diff --git a/lib/minimap-element.coffee b/lib/minimap-element.coffee
index 87c2d8fb..c8494619 100644
--- a/lib/minimap-element.coffee
+++ b/lib/minimap-element.coffee
@@ -9,11 +9,20 @@ class MinimapElement extends HTMLElement
 
   attributeChangedCallback: (attrName, oldValue, newValue) ->
 
-  setModel: (model) ->
+  getModel: -> @minimap
+
+  setModel: (@minimap) -> @minimap
 
   initializeContent: ->
     @shadowRoot = @createShadowRoot()
 
+    @canvas = document.createElement('canvas')
+    @shadowRoot.appendChild(@canvas)
+
+    @visibleArea = document.createElement('div')
+    @visibleArea.classList.add('minimap-visible-area')
+    @shadowRoot.appendChild(@visibleArea)
+
 module.exports = MinimapElement = document.registerElement 'atom-text-editor-minimap', prototype: MinimapElement.prototype
 
 MinimapElement.registerViewProvider = ->
diff --git a/spec/minimap-element-spec.coffee b/spec/minimap-element-spec.coffee
index d2fa45d7..88d26f9e 100644
--- a/spec/minimap-element-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/minimap-element-spec.coffee
@@ -26,3 +26,12 @@ describe 'MinimapElement', ->
 
   it 'has been registered in the view registry', ->
     expect(minimapElement).toExist()
+
+  it 'has stored the minimap as its model', ->
+    expect(minimapElement.getModel()).toBe(minimap)
+
+  it 'has a canvas in a shadow DOM', ->
+    expect(minimapElement.shadowRoot.querySelector('canvas')).toExist()
+
+  it 'has a div representing the visible area', ->
+    expect(minimapElement.shadowRoot.querySelector('.minimap-visible-area')).toExist()