some information about it. You have a very important task! It is up to you to get us to our game! Before you get started, you have to locate our province, Manitoba, and own town. Let's begin !

Go to The Atlas of Canada Web site located at atlas.gc.ca and click on the English language button. Complete the following activities that will make you a successful tour organizer!

1. Go to the Explore Our Maps section on the left side of the home page. Move your mouse over to Reference Maps, this will cause a pop-out menu to appear. Move your cursor over Canada Outline and then click the link to the Capital City Locations and Names of Canada Map. Print the map. Ask your teacher for help if necessary.

2. Let’s use the site to locate our province and town/city. Go to the Explore Our Maps section. Move your cursor over to Reference Maps; this will cause a pop-out menu to appear. Move your cursor over Canada and then click the link to the Political Divisions (interactive) Map. Find Manitoba on the map and then find it on your map and colour it in yellow.

3. Use the compass rose to help you answer the questions below.

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Compass Rose

a. What province is found on Manitoba’s western border?

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b. What province is found on Manitoba’s eastern border?

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c. What territory is found on Manitoba’s northern border?

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4. Now, we’re going to locate our town or city in Manitoba and write it on the map.

a. Go to the Advanced Search section. Select the link for the Search for the location of a place on a map option.

b. Slowly type the town or city name in the box to the right of the words Enter geographical name. Make sure you spell it correctly!

c. Carefully look at the computer screen in front of you. In the Refine Search section click the check box to the left of Manitoba in the Select Province / Territory (one or more) section and then click the check box to the left of Populated Places in the Select Feature Type (one or more).

d. Now click the arrow symbol to the right of where you typed the town or city name.

e. When the results appear in the refreshed window, select the link to the town or city name that matches the place you are searching for. Be sure to look at the Feature Type below each name to make sure you have selected a city, town or village

f. Locate your town or city in Manitoba on your map by putting a blue dot. Be sure to write the name neatly beside the dot.

5. Carefully study your map of Canada. Using a red pencil crayon, underline all the capital cities listed. There are 14 cities.

a. Which capital city is nearest to our town or city?

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b. In your opinion, which capital city is the farthest away from our town/city?

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c. Which city is the capital of Canada?

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6. Your teacher will now hand out a Place Name Card to you. This is the name of the Canadian city you will be traveling to with our class. You have the important job of plotting our route!

7. Look at your Place Name Card with the town or city on it that your teacher gave you. Write that place name here:

_________________________________________________

8. Have you ever heard of this city before? Where? From whom?

_________________________________________________

9. Carefully search for the location of this new city or town

a. Go to the Advanced Search section. Select the link for the Search for the location of a place on a map option.

b. Slowly type the town or city name in the box to the right of the words Enter geographical name. Make sure you spell it correctly!

c. Carefully look at the computer screen in front of you. In the Refine Search section click the check box to the left of All Provinces / Territories in the Select Province / Territory (one or more) section and then click the check box to the left of Populated Places in the Select Feature Type(one or more).

d. Now click the arrow symbol to the right of where you typed the town or city name.

10. What province is your town or city in?

_________________________________________________

11. If you do not know where this province is, click the name of your city or town. A map will appear showing the location of your city and you can use the legend on the right to find out the province. Plot this city on your map using a green dot and write the city’s name and the province name neatly on the map. You located our classes’ trip location! Way to go!!

12. Take your ruler and draw a straight line between your town or city and the city our class will travel to.

13. Using the scale at the bottom right-hand corner of your map of Canada, calculate the distance between the two cities on your map. Ask your teacher for help if necessary. The distance is ______________ kilometres.

14. Finally, look at the information, about this new town or city, that appears below the map and write down three things about the town or city that the team will be traveling to.

a. _________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________

c. _________________________________________________