1. Our Town • Developing Setting Maps for • Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire • and • Belle Plaine, Kansas

2. Setting Maps • To make your setting maps, you may choose to draw your landmarks, use pictures from magazines, or you may create a map using the computers. • You will have two maps. One may will be of Grovers Corners, New Hampshire and one of Belle Plaine.

3. Town Landmarks • Both maps will include many of the same characteristics (5 points each): • Schools • Churches • Railroad tracks • Cemetery • At least 3 families’ homes • At least 3 Main Street businesses • River • Main Street Square

4. Different Times • The maps will also have some differences: • Hitching posts • Parking lots • Number of schools • Business names

5. Resources • When mapping out Grover’s Corners, pages 4-7 will be helpful. • Work with your partner while constructing the map for Belle Plaine.

6. Concluding Questions • Grover’s Corners and Belle Plaine are 110 years apart. What similarities did you find between the two towns? Differences? • What town institutions are still around? Why do you suppose that is? • What changes do you believe small towns will go through in the NEXT 110 years? What will stay the same?

7. Common Core Standards • RL 1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. • RL 3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed. • RL 4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.