Travel writing is the third aspect of this unit that includes mapping and journaling. I will spend some time introducing students to travel writing. Again, where you begin with your unit depends largely on what age group and subject matter you want to explore. Some of the earliest travelers such as Genghis Khan, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Lewis and Clark utilized both maps and written descriptions to document their journeys through uncharted territories.
Again, where do you begin with your introduction to travel writing? What sort of travel journals will students utilize? Will they use the semi-hard cover marble notebooks students have traditionally journaled in in my classroom or will they utilize the digital journals that we discovered during the pandemic? Others may want to create their own journals, out of material that they see fit. Either way, students should be given much choice in the creation of the journals which will really take on a more personal value the more they are able to make them their own. Students will then be asked to choose a perspective to write from in their travel writing. Brainstorm the possibilities with students as you begin this part of the unit. Will they join Phineas on his journey as a friend or family member? Perhaps they will write from the perspective of a doctor, a nurse a social worker, a colleague. Will they travel as a creature, such as a mouse hiding in a crate of dynamite, or a bird following Phineas from above? Perhaps they will take on the perspective of Phineas himself or perhaps they will write from the perspective of another character all together. Again, the possibilities are endless and giving students’ their own choice is always key to any successful lesson.
I will begin with my own travels and my own writing. I find that students are intrigued by my journeys across Asia and Germany. But if you have not gone on such a journey, how do you introduce this concept to students? I suggest briefly exploring the writings of Marco Polo, Lewis and Clark or modern day writers such as Paul Theroux or others.
There are many resources worth sharing with students when discussing travel writing:
- Travel Guides- There are dozens of travel guide books available for the modern traveler that mix travel writing and maps in a convenient tome worth looking at. Many students are probably not aware that travel writing is really its own genre with dozens of publishers, books and titles covering many destinations in the world. Books such the DK series or the Lonely Planet Guides become traveler bibles for expats traveling the globe. As we begin our discussion on travel writing, I will introduce some of these titles to students and point out the practicality of such writing in modern times.
- Popular Travel Writing- There are dozens of popular travel writers circling the globe writing fiction and non-fiction. Sharing this genre, the titles and snippets of travel writing of authors such as Paul Theroux and Colin Thubron will serve students well as they prepare to become travel writers themselves. I find the travels of Marco Polo fascinating. He traveled over 25,000 miles from Venice to Asia and back and documented his writing much like modern travel writers continue to do today. I will introduce Marco Polo to students as an exemplary travel writer, utilizing his own words, maps of his journey and the PBS movie “In the footprints of Marco Polo” to hook students on travel writing.
- Travel Blogs-Travel blogs really are an incredible resource that is just a modern, digital version of Marco Polo’s journey across Europe and Asia. There are thousands of travel blogs on the internet that teachers and students can utilize to experience another form of travel writing. Teachers should do their homework in regards to which blogs will be useful for students in the unit, but be forewarned, the incredible photography, stories and number of blogs out there will have you sitting in front of your computer for a while, virtually traveling the world with some very interesting hosts. Start by checking out Maptia.com get a look at some of the best blogs out there.
