Explore Your Terrain
Any kingdom is literally built from the ground up, starting with the physical geography of the land.
Physical geography affects human settlement patterns and the types of resources that are available to a community. You will keep the elements of physical geography in mind as you design a map for your portion of the new kingdom. Your design will impact whether your kingdom flourishes or founders.
Physical geography affects human settlement patterns and the types of resources that are available to a community. You will keep the elements of physical geography in mind as you design a map for your portion of the new kingdom. Your design will impact whether your kingdom flourishes or founders.
Step 1: Geographic Features Research
Follow this link to a slideshow on geographic features. Make a copy, add your name to the file name, and share it back with the Queen.
As the Queen's advisors, you will discuss each feature as a group, including the definition and/or how that feature is created, possible effects on settlement patterns, and resulting resources.
On your own, you will find a real-world example of each feature. Add a picture, along with a label of its name and location (exp.: Amazon River, Brazil).
This project is worth up to 20 gold.
As the Queen's advisors, you will discuss each feature as a group, including the definition and/or how that feature is created, possible effects on settlement patterns, and resulting resources.
On your own, you will find a real-world example of each feature. Add a picture, along with a label of its name and location (exp.: Amazon River, Brazil).
This project is worth up to 20 gold.
Step 2: Set Up Your Grid
On a map, a grid is a network of regularly spaced lines on a map that cross one another at right angles and are numbered to enable the precise location of a place.
On an 18"x24" piece of card stock, create a grid of 2" squares. To do this, use a yardstick (make sure you are using inches, not centimeters) to place a small mark every 2 inches along all four sides. Then connect those lines using the yardstick as a straight edge. Use a pencil and draw lightly. With a thin tipped Sharpie, label each square along the top with a number and each square along the left side with a letter. You may choose if you would like to have your top be a short or a long edge, and you may place your label in the left corner, right corner, or center of the box, as long as it is consistent. See the Queen's example for neatness standards.
This step is worth up to 5 gold, and is necessary for the successful completion of the rest of the project.
On an 18"x24" piece of card stock, create a grid of 2" squares. To do this, use a yardstick (make sure you are using inches, not centimeters) to place a small mark every 2 inches along all four sides. Then connect those lines using the yardstick as a straight edge. Use a pencil and draw lightly. With a thin tipped Sharpie, label each square along the top with a number and each square along the left side with a letter. You may choose if you would like to have your top be a short or a long edge, and you may place your label in the left corner, right corner, or center of the box, as long as it is consistent. See the Queen's example for neatness standards.
This step is worth up to 5 gold, and is necessary for the successful completion of the rest of the project.
Step 3: Make a Plan
Now that you have set up your grid, it is time to plan the layout of your kingdom. First, record the gold you earned during the first marking period. This is your budget. If you lose your copy of the King Planning pages, you may find another copy here. Next, examine the list of features you can purchase and their descriptions. Any grid square that contains land on your map has a base cost of 3 gold. This land is assumed to be a plain with fertile soil, fit for humans, animals, and crops. Any features you add to that land, such as mountains or forests, are an additional cost. Read the description of each feature carefully, as some provide benefits or handicaps, and some provide resources that may be necessary for settlement in the next round.
As you plan, keep in mind the scale of your map. While it is not completely true to real-life scale, assume that each grid square is equal to about 16 square acres, which makes your entire portion of the kingdom about 2.7 square miles. Make sure you design in a large enough scale to accommodate the addition of buildings, infrastructure, and industry in a later marking period, which will be measured in "units" that are 1" square, or 1/4 of a grid square.
Use scrap paper to plan out what will be included in your kingdom. You must include at least 5 geographical features, which are listed on your planning sheet and in your Geographic Research slides. You may not go over your budget! Take care that the arrangement of your features are realistic. Once you have decided on your overall plan, record it on you Kingdom Planner. These tables will be attached to your map later for documentation, so make sure it is neatly done.
As you plan, keep in mind the scale of your map. While it is not completely true to real-life scale, assume that each grid square is equal to about 16 square acres, which makes your entire portion of the kingdom about 2.7 square miles. Make sure you design in a large enough scale to accommodate the addition of buildings, infrastructure, and industry in a later marking period, which will be measured in "units" that are 1" square, or 1/4 of a grid square.
Use scrap paper to plan out what will be included in your kingdom. You must include at least 5 geographical features, which are listed on your planning sheet and in your Geographic Research slides. You may not go over your budget! Take care that the arrangement of your features are realistic. Once you have decided on your overall plan, record it on you Kingdom Planner. These tables will be attached to your map later for documentation, so make sure it is neatly done.
Step 4: Draw Your Map
Watch these videos on creating maps. There are more on YouTube, but these are enough to get you started. Remember, don't make your features too small!
How to draw a map step by step
Cliffs, Canyons, & Chasms for your Map
How to draw a map step by step
Cliffs, Canyons, & Chasms for your Map
Step 5: Outline Your Map
Use a Sharpie or other waterproof pen to outline the features on your map. Use different thicknesses of lines to add interest.
Step 6: Watercolor Your Map
First, use your individual watercolor set to add color to the details on your map, such as cliffs and mountains. Don't paint your big bodies of water and flat land yet, though you can add shadows for depth. Use liquid water colors in a cup and a large brush to paint the big areas of land and water. A little bit of water and a little bit of concentrate go a long ways! Share cups with a partner so we don't waste materials.
Use plain water to stretch your color and create areas of light and dark. For example, dark water at the center of a lake or far out in an ocean makes the water look like it gets deeper.
Wait for areas to dry before layering more color to prevent your colors from bleeding where you don't want them to go. Do note, however, that if dried watercolor gets wet again, the color can run.
Use plain water to stretch your color and create areas of light and dark. For example, dark water at the center of a lake or far out in an ocean makes the water look like it gets deeper.
Wait for areas to dry before layering more color to prevent your colors from bleeding where you don't want them to go. Do note, however, that if dried watercolor gets wet again, the color can run.
Step 7: Final Touches
Add any final details to your map. Neatly cut out your three finished tables. Glue your budget record in the upper left hand on the back. Below that, add your geographic features cost sheet and the list of 5 features you included. Make sure your name is still visible on the back. We will be adding more planning papers in future marking periods.