National Park Tour: A Metric System Explanation
Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, as travel ambassadors, design and present a comprehensive National Park tour for a foreign exchange student, using the metric system to highlight its unique features and significance while ensuring clear and engaging communication?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How can we effectively communicate the wonders of a National Park to someone unfamiliar with it?
- How can we use the metric system to describe distances and measurements accurately?
- What makes this National Park significant and worth visiting?
- How can we organize information in a clear and engaging way to inform others about our trip?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Students will be able to plan a detailed itinerary for a National Park tour.
- Students will be able to convert measurements to the metric system and use them to describe points of interest.
- Students will be able to present information clearly and engagingly to a foreign exchange student.
- Students will be able to evaluate and trace arguments and claims about the National Park's significance.
- Students will be able to write informative texts with clear organization, incorporating metric measurements and points of interest
Reading Informational Text
Writing
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsMetric Travel Fails
Students watch a short, engaging video showcasing common travel mistakes made by tourists unfamiliar with the metric system in National Parks. They then brainstorm solutions and create a 'Metric Travel Guide' for foreign exchange students, highlighting key points of interest and practical metric conversions.The Broken Model
A park ranger presents the class with a 'broken' scale model of a National Park, where all measurements are in non-standard units. The ranger challenges the students to reconstruct the model using the metric system, planning a tour that highlights key features and explains their significance to a foreign exchange student.Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Park Claims Investigator
Students will explore various resources about their chosen National Park, focusing on the arguments and claims made about its significance. They will analyze park brochures, websites, and articles to identify key reasons why the park is considered important, and evaluate the evidence provided to support these claims.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed analysis of the arguments and claims made about the National Park, including a summary of the evidence supporting these claims and an evaluation of their validity.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers RI.6.8 (Trace and evaluate an author’s argument and claims).Tour Blueprint Architect
Students will begin drafting an outline for their National Park tour presentation, focusing on clear organization and logical sequencing of information. They will structure their presentation to include an introduction, descriptions of key points of interest, practical metric conversions, and a conclusion.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed outline of the National Park tour presentation, including key points of interest, metric conversions, and a logical sequence of information.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers W.6.2 (Write informative/explanatory texts with clear organization).Metric Tour Scriptwriter
Students will develop the script for their tour, integrating their research on the park's significance with metric details about each point of interest. The script should explain why each location is important, using facts and data gathered from the park's resources, and include metric conversions to help the foreign exchange student understand the scale and scope of the park.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA complete script for the National Park tour, including explanations of the park's significance and metric conversions for each point of interest.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers W.6.2 (Write informative/explanatory texts with clear organization), RI.6.8 (Trace and evaluate an author’s argument and claims).Visual Tour Guide Designer
Students create visual aids to accompany their presentation, such as maps, diagrams, and photos. These visuals should enhance the audience's understanding of the park’s features and significance. Visuals must use metric measurements in the labels and descriptions.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA set of visual aids (maps, diagrams, photos) to accompany the tour presentation, incorporating metric measurements and clear labels.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers W.6.2 (Write informative/explanatory texts with clear organization).Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioNational Park Tour Portfolio Rubric
Claims Analysis
Focuses on the student's ability to critically examine and understand the arguments and claims made about the National Park's significance.Argument and Claim Identification
Analyzes park resources to identify key arguments and claims about the park’s significance.
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates sophisticated analysis of park resources, identifying nuanced arguments and claims with exceptional insight.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates thorough analysis of park resources, identifying key arguments and claims effectively.
Developing
2 PointsShows emerging analysis of park resources, identifying some arguments and claims inconsistently.
Beginning
1 PointsShows initial analysis of park resources, struggling to identify arguments and claims.
Evidence Evaluation
Summarizes and evaluates the evidence provided to support the claims, assessing validity effectively.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a comprehensive and insightful evaluation of the evidence, demonstrating exceptional critical thinking and sophisticated understanding of validity.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a clear and effective evaluation of the evidence, demonstrating thorough critical thinking and understanding of validity.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a limited evaluation of the evidence, demonstrating basic critical thinking and a partial understanding of validity.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides an insufficient evaluation of the evidence, demonstrating minimal critical thinking and limited understanding of validity.
Tour Structure
Focuses on the student's ability to structure the tour presentation effectively, ensuring that the information is organized, logical, and includes metric conversions.Organizational Clarity
Organizes the tour presentation with a clear and logical sequence of information.
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates sophisticated organization, presenting information in an exceptionally clear, logical, and engaging sequence that enhances audience understanding.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates thorough organization, presenting information in a clear and logical sequence.
Developing
2 PointsShows emerging organization, presenting information with some logical sequence but occasional inconsistencies.
Beginning
1 PointsShows initial organization, struggling to present information in a clear or logical sequence.
Metric Integration
Incorporates necessary metric conversions accurately and appropriately for each point of interest.
Exemplary
4 PointsIncorporates metric conversions seamlessly and innovatively, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of their relevance and enhancing the audience's understanding of scale.
Proficient
3 PointsIncorporates metric conversions accurately and appropriately, demonstrating a thorough understanding of their relevance.
Developing
2 PointsIncorporates some metric conversions, but with occasional inaccuracies or inconsistencies in their application.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to incorporate metric conversions, with frequent inaccuracies or a lack of relevance to the points of interest.
Script Quality
Focuses on the quality and depth of the script, ensuring it explains the park's significance, integrates research, and includes metric details.Descriptive Detail
Develops detailed and engaging descriptions of each point of interest, explaining its significance effectively.
Exemplary
4 PointsDevelops exceptionally detailed and engaging descriptions, showcasing a sophisticated understanding of each point's significance and captivating the audience.
Proficient
3 PointsDevelops detailed and engaging descriptions, effectively explaining the significance of each point of interest.
Developing
2 PointsDevelops descriptions with some detail, but struggles to fully explain the significance of each point of interest.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides limited descriptions, failing to adequately explain the significance of each point of interest.
Evidence Integration
Incorporates evidence and arguments from research to support the presentation, enhancing credibility.
Exemplary
4 PointsIncorporates evidence and arguments seamlessly and persuasively, enhancing the presentation's credibility with exceptional insight and sophistication.
Proficient
3 PointsIncorporates evidence and arguments effectively, enhancing the presentation's credibility.
Developing
2 PointsIncorporates some evidence and arguments, but integration is inconsistent or lacks impact.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to incorporate evidence and arguments effectively, missing opportunities to enhance the presentation's credibility.
Visual Aid Effectiveness
Focuses on the effectiveness and quality of the visual aids used to support the presentation, ensuring they are clear, engaging, and use metric measurements.Visual Selection
Selects visuals that are appropriate and enhance the audience's understanding of the park's features.
Exemplary
4 PointsSelects visuals with exceptional insight and creativity, enhancing the audience's understanding in profound and innovative ways.
Proficient
3 PointsSelects visuals that are appropriate and effectively enhance the audience's understanding.
Developing
2 PointsSelects visuals that are somewhat appropriate, but with limited enhancement of audience understanding.
Beginning
1 PointsSelects visuals that are inappropriate or fail to enhance the audience's understanding.
Metric Accuracy in Visuals
Incorporates metric measurements into the visuals accurately and clearly.
Exemplary
4 PointsIncorporates metric measurements into visuals with exceptional accuracy and clarity, enhancing the visual appeal and informational value in an innovative manner.
Proficient
3 PointsIncorporates metric measurements into visuals accurately and clearly.
Developing
2 PointsIncorporates metric measurements into visuals with some inaccuracies or lack of clarity.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to incorporate metric measurements into visuals effectively.