Students explore how Peru’s mountains, rivers, coast, and other landforms help people, plants, and animals live in different places. Through map-making, discussion, and a short oral tour, they answer the questions of how these features support life and which ones are most important to show a visitor. The work builds beginning map-reading skills, critical thinking, and clear speaking as students create a labeled Peru map or related display to share at the Map Makers Showcase.

Students will identify and label Peru’s mountains, rivers, coast, and other major landforms and bodies of water on a simple map, using beginning map-reading skills to compare what each place looks like. They will explain, through drawings and short oral tours, how these places help people, plants, and animals live in Peru. Students will answer the guiding questions by choosing important landforms and bodies of water to include for a visitor and giving reasons for their choices. They will also practice listening, speaking clearly, and using feedback to revise a label, picture, or map detail before sharing their work at the showcase.

Students will create shared class map labels and quick sketch cards during the launch, then build understanding with simple practice maps of Peru’s mountains, rivers, coast, and other major landforms. For the final product, each student will choose one format: a labeled Peru map for a short oral tour, a foldable Peru map book with a page for each major feature, or a small museum-style display with a map and student-drawn icons showing how each place supports life. All products should clearly label key landforms and bodies of water and include simple words or picture clues showing how each one helps people, plants, or animals. Students will present these products at the Map Makers Showcase for families and another class.

Begin with a read-aloud of an engaging picture book about Peru, then tell students they are getting ready to help a visitor understand the country. Create a simple movement path around the room for the mountains, river, and coast, and have students travel through each area while noticing how people, plants, and animals might live there. After the journey, build a shared class map with large visuals and invite students to add labels or picture cards for key landforms and bodies of water. Close by introducing the driving questions about how these places help living things and which features belong on a visitor’s map.

Host a Map Makers Showcase where students display their labeled Peru maps, foldable map books, or museum-style displays for families and another 1st grade class. Each child gives a short oral tour, pointing to mountains, rivers, and the coast and explaining how each place helps people, plants, or animals live there. Set up a shared class map near the entrance so visitors can trace the travel path students acted out at launch and compare it to student work. End with a brief circle reflection where students complete, “I learned that Peru’s ___ helps ___,” to celebrate both their learning and growth.