Name:______Class: ______Date: ______

UNIT 2
MAPMAKING
Textbook, p. 121

Drawing a map based on a narrative

Read the following narrative once.

. . . The presence of so many wolves means the forest must be full of wildlife. They can find plenty to eat: hare, no doubt, and maybe partridge and caribou. I’m convinced there are caribou; otherwise there wouldn’t be so many wolves. That confirms what I was thinking because the George River caribou herd is the largest in the world. Yes, that must be it! We are definitely in the George River area, where it runs into Ungava Bay. I’m getting surer by the minute, especially since around here, only the George River valley contains trees like that.

I can’t stop thinking. I’m trying to visualize the map of northern Québec. I can see James Bay, Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay. I’m drawing the coastline in my mind, evaluating the distances as the crow flies and naming villages. I have gone over the journey a hundred times. We left Kuujjuaq at seven this evening; I remember checking the time on the big round Molson clock on the airport wall, just above an impressive pair of caribou antlers. I thought it was a bit late to be flying up north since the days there are already short at the beginning of September. We should have landed at Aupaluk less than two hours later, at nine. Visual flight is fascinating at night when there’s snow on the ground, reflecting the moonlight. Your eyes get used to recognizing lakes and the bay shoreline from way up in the air. The contours of the terrain stand out like shadow puppets against a screen. A beacon of light shimmers on the far horizon: an Inuit village lost in this immense wilderness. And you can’t help but be amazed. How can people become attached to such a desolate corner of the world? How do they put down roots here and find fulfillment?

. . . Yes! Now that I think of it, there’s no other logical explanation. The wind has literally carried us east, blowing us toward Kangiqsualujjuaq. That’s a heck of a detour—at least 500 km! I’m convinced now, and reassured because at least I know where we are. But I’m worried, too; I find it hard to believe that someone could imagine we’ve crashed here, so far off course.

Michel Noël, “La ligne de trappe,” Altitude zéro (Montréal: Éditions Hurtubise HMH, 2005), pp. 56-58. [Translation]

2-1 / TERRITORIES — TEACHER’S GUIDE 2 • SECONDARY CYCLE ONE

Name:______Class: ______Date: ______

UNIT 2
MAPMAKING
Textbook, p. 121

Drawing a map based on a narrative(cont’d)

While you are reading the text, try to draw a mental map, locating the geographic elements of the narrative. Then, using an atlas or you textbook, draw a map that contains these elements.

Your map should include the following elements:

a) / the places mentioned in the story
b) / the route of the planned trip from Montréal to Kuujjuaq and then to Aupaluk
c) / changes to the itinerary because of the wind
d) / Nunavik borders
e) / a symbol to represent the place where Matchewen thinks he has landed
f) / a symbol to represent the vegetation in the Rivière George valley
g) / a legend to explain the meanings of the symbols on the map
TERRITORIES — TEACHER’S GUIDE 2 • SECONDARY CYCLE ONE / 2-2

Name:______Class: ______Date: ______

UNIT 2
MAPMAKING
Textbook, p. 120-121

Drawing a map based on a narrative (cont’d)

Using an atlas or your textbook, complete the map and give it a title.

Title:______

2-3 / TERRITORIES — TEACHER’S GUIDE 2 • SECONDARY CYCLE ONE