Note to the Teacher:

This geography activity is a discovery scenario that requires students to utilize research skills to identify significant features of Nicaraguan geography. Depending upon the resources available in your school, you may wish to conduct this exercise in the school library or computer lab.

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Activity:

1. Divide students into pairs or in groups, depending on size of class, grade level, and the nature of available resources.
   
   a. Distribute the student handout entitled Clue Sheet and a Blank Map of Nicaragua to each student.
   
   b. Read the directions for the activity aloud while the students read it to themselves.
   
   c. Direct students to utilize identified resources to complete their maps.
   
   
2. When students have completed their maps of Nicaragua, gather the students together as a group and ask them to share their findings as you review each of the 10 clues. (You may wish to display the Teacher Map on an overhead projector.)
   
   
3. Once the map is completed, ask students to analyze the terrain features and answer the following questions:
   
   a. Where are most of the major cities located? (west coast)
   
   b. What appears to separate the west coast from the east coast? (mountains and tropical rain forest)?
   
   
4. Concluding Activity
   
   Based on their discoveries, ask students to hypothesize as to what impact geography may have had on the relationship between the people of the east and west coasts of Nicaragua.

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