I took an old map of the Boston T (if you're from Boston, you'll notice there used to be an A line!) and simplified it for use with giving directions. Obviously, it's easier to use this map if you're from Boston or spent enough time in Boston to be familiar with the Boston T system.
The powerpoint is to show what kind of cool things are at some of the stops. Since the students have never been to Boston, they have no context for the map. Hopefully, explaining the places will make the students more interested or give them an idea of places they might want to go to.
The last slide of the powerpoint is simply there to hold the unaltered version of the map. It's only for the teacher's use and shouldn't be shown during class.
Some of the names are difficult to pronounce so I'll put how to pronounce them below:
* Waban = wa-bin
* Newton = new-tin
* Boylston = boil-stin
* Lechmere = leach-mere
* Essex = S-six
(Don't you love how "ban," "ton," and "ston" all rhyme for some reason?)
This is a fun idea! I've always found students to be surprisingly interested in something if you say that it's from your home town. Maybe they sense that textbook material is a little too abstract.
Aw, Watertown! That's where I'm from :D Awesome idea, I used the T system to go over directions for my JHS 2nensei and they found it much easier to follow since it's color coded lol