Final Project Ideas

Perreault 1 6th Grade World Geography Final Project Ideas 2012

All projects will be worth 100 points. The grade will count twice much like two test grades. Students may receive extra-credit of up to 50 points for doing more than one project. Rubrics for each project will be available for students who chose those projects. Here are samples of the projects:

I. Voyageurs

The following question I have thought about quite extensively over the last two decades while studying history. This question is very similar to what you would experience as a final exam question for a history course in college. It is very involved and requires a tremendous amount of reflection.

Question: In 2012, are we a more advanced civilization compared to Ancient Civilizations like Greece or Rome?

Process: You will need to compare and contrast our current civilization to two to three of the ancient civilizations you have studied over the last two years. As a guide to compare the civilizations, select 3 of the following:

- Culture - Education - Literature - Technology - Warfare - Laws, Crime, Punishment - Religion - Architecture - Language - Art - Music - Clothing - Sports and Entertainment

Make sure to:  Explain why these ancient civilizations were considered advanced for their time.  List examples from each civilization that support your argument.  Compare the civilizations with our own civilization. (How are we similar)  Contrast the civilizations with our own civilization. (How are we different)  Answer the question, are we more advanced or less advanced compared to these civilizations?

Requirements: Perreault 2

1. Use a Minimum of 5 Scholarly Sources! For every 3 non-electronic sources, you may use 1 online (internet) source. Wikipedia, Ask, and Answer.com are not considered sources, so you may not use them for any reason. 2. Use Index Cards to write out the information you use from your sources. 3. Pre-write. (This is not a draft of your essay, it is a graphic organizer) 4. A well-organized, well-written essay that is typed using 12-inch font (Arial or Times New Roman only), double-spaced, with inch and a half margins. If you play with the margins or fonts, I will know and you will receive a zero. 5. All outside information must be cited in your paper, there will be a zero tolerance for plagiarism. “If you quote it, note it.” (http://www.ncwiseowl.org/blog/plagiarism/students.htm) 6. A works cited/references page must be included with your paper. 7. You may wish to include any evidence on a poster, PowerPoint, or 3-D model. 8. All pre-writes, drafts, index source cards (see step 2), and evidence (see step 7) must be included with your final project. Any missing components will result in the loss of a one whole letter grade per item on the final grade.

II. Globe Trekkers

My Travel Itinerary and Scrapbook:

Objective: Students will have to design a trip to a travel destination in Europe, Caribbean, or South America.

Itinerary will include: a. Destination b. Budget: Cost to travel to, stay, dine and explore this destination. c. Places of interest that you will visit: where will you go, why do you want to go there, and what can you do there… d. Day by Day Itinerary for 10 days

III. Arm Chair Archaeologists

Country/Culture/Event Poster or PowerPoint

Select a topic, a culture, or a country we have studied this past year. All must be from Europe, Caribbean, or South America.

1. Design an informative and visually appealing poster. Perreault 3 2. Follow the rubric closely as this will be the hardest graded assignment. Failure to follow directions and rubric will result in a failing grade.

3. You will have to cite (list) your sources as well.

IV. Navigators

If you have an idea for a project I have not listed, you may be able to do an independent study. You will need to do the following:

1. Select a topic 2. Create a proposal and submit to me a. What will you study? b. How will you study it? c. What type of finished project will you create? 3. Get me to sign off on the project allowing you to do work before you begin! 4. A rubric will be designed for your project outlining my expectations.

Extra Credit:

There is one way to receive extra credit:

1. Select any one of the projects above and complete them according to their directions and rubrics.

For any of these extra credit projects you will receive 50 points extra credit, you may not receive 100 points for a second project.

Only one extra credit project per student is allowed. Additional projects will be accepted but will not be graded .

Important Dates (due dates, etc.)

1. Project Proposal – Friday, April 27, 2012 2. Final Project submission date – Friday, May 25, 2012 3. Last Day to Submit Project (with penalty) – Friday, June 1, 2012 4. Final Exam for Geography – Tuesday, May 29, 2012 5. Last Day of Class – Friday, June 8, 2012 Perreault 4 Please add these dates to your agendas and personal calendars.

Final Projects Are Due on Friday, May 25, 2012 without penalties. 20 points will be subtracted from the EARNED GRADE of the project per day late.

Example: Kobe Bryant turned in his project 3 days late. He earned an 80/100 on the project. For each day his project was late he lossed 20 points off that grade. His final project grade would be a 20/100. We all have deadlines, including teachers, so projects need to be completed within this 5 day window to allow time for it to be graded and submitted by the grade submission deadline established by the Headmaster and Divisional Principals. Projects beyond the 5 day window therefore will not be graded since the score would be 0/100.

Topic Proposal (Due Friday, April 27, 2012):

Students must follow the guidelines for the Project Topic Proposal Sheet. If you cannot print out the form JaguarGeography.wikispaces.com, you may hand copy your own version and that will be accepted (only if it is neat and easily read).

ALL PROJECT TOPICS MUST BE APPROVED BEFORE THE PROJECT BEGINS. STUDENT PROJECTS THAT ARE UNAPPROVED TOPICS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Students may change project topics at any time before Tuesday, May 1, 2012.

Tips and Suggestions: 1. Follow ALL DIRECTIONS and READ the directions. 2. Ask questions if you are unsure about anything (this goes for life too!) 3. Make sure you meet your deadlines. Write down the deadlines in several different locations so you don't forget! 4. Pick a topic that interests you, it will make a better project. 5. Do not pick something because it is easy. Hard Work = Higher Gains (aka better project grade). 6. DO NOT Plagiarize. Download my Citation guide, ask me how to avoid Plagiarism, or go to the NCWise Owl site. 7. Use your time wisely. You have several weeks to complete this project, do not wait until the last minute.