Process
First your class will divide into 3 or 4 person groups.
Then follow these 10 steps to success:
1. You will decide which of the 3-4 roles you will take for your group (one role per individual in the group). The roles are Teen McQueen, Benita Bookworm, Louisa Logistics, and Carlos Culture. Choose your role carefully as what you choose will be YOUR primary responsibilty.
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Teen McQueen is "el/la capitan". It is his/her parents who are financing this expedition. Most importantly, it is his/her job to lead and to keep the group focused and on task! Still Teen McQueen is all about fun and wants to make sure that the trip won't be a total bore. Teen McQueen has to identify:
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Benita/ Bookworm likes to know all the facts and figures about the places where she travels. She enjoys reading encyclopedias and other reference materials. To help Teen McQueen, Benita Bookworm will find out:
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Louisa/Louis is VERY organized. S/he is responsible for staying within the trip budget (TBD). This budget needs to keep in mind the members of Teen McQueen's family: 2 adults and 2 children. S/he will find out:
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Carlos/Carla wants to learn all s/he can about the people and places of the destination. At the very least, s/he wants to know:
For three person groups, every group member will be responsible for these culture elements.
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2. While Teen McQueen and Louisa Logistics visit the teacher to find out the budget for their trip (this will be somewhere between $4,000-14,000), Carlos Culture and Benita Bookworm should begin brainstorming destination locations.
3. As a group, you need to decide where you will go.
Look at one of these map websites or use the following links to assist your decision making:
- Lonely Planet Travel Guide
- Fodor's Travel Guide
- Eco-travels around the world
- Trip Advisor
Once you have decided your destination, find a map of the location that interests you and print this out for final approval from your teacher. At this time, you will also need to let your teacher know who is playing which character role.
4. Start planning your trip by filling in the Fact Sheet for your character. Completed Fact Sheets will need to be turned in to your teacher for review. Be prepared to meet with Louisa's, etc. from other groups to compare facts and practice your speaking.
5. With all the information and data you've gathered, work together to choose your final five(5) destinations.
These are the five sites you will recommend to your "parent" teacher through the poster and oral presentation.
Remember that you will need to know how to give directions in Spanish to each of your destinations. You will also be responsible for knowing every element that needs to be presented, as the part YOU present on will be chosen at random.
The oral presentation is expected to be rich in pertinent travel vocabulary (chapter 6 of Ven Conmigo 2), commands on how to get to 5 sites from the hotel/lodgings, and suggestions (ch. 5) on what do do while there.
Make sure you follow these guidelines and stay within your budget.
from the Perry Castaneda Map Library
Mexico |
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Print these pages out and, when completed (the due date will be given to you by your teacher don't forget late work will be penalized), turn them in to your teacher for review. Each person's sheets will be reviewed and given a class participation grade (10 points) and a homework grade (x2 so 20 points) for his/her work.
The Poster should be visually attractive and neat.
All words should be written in Spanish (with correct spelling and grammar) unless prior approval by the teacher is given.
The poster should include:
- the destination: country and city/region
- a visual map of the country
- a map of your region/city
- a visual for each of the five "sites'" you are pitching to the "parent" teacher
- Pertinent information about each of the five sites you chose
- Proper credit for images and information included on the poster
- ribbon or string or some such thing tracing your route
- on the back the names of all the participants
The Oral Presentation should :
- Allow each group participant to speak equally (maybe divide the 5 sites among you with descriptions and commands)
- Demonstrate each group member's knowledge of all elements of the trip
- Be professional, each member should maintain good posture and presence during their report
- Not exceed 10 minutes
- Include...
- at least 5 commands (rest can be suggestions) on how to get to each of your five sites
- a brief (4-5 sentence) description of each of the chosen sites
- plenty (at least 5 words per group participant) of the travel vocabulary in chapter 6 of Ven Conmigo 2
For more information, review the Evaluation page.
6. At the third library visit, your group will meet with your teacher to check progress on fact sheets, travel plan and understanding of the project. Use these Resources, if you haven't already, to help with this.
7. Once you have all of the pieces at hand, work together as a group to begin to make your poster. For help with images and other resources, look here.
8. Finally! Prepare your oral presentation. Make sure each group member knows all of the details for your trip. For practice with speech and vocabulary check these resources.
9. You are now ready to Check Your Work! Make sure you've done all the pieces required including
- Fact Sheets
- Stayed within your budget
- Printed Map of Country
- Images of tourist destinations
- Poster (with all it's elements)
- Elements for the Oral Presentation
- Any other handouts from your teacher
10. As the project nears its end, consider the following. Don't be surprised if you are asked to
write a response to one or more of these questions:
- What were three surprising things you learned about the location you chose?
- For best results, how long would it take to really plan for the trip you're designing?
- Your group had to stay within a budget: was this budget realistic? did budgets make a difference for a group's trip? how did the money you spent compare to the income of the country you visited?
- Is there a difference in traveling with a group as opposed to traveling by yourself? Which would you prefer?
- Could you see yourself (and/or your family) taking a trip to a Spanish speaking country?
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Resources for:
** Don't be afraid to explore links outside of your character's listings. **
Books: Your library has many books that will help you with this project. This is a listing of just a few of those available in our library, check the card catalog for location and more information.
2007 World Almanac
The World Book Encyclopedia of People and Places (6 vols.)
Latin American History and Culture (5 vols.)
Latin America (4 vols.)
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Latin America
Websites
Espanole
http://www.espanole.org/
Choose your area of interest from the categories listed to find information you might find useful for your area
Countries and More
http://www.nevada.edu/~brunelle/resources.html
This resource page from the webquest Teen Travel Experts includes links for information on Spain, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Guatemala as well as some general information websites.
Travel Destinations
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations
The Lonely Planet's website has travel information for all types of locations, and specializing on planning with a tight budget. Choose your destination from the world map, and start exploring.
Portals to the World
http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html
Find your country among those listed and you will be led to links related to economy or culture. All of these sites have been reviewed and selected by a team of researchers and librarians.
South American Tourism Directory
http://www.tourismbureau.info/southamerica.html
Find your South American country listed here, and you will be taken to the country's tourism site where you should find lots of information about history, culture, lifestyle and more.
Spain Tourist Information
http://www.spain.info
Read this site in English or Spanish to find out about all the great destinations and activities available in this country. This is the country's national tourism site.
Central America Tourist Information
http://www.visitecentroamerica.com/index.php?id=489
This site, in Spanish, has lots of great information on sights and highlights in different Central American countries. If your country is in this region, take a look at all that is offered here.
Central American Tourism Directory
http://www.tourismbureau.info/centralamerica.html
If your country is in Central America, this directory will give you the link to the nation's tourism website. Check it out!
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Websites
Country and City Tours
http://www.langlink.net/langlink/detail.aspx?id=spanish
Assorted links to various tourist agencies in specific countries, if you want to travel, this is a great place to explore. Share this link with Louisa Logistics, when considering how to budget for the trip.
Sports in Spain
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Deportes/?Language=en
From the tourism site of Spain, this website gives great information about the athletic scene in Spain.
Adventure Engine Search Engine
http://www.adventureengine.com/index.php?currencyChange=1
Search through this website for exciting adventure opportunities around the world. There are options for "Family Activities" and you can also search by type of activity.
Travel with Kids
http://www.travelforkids.com/main.htm
This website specifically focuses on family travel tips and options. Search this site for activities the whole family could enjoy. See if this site has any recommendations for what to do on rainy days.
Family Travel Options
http://family-travel.tauck.com/
This is a company sponsored site, so keep this in mind when looking at the cost and options that are given.
Markets of Latin America
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bluelist/index.cfm?fa=main.viewList&list_id=3908
When in your country any of these markets may be just the place to see local culture in action and purchase authentic souveniers. Not every country is listed here, this does not mean that country does not have a good market.
Adventure Life - South & Central America Tours
http://www.adventure-life.com/
This adventure outfitter has activites in South & Central America. Some are geared toward the whole family. Use this site to help you decide what adventurous activities you want to recommend.
Adventuras Panama
http://www.aventuraspanama.com/WGIRAS/GIRAS_EN/panamaadventuretrips.htm
This website has lots of great tour options if you are planning to visit Panama. Some of the travel expeditions even enter Costa Rica.
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Books: Your library has many books that will help you with this project. This is a listing of just a few of those available in our library, check the card catalog for location and more information.
Major World Nations series: This useful selection of books, gives information on the politics, environment, and history of a specific country.
People and Places Encyclopedia: Arranged alphabetically by country, this 6 volume series, will have information and images relating to your country's economics, politics, resources, and more.
World Almanac: Filled with facts and figures on all sorts of things, check this book for information on your country. This comes out yearly, so look for the most recent edition.
World Book Encyclopedia: Don't forget to check this set, since it's one of Bonita's favorites.
Websites
CIA World Factbook
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
Use the pull down menu at the top of the page to select the country you are researching. Constantly updated and maintained, this site gives a variety of information about a country. You can answer almost all your fact sheet questions here.
Country at a Glance
http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation/index.asp
Once you've chosen your country from the map, the main Overview page gives lots of useful information about about that country including surface area, GDP, and more.
Country Information from InfoPlease
http://www.infoplease.com/countries.html
Find your country for important information. You can also get "at a glance" information, currency, politics, AND calculate travel distances.
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Books: Your library has many books that will help you with this project. This is a listing of just a few of those available in our library, check the card catalog for location and more information.
2007 World Almanac You'll be amazed at the information you can find in this tiny book about everything
Enchantment of the World series, "Chapter 6" In any country book in this series this chapter is focused on a nation's economy
Websites:
Travel Essentials
http://www.travelforkids.com/Travelessentials/travelessentials.htm
Here is a listing of links related to traveling with a family, including packing and tips on eating out for less.
Trip Planner
http://www.travelforkids.com/Travelessentials/tripplanner.htm
A list of important elements to keep in mind when making the plans for your trip. Also includes some useful links.
TravclZoo SuperSearch - Airfare
http://supersearch.travelzoo.com/?source=0099
Find inexpensive airfare here. Remember, you are planning for 4. Choosing their homepage (www.travelzoo.com) you can also search for hotels, rental cars, and more.
cFares - Airfare, Flight Tickets, and more
http://www.cfares.com/?refcd=YH406954e_international_travel
Another possible site for finding the best price to your destination. There is also information on hotels. Remember you are traveling with 4 in your "family".
Kayak Travel - Airfare, Hotels, Deals, and more
http://www.kayak.com/
A website for finding cheap airfare, hotel costs, and other travel accomodation information.
FX Converter- Currency Converter for 164 Countries
http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic
A useful site for finding out how much $1.00 is worth in other countries.
Country at a Glance
http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation/index.asp
Choose your country from this map and view the Economy link to find out how your country compares to the U.S. The Overview link also gives information about currency.
Europe Train Traveling Guide
http://www.traintraveling.com/europe/index.shtml
Visiting Spain? Taking the train to and from destinations could help keep the trip within your budget.
Latin America Train Traveling Guide
http://www.traintraveling.com/latam_carib/index.shtml
While this site may look a bit confusing, it has lots of great information about how to get from one location to another via the train. This could save you and your "family" money.
Route planning
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/map_sites/route_sites.html
Explore these links to learn how to get from one destination to another
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Books: Your library has many books that will help you with this project. This is a listing of just a few of those available in our library, check the card catalog for location and more information.
The Americas CultureGram 2006
Argentina: A primary source cultural guide by Theodore Link and Rose McCarthy
Culture and Customs of Guatemala by Maureen Shea
Fiesta! A portrait of the country through its festivals and traditions
Bolivia
Chile
Guatemala
Puerto Rico
Spain
The Indigenous People of the Caribbean edited by Samuel M. Wilson
Mexico: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary Culture and History
Spain: Travel Guide
Websites:
Culture and History
http://www.langlink.net/langlink/language.aspx?lang=spanish&cat=2
This site, a part of Language Link, currently lists 13 different websites that may relate to your country and its culture. Includes information on the Basque and Maya.
Indigenous People
http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/indigenous/index.asp
This resource, sponsored by the United Nations, helps define the term "indigenous" and includes information on people from Guatemala and Amazon tribes.
Markets of Latin America
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bluelist/index.cfm?fa=main.viewList&list_id=3908
When in your country any of these markets may be just the place to see local culture in action and purchase authentic souveniers. Not every country is listed here, this does not mean that country does not have a good market.
Virtual Tour of Spanish Society
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/spanish/paseo/espana/spindex.htm
Take a look at this website to learn more about the religious life of the Spanish people and more about their culture in general. To change the language, click the "en ingles" button.
Language and Culture of Spain
http://www.sispain.org/english/language/
Assorted links to cultural and popular locations in Spain. If this is where you're sending the McQueens, you'll find a lot here.
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Atlas of Central America and the Caribbean
Images
MorgueFile
http://www.morguefile.com/archive/
This website is where photo and digital images have gone to storage. They are now open to the public, so long as proper credit is given for using the image. Search for your destinations or other pictures you might want to include in your poster.
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/
From the University of Texas, many of these maps can be used without permissions. Though remember to cite the source!
Pics 4 Learning
http://pics.tech4learning.com/index.php?view=sub&cat=Countries
This website has images you can use for educational purposes, and includes information on how to cite the images used.
Design Elements
1001 Fonts
www.1001fonts.com
You can't download these fonts onto a school computer, but you might find a font here that could help make your presentation even better.
Graphic Design Principles Index
http://www.math.duke.edu/education/ccp/resources/write/design/graphicindex.html
This website lists 39 elements professional designers pay attention to. While you aren't a professional, beginning to understand #4, #10, #18, and #25, could help you with your final product.
Citing Sources
Cite Right: A Quick Guide to Citation Styles by Charles Lipson. This useful Reference can help you give proper credit for your sources
MLA Handbook A Reference book with all types of examples for how to give credit to images and resources
NoodleTools NoodleBib Express
http://www.noodletools.com
Under Free Tools, choose NoodleBib Express to properly credit your images on your poster
Books: Aside from your class textbook, your library has several books that can help you with the vocabulary for this project. Check the card catalog for location and more information.
501 Spanish Verbs
The Firefly Spanish/English Visual Dictionary
NTC's Spanish and English Dictionary
Webster's Family Spanish-English Dictionary
You can also Practice your Spanish with these Websites:
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/talk/directions/ Watch videos and play matching games related to the spanish language and directions. There are other useful links included here too.
- http://www.spanish.bz/activity-directions.htm Fill in this worksheet of common directional terms
- http://www.spanish.cc/direct.htm Use these online flash cards to remember your words and their pronunciations
- http://iteslj.org/v/s/ac-directions.html Make sure you know which words are which
- http://www.stolaf.edu/people/hansonr/spanish/directions/index.htm True or False self study quiz
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Still having trouble finding information? Try these search options...
Searchmash
Portals to the World
http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html
Find your country among those listed and you will be led to links related to economy or culture. All of these sites have been reviewed and selected by a team of researchers and librarians.
Adventure Engine Search Engine
http://www.adventureengine.com/index.php?currencyChange=1
Search through this website for exciting adventure opportunities around the world. There are options for "Family Activities" and you can also search by type of activity.
***Still dazed and confused? Contact your teacher and/or librarian for personal assistance.***