Suggested Activities Grades 6 - 8

Ideas to try….

Science and Technology
What causes storms on land and water? Research and describe the conditions that create hurricanes, cyclones, etc. What are the similarities and differences between land and water storms? How do they compare in frequency?
How are weather systems tracked today?
Learn to use a compass.
What is the difference between a map and a chart?

English Language Arts
Create a story about two captains meeting each other and describing their respective experiences at sea. What advice do you think they would they give to young captains just starting out?
How are merchant captains trained today as compared to the 19th century?
Write a newspaper story relating one of the incidents in this chapter, or create stories using social media.

Social Studies
The captains in this chapter were merchant captains. They were not military; their voyages were for trade. Learn more about the cargoes carried by Maine ships (see other web chapters on Life at Sea, Shipbuilding, Working the Bay, and Maine and the Orient.) Pick a country mentioned in this chapter and compare trade between it and the U.S. today and in the 19th century.
Find the locations mentioned in this chapter on a world map or globe. Calculate distances from Maine.
Learn about Maine’s deep water ports in Portland, Searsport, and Eastport and what is happening there today.

Visual Arts
Pick one captain and illustrate his story using different media.
Illustrate the waterspout story in sequential panels, or as a diorama or shadowbox.
How do the arts help us learn history?