As you sail up a river, you may see large portions of land right out in the water. There are pieces of land out in the ocean too. The water surrounds them on all sides. We call such portions of land islands.

If you stood on the shore, how could you get to an island out in the water?

How could you get there if you had no boat?

Some islands are joined to the shores by bridges.

Many islands are no larger than a room. Others are so large that it would take days to travel around them. Whether they are large or small, they have water entirely around them.

There are many kinds of islands. Some are all wooded. Some are rocky and steep. Some are sandy with palm trees. Others are covered with fields.

Some of us have been to a large island that has been built up into a city.

Study the old illustration of New York City below (Manhattan Island). When the New York boys and girls want to leave their city, they must either travel in a boat, over a bridge, or through a tunnel far under a river. Hypothesize why this is true.

Notebook Work: Label the top of your notebook page with "LESSON 6." In your notebook, draw your own island and label it "ISLAND." Draw the blue water that fully encircles your island.

What kind of island will you draw? Will it be a pirate island, a forested lake island, a tropical vacation paradise, or perhaps a city island like Manhattan Island below?