Mission 2 of 5 · about 5 minutes
Start Your Story
Every research report starts with a blank page — today you turn yours into a real StoryMap. By the end of this mission, your El Yunque story will have a title and an opening line.
1
Open the StoryMaps builder
Go to storymaps.arcgis.com in your browser and click Sign in. Use the same ArcGIS account you set up at the Research Station.
No account yet? Loop back to Mission 1 first — you need to be signed in to create a story.
2
Create a new story
Click Create, then choose Story. A blank story template appears — your empty field notebook, waiting for its first entry.
3
Write a strong title
Click the Story Title area and type a title that tells readers where they are going and makes them curious. Try one of these, or invent your own:
- El Yunque: A Living Map
- The Only Tropical Rainforest in America's Forests
- Secrets of El Yunque: Coquís, Parrots, and Rain
A strong title names the place and hints at the mystery. "My Project" tells readers nothing — "The Only Tropical Rainforest in America's Forests" makes them want to know more.
4
Add a short introduction
Right below the title, type 1–2 sentences that welcome readers into your story. For example: "El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. Come explore a green mountain forest full of singing coquís and rare parrots."
Keep it short. The introduction is a trail sign, not the whole hike.
5
Skip the save button
Look around — there is no save button to hunt for. StoryMaps autosaves as you work, so your title and introduction are already safe.
🎉 Mission complete — your story has a name!
Your StoryMap now has a title and an opening line, and it is saving itself as you go. Head to Mission 3 to put the first map into your story.