Create Your Own Country Project Due: June 4th For your final

Create Your Own Country Project
Due: June 4th
For your final project in sixth grade, you will create your own country! This project will test your
research skills, your critical thinking skills, and give you an opportunity to do what we all would like to
do: rule your own country. You may complete this project as an individual, as partners or in a group of
three or four. Some class time will be given to work on this. If you choose to work with others, it is up to
YOU to sort out the workload in a fair manner so that everyone contributes. Part of learning to work
with others is finding out individual strengths within the group and using them in the best way possible.
Coordinating schedules can be tricky at this time of the year. If this sounds like a hassle to you, then
please work independently! Class time will be given on: 5/19, 5/21, 5/26, & 5/28. However, if groups
are not focused and working during valuable classtime, I will cancel these dates and it will become
homework. Everyone must come ready to work on those days with supplies, sources and a cooperative
attitude. You may need to meet outside of school to bring all elements of your project together.
Rules:
1. Your country must be located somewhere on the planet Earth. You can create an island or you
can place your country between existing countries.
2. Based on the location of your country your climate and vegetation must be realistic. For
example, you cannot have a tropical rain forest in a part of the world that is a desert.
3. You must use your imagination combined with the concepts you have learned in social studies
this year (think: Seven Features of Civilization).
Part I: The Country: You will write a five-paragraph (minimum) essay which will answer the following
questions. Don’t write your paper in a question/answer format. I want it to read like an informational
text on your country. The questions are provided to give you an idea of what you must include in your
writing. All work must be typed, MLA format, and proofread for spelling and grammar.
Discussion Questions:
1. What is the name of your country?
2. Where is your country located?
3. Describe the physical geography of your country. Ideas: Does it have mountains? Is it an island?
Is it landlocked or near the sea? Are there natural barriers? How do people get fresh water?
4. Describe the climate and vegetation of your country. What sort of weather does your country
normally experience? Is it cold, snowy, dry, rainy, hot or any combination of these? Remember
to take your country’s physical geography into account when discussing climate. (Hint: If you
have many high mountains, those areas will likely be cold)
5. Describe the natural resources found in your country. Do the people in your country have an
abundant energy resource? What do they export? What do they import from other countries?
Does your country have lumber, mines, food crops?
6. Describe the population of your country? How many people live there? Is the population
growing or declining and why? Do your people migrate or stay put? Where do people live and
why do they live there? What are some of the benefits of living in a particular area?
7. Describe the culture of your country. What language do they speak? Is it a language that
already exists or is it something new? Do they speak multiple languages? Is there job
specialization? What do they value? Education? Beauty? Nature? Money? Family? Physical
strength? Do they have any interesting customs, holidays, or ceremonies? How do they express
themselves through art, architecture, and literature? Are sports or competitions part of
everyday life?
8. Describe the religion of your country. Does everyone practice one faith? Do they have many
religions? Think about the nearby countries and consider cultural borrowing and cultural
diffusion before answering this question. Think about what you have learned about religion in
social studies.
9. Are there social classes in your country? If so, what are they? Are people in one social class for
life?
10. Describe the economic and political system in your country. Do they use money? What is it
called? How do people get what they need to live? What type of leadership exists in your
country? What political system do they have? Is it a monarchy, dictatorship, oligarchy, direct
democracy, representative democracy? Is your country run by a central government or is it
divided into smaller regions?
While I want you to use your imagination, I want you to think carefully about making your country
as realistic as possible based upon what you know about the needs of people and the basic
features of civilization: government, cities, religion, job specialization, social classes, highly
developed culture, and system of writing.
Part II: The Map – On a full size poster board, you will draw a map of your country. Your map will
include any lakes, rivers, mountains, oceans and other major landforms. You must also include borders,
bordering countries (if any), your nation’s capital and other places and/or cities of interest. Your map
must include a key, a scale, and a compass rose. It must be colorful, creative and neat.
Part III: The Flag – Create a flag for your country. Are there any important symbols of your country?
Look back at the write-up about your country. Which things stand out? What values are important that
could be reflected in your flag design? Do colors represent attitudes or resources or animals that are
prevalent in your country? Be creative! Write up an explanation of your flag and the reasons for the
colors and symbols that were used. It is acceptable to mount your flag on your poster if you want.
Part IV: The Presentation – Introduce your country to the class. You will use your map, flag and any
other visual aids to show the country you created. Your presentation should be 5 to 10 minutes long.
You will speak clearly and will not read from a paper. You may use note cards as an aid. You may use
PowerPoint, the document camera or make a short film about your country, if you desire. Presentations
will begin on June 4th. If you plan to miss the last week of school, please let me know so you may present
on an earlier date.