DISCLAIMER: In no way does Mr. Snyder condone the actual skipping of class or school to complete this project. Any unexcused absence may be dealt with according to the guidelines of the Student Handbook. Have a nice day. ☺
I.
Rationale:
THERE AND BACK AGAIN
What better way to end off the year than where we
began?
In the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris and his friends skipped
school, and in the process went through a travelogue of the city of Chicago.
Your task is to duplicate Ferris' goals and objectives, but in the region of
South Florida, not Chicago. Research, map exercises, a final report,
presentation, and debate will allow
you to demonstrate your mastery of human geography.
II. Instructional
Procedures:
(Time Required: Five Class Periods)
Part One: Defining Geography
1. Core Activity #1 - Review the 1986 Guidelines for
Geographic Education and the "Five Themes of
Geography."
2. Core Activity #2 - Focus on the following terms that pertain to the topical units and vocabulary learned throughout the course. These terms must be used in the final paper.
Part Two: Organizing your "Day Off"
The students will:
- Read and analyze maps of South Florida
- Research information about the course and the region
- Create a paper with a map of their planned route
- Engage in a debate
Project Goals
-
Noting pertinent facts and evidence
through research, and highlightingmaps of South Florida, students should
be able to complete their arguments as to the viability of their planned route.
Students must be prepared to present their planned routes, and be able to back
up their arguments with evidence.
1. Participation
- The quality of student participation in planning, group participation, and class discussions will be assessed.
2. Paper - The paper's grade will be based on the students' effort and
ability to recognize, analyze, and use the tools of geographic analysis. Each
group must submit a type-written paper completing the following requirements:
Refer to Ferris Bueller's Blueprint - Ferris' day off brought him and his companions to several locations around the Chicago area. To complete your task, you must visit a minimum of eight locations and/or events. Furthermore, you must follow these guidelines:
a. Jurisdiction - your travels must begin at your homes, and end at your
home. They must take you no further than the boundaries of Miami-Dade,
Broward, or Palm Beach counties. In addition, your travels must take you
into at least two of the three different counties.
b. Time - The clock starts at 8:00 am and ends at 6:00 pm. The journey must occur during a school day, and must be no more or less than a year from the last day of school this year.
c. Locales and Events - you must travel to each of the following types of locations/events in any order of your choosing (Ferris' equivalent is in parentheses). Eight total locations must be visited.
Symbolic (Sears Tower)
Business/Economic (Mercantile Exchange) - must visit a place of business that deals with the exchange of goods or capital; not including a store, mall, or shopping center
Culinary (Chez Quiz) - must dine at a fancy restaurant for lunch
Athletic (Wrigley Field) - must be a paid event; college, semi-pro, or professional
Artistic (Art Institute)
Cultural (Von Steuben Day Parade) - must coincide with a major South Florida event
Environmental (Glencoe Beach)
d. Support your claims - give a complete timeline of the days' events, describing all locations, and modes of transportation. Explain why you chose the selected locations/events; be sure to defend all choices. Support all your chosen locations/events with facts and figures. Graphs, charts, and other illustrations may be included - but are not required. Be sure to use the "geographic jargon" (5 terms from each course unit).
e. Compare and Contrast - there are many ways in which the natural and cultural landscape of South Florida differs from the greater Chicago area; compare and/or contrast TWO ways. Each region possesses different elements and proposes different challenges. Discuss why your challenges are unique and/or similar to Ferris'.
f. Map - A map depicting your travels and highlighting the selected locations will bolster the project's validity and reliability. The map must be attached to the final paper.
g. Additional Elements - The font of the paper should be Times New Roman (size 12), with 1.5 spacing, and no more than 1" margins. Any term used in the paper must be bold, underlined, and italicized. Each paper must include a works cited page, and a section outlining the amount of work each member of the partnership/triad contributed to final product.
3. Presentation (One to Two Class Periods) – Each group will prepare a five to ten minute presentation highlighting their route and locations visited. Evidence must be presented to prove the trip could be completed in the time allotted. No visual is required; but it can't hurt.
4. Debate - a friendly debate will conclude the project requirements. Students will follow Robert's Rules of Order (e.g., points, motions, etc.) to determine which locations and events are best.
Final Advice -
- have a solid background regarding all material
- have plenty of evidence to back up claims
- seek to educate everyone in the group about the important facts and concepts
behind specific positions
- be decisive in your answers
- be creative