8th Grade Social Studies GLE #3 Page 1 of 5

The Art Map of Louisiana Project

The Art Map of Louisiana is the first major project of the school year. The project is central to the geography unit. The project
reinforces learning and skills required by the LEAP test, the high-stakes required by the State of Louisiana for entrance to high
school. The Art Map of Louisiana Project combines visual and kinesthetic learning styles. The Project uses spatial intelligence as
defined by Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory.

The Art Map of Louisiana Project primarily addresses GLE #3: “Construct a map based on given narrative information.” The
benchmark addressed is G-1A-M2: “Interpreting and developing maps, globes, graphs, charts, models, and databases to analyze
spatial distributions and patterns.”

The Art Map also partially addresses, supports, or reviews other GLEs that are measured by the LEAP Test:
★ 5th Grade GLEs
★ GLE 1: “Describe the characteristics, functions, and applications of various types of maps.”
★ GLE 2: “Compare the uses of different types of maps, including two different types of maps of the same area.”
★ GLE 3: “Interpret a map, using a map key/legend and symbols, distance scale, compass rose, cardinal or
intermediate directions, and latitude and longitude.”
★ GLE 4: “Locate major landforms and geographic features, places, and bodies of water/waterways on a map of the
United States.”
★ GLE 5: “Translate a mental map into sketch form to illustrate relative location, size, and distances between
places.”
★ 6th Grade GLEs
★ GLE #1: “Use latitude and longitude to determine direction or locate or compare points on a map or
representation of a globe.”
★ 8th Grade GLEs
★ GLE #1: “Use time zones in the United States or the International Date Line to interpret a map or representation
of a globe and calculate current times in different places.”
★ GLE #2: “Locate major landforms and geographic features, places, and bodies of water/waterways on a map of
Louisiana.”
★ GLE #4: “Construct a chart or diagram to display geographical information in an organized way.”
★ GLE #5: “Describe and analyze the distinguishing physical and/or human characteristics of Louisiana regions.”
★ GLE #10: “Analyze the population characteristics and other demographic information about the United States
and Louisiana, including rates of increase/decrease for demographic variables.”
★ GLE #15: “Analyze the benefits and challenges of the Louisiana physical environments on its inhabitants (e.g.,
flooding, soil, climate conducive to growing certain plants).”
★ GLE #16: “ Analyze the distribution and uses of Louisiana's natural resources.”

I will provide you with a set of instructions; you will use them to make a map. I will grade you map using the rubric included in
these instructions.

Instructions

1. Use a WHITE piece of foam board to create your art map. The art map should be no less than 20 by 30 inches. I
recommend 40 x 60 inches for more room to work.
2. Draw an outline of the State of Louisiana. Include the scale on the map. The easiest way to do this is to use my overhead
projector. Be neat.
3. Draw the outlines of the 64 parishes. Label each parish. You may use the map at http://tinyurl.com/as4qg or http://
tinyurl.com/5w3a6x
4. Indicate groups of parishes. Indicate which parishes are the Florida parishes (see http://tinyurl.com/65namm). Indicate
which parishes are the Acadiana Parishes. See http://www.thecajuns.com/parishes.htm
5. Select a color scheme for the map. Water should be blue. Writing should be in black. You may select other colors, but
avoid any colors that are hard to see on a white background (such as light yellow).
6. Include a legend on the map. The legend should explain your color scheme, objects, symbols, and textures. The legend
must show a compass rose, the map scale, Louisiana’s time zone, and note the difference between Louisiana’s time zone
on BOTH standard and daylight savings times and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
7. Note the following statistics on your map: Louisiana’s population (at the last Census), land area (in square miles), and
persons per square mile. See http://tinyurl.com/6knbza
8. Use a texture to indicate each of the following geological regions: the Tertiary Hills, the Chenier Plain, Pleistocene
Coastwise Terraces, Deltaic Plain, Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, Macon Ridge, Atchafalaya Basin, and Bastrop Hills.
For help see the maps on this web page: http://tinyurl.com/5h2vyx
9. Indicate the major land resource regions in Louisiana. See http://tinyurl.com/666r47
10. Add the three cultural regions of Louisiana. Use the map located at: http://tinyurl.com/5ak4mr

Copyright 2011 by Paul Blankenship.

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8th Grade Social Studies GLE #3 Page 2 of 5

11. Add waterways to your Art Map. The waterways should be in blue. You should include the Mississippi River, the Red
River, Cane River Lake, the Atchafalaya River, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, Lake Borgne, the Gulf of Mexico, the
Sabine River, and the Pearl River. Add 4 more waterways of your choosing. You may use the map at: http://tinyurl.com/
4r73ye
12. Add the nine cultural subregions of Louisiana. Use the map located at: http://tinyurl.com/3vtr2s
13. Add cities to your map. You must include New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, Monroe, Lake Charles,
Alexandria, Ruston, Natchitoches, Coushatta, Colfax, Bogalusa, and Mansfield. Add 4 more cities of your choosing. Give
the latitude and longitude of each city. You may use the map at: http://tinyurl.com/4r73ye
14. Using the space outside your outline of Louisiana, add a chart showing the populations of the cities on the map in the 2000
Census and an appropriate graph comparing the populations of these cities. This portion of the project addresses GLE #4.
Do this part of the assignment using a computer and a spreadsheet program. Spreadsheet programs include Microsoft
Excel, the free OpenOffice.org suite, Apple’s Numbers application in iWork, and the free online Google Spreadsheet
application. You may print your results in color or in black-and-white and add color with markers.
15. Add the locales of the following ethnic groups in the state: French Creoles in North and South Louisiana, African-
American, Anglo, Belgian, Czech, Croatian, Filipino, German, Greek, Hungarian, Isleño, Italian, Spanish (other than
Isleño), and Vietnamese or other Asians. Use the map at: http://tinyurl.com/5oeo8d
16. Add the locales of the following Native American tribes: Chitimacha, Choctaw, Houma, Koasati (Coushatta), and
Tunica-Biloxi. For some of these groups you may use the map at: http://tinyurl.com/5kj2ll
17. Add major roadways to your map. Include I-10, I-12, I-20, I-49, I-55, I-59, I-220, I-310, Highway 1, Highway 65 (do not
confuse with I-65), Highway 71, Highway 90, and the River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. You may use
the map at: http://tinyurl.com/4r73ye
18. Add plantations to your map. Include Destrehan (http://tinyurl.com/55cfd6), Houmas House (http://tinyurl.com/5hkd8p),
Nottoway (http://tinyurl.com/583oa6), Oak Alley (http://tinyurl.com/573u29), San Francisco (http://tinyurl.com/5upe3b),
Madewood (http://tinyurl.com/5gsprj), Magnolia Mound (http://tinyurl.com/5mc7oz), Melrose (http://tinyurl.com/5oolfv),
and the Myrtles (http://tinyurl.com/5heunv).
19. Add major crops to your art map. The five major crops of Louisiana are cotton, soybeans, rice, sugarcane, and corn.
Indicate the parishes with these crops on the Louisiana's Agriculture Map at http://www.aitcla.org/files/AITC_MAP.
2004.pdf

Copyright 2011 by Paul Blankenship. Some rights reserved.

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Art Map Rubric 10 5 Zero

1. Project Board Student used the required The student used something other No project submitted.
minimum size 20 x 30” white foam than the recommended board.
board. The map fills almost all of
the project board.

2. Outline The outline of the state is neat The outline of the state is less No project submitted or the outline
and to scale. than neat and/or not to scale. is very messy or poorly drawn.

3. Parishes The parishes are clearly labeled The parishes were not neatly The parishes were not drawn and/
and neatly drawn to scale. drawn to scale or some labels are or not labeled.
missing or unreadable.

4. Groups of Parishes The map clearly indicates the The map indicates some groups of No groups of parishes indicated or
required groups of parishes. parishes or the indication is the work is very messy.
unclear.

5. Color Scheme The map is colorful yet tasteful. Colors are used but are not The map lacks color or the use of
Colors compliment one another. coordinated. Color use seems color is sloppy or very limited.
Color use is logical (e.g., blue for random (e.g., pink for water).
water).

6. Legend The legend follows all of the The legend follows most of the The legend does not follow most of
directions and is neat and directions and is readable. the directions or is messy.
organized.

Copyright 2011 by Paul Blankenship.

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8th Grade Social Studies GLE #3
Art Map Rubric 10
7. UTC v. Louisiana’s Time Zones The legend includes a note about
Louisiana’s time zone (both
standard and daylight savings
time) and the difference between
Louisiana’s time and Coordinated
Universal Time.
8. Statistics All statistics in the instructions are
accurately included on the map.
9. Textures A different texture is used for each
of the eight major geological
regions.
10. Major Land Resource Regions The major land resource regions
are neatly and clearly indicated.
11. Major Cultural Regions The three major cultural regions
are clearly indicated on the map.
12. Waterways All required waterways are neatly,
clearly, and accurately indicated in
blue.
13. Cultural Subregions The nine cultural subregions are
neatly, clearly, and accurately
indicated.
14. Cities All required cities are neatly,
clearly, and accurately labeled.
15. Ethnic Groups All ethnic groups required in the
instructions are included in the
map. They are clearly, neatly, and
accurately indicated.
Copyright 2011 by Paul Blankenship.
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5 Zero
The legend includes a note about
Louisiana’s time zone (both
standard and daylight savings
time) and the difference between
Louisiana’s time and Coordinated
Universal Time but the information
is inaccurate or incomplete.
Some statistics in the instructions
are accurately included on the
map.
The representation of geological
regions is incomplete but includes
at least four regions.
Some (over half) of the major land
resource regions are neatly and
clearly indicated.
Two of the three major cultural
regions are clearly indicated on
the map.
51% to 99% of the required
waterways are neatly, clearly, and
accurately indicated in blue.
At least six of the nine cultural
subregions are neatly, clearly, and
accurately indicated.
At least 51% of the required cities
are neatly, clearly, and accurately
labeled.
51% or more of the ethnic groups
required in the instructions are
included in the map. They are
clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated.
Page 3 of 5
The map lacks information about
Coordinated Universal Time and/or
Louisiana’s time zone.
The statistics are not included or
are not accurate.
Textures are not used to represent
the geological regions or the
representation is inaccurate or
messy.
Half or less than half of the major
land resource regions are neatly
and clearly indicated.
One (or less) of the three major
cultural regions is clearly indicated
on the map or the indication is
messy or inaccurate.
Less than 51% of the waterways
are neatly, clearly, and accurately
indicated in blue.
OR: The waterways are not neatly,
clearly, and accurately indicated in
blue.
Less than six of the nine cultural
subregions are neatly, clearly, and
accurately indicated.
OR: The cultural subregions are
not neatly, clearly, and accurately
indicated.
Less than 51% of the required
cities are neatly, clearly, and
accurately labeled.
OR: The cities are not neatly,
clearly, and accurately indicated.
50% or less of the ethnic groups
required in the instructions are
included in the map. They are
clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated.
OR: The ethnic groups are not
clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated.
8th Grade Social Studies GLE #3
Art Map Rubric 10
16. Native American Tribes All Native American tribes required
in the instructions are included in
the map. They are clearly, neatly,
and accurately indicated.
17. Roadways All roadways required in the
instructions are included in the
map. They are clearly, neatly, and
accurately indicated.
18. Plantations All plantations required in the
instructions are included in the
map. They are clearly, neatly, and
accurately indicated.
19. Crops All crops required in the
instructions are included in the
map. They are clearly, neatly, and
accurately indicated.
20. Overall Appearance The map is neat, to scale,
accurate, and visually appealing.
21. Chart The population chart of the cities
is accurate and includes all cities.
22. Graph The population graph of the cities
is accurate and includes all cities.
The graph type is appropriate to
the information presented.
23. Lowest Point The map clearly indicates the
lowest point in Louisiana.
24. Highest Point The map clearly indicates the
highest point in Louisiana.
25. Great Mississippi Flood Clearly indicates the area of
Louisiana inundated in the Great
Mississippi Flood of 1927.
Copyright 2011 by Paul Blankenship.
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5 Zero
51% or more of the Native
American tribes required in the
instructions are included in the
map. They are clearly, neatly, and
accurately indicated.
51% or more of the roadways
required in the instructions are
included in the map. They are
clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated.
51% or more of the plantations
required in the instructions are
included in the map. They are
clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated.
51% or more of the crops
required in the instructions are
included in the map. They are
clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated.
The map is less than neat, to
scale, accurate, and visually
appealing.
The population chart of the cities
is inaccurate and/or does not
include all cities.
The population graph of the cities
is inaccurate and/or does not
include all cities, or the graph type
is appropriate to the information
presented.
The map attempts to indicates the
lowest point in Louisiana but
indicates the wrong location.
The map attempts to indicates the
highest point in Louisiana but
indicates the wrong location(s).
Attempts to indicate the area of
Louisiana inundated in the Great
Mississippi Flood of 1927 but
shows the wrong area(s).
Page 4 of 5
50% or less of the Native
American tribes required in the
instructions are included in the
map. They are clearly, neatly, and
accurately indicated.
OR: The Native American tribes are
not clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated.
50% or less of the roadways
required in the instructions are
included in the map. They are
clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated. OR: The Native American
tribes are not clearly, neatly, and
accurately indicated.
50% or less of the plantations
required in the instructions are
included in the map. They are
clearly, neatly, and accurately
indicated.
OR: The plantations are not clearly,
neatly, and accurately indicated.
50% or less of the crops required
in the instructions are included in
the map. They are clearly, neatly,
and accurately indicated.
OR: The crops are not clearly,
neatly, and accurately indicated.
The map is messy and obviously
did not receive the effort required.
No chart is attempted or the chart
represents a lack of effort.
No graph is attempted or the
graph represents a lack of effort.
No indication.
No indication.
No attempt.
8th Grade Social Studies GLE #3
Art Map Rubric
26. Salt Domes
27. Haynesville Shale
28. Lignite Mining
29. Other natural gas
30. Petroleum
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10
The map clearly indicates the salt
domes in Louisiana.
The map clearly indicates the area
of the Haynesville Shale in
Louisiana.
The map clearly indicates the area
of lignite mining in Louisiana.
The map clearly indicates the area
of natural gas wells other than the
Haynesville Shale in Louisiana.
The map clearly indicates the area
of petroleum extraction in
Louisiana.
Copyright 2011 by Paul Blankenship.
Page 5 of 5
5 Zero
The map attempts to indicates the No indication.
salt domes in Louisiana but
indicates the wrong location(s).
The map attempts to indicates the No indication.
area of the Haynesville Shale in
Louisiana but indicates the wrong
location(s).
The map attempts to indicate the No indication.
area of lignite mining in Louisiana
but indicates the wrong location
(s).
The map attempts to indicate the No indication.
area of natural gas wells other
than the Haynesville Shale in
Louisiana but indicates the wrong
location(s).
The map attempts to indicate the No indication.
area of petroleum extraction in
Louisiana. but indicates the wrong
location(s).