Narrative Description: This unit is intended for an 8th grade Social Studies class. After choosing one of the forty-nine states as a vacation site, the students will conduct preliminary research, then decide on a city to visit. They will recommend 3 hotels, 3 restaurants, and 3 attractions within the city during Spring Break. This will provide an opportunity to develop language arts and social studies skills, as well as knowledge and competence in using technology. A variation of this unit would involve limiting their state to Hawai'i.

Instructional Objectives:

1. Utilize communication skills - listening, speaking, reading, writing
2. Research through various technological resources - Internet, CD-roms, videos, etc.
3. Use community resources - library, travel agencies, etc.
4. Create a presentation using Hyperstudio which includes facts about their state.

Activities:

1. Introduce unit to students. Show samples of final projects.
2. Students brainstorm and choose a state to research.
3. Visit library - learn to use different resources (i.e. books, periodicals, reference, Internet, CD-roms, Hawaii FYI, etc.) Lessons on the various resources may take several sessions. 
4. Students will learn to create a presentation on Hyperstudio.
5. Students will gather information and work on their final presentation.
6. Present projects.
7. Evaluation

Resources:

• http://www.city.net
• http://www.citysearch.com
• http://www.metroscope.com
• http://www.scvol.com/states/main.htm
• http://usacitylink.com//visitcity.html
• http://usacitylink.com//
• http://www.ehnr.state.nc.us/EHNR/files/usa.htm
• http://www.roadsideamerica.com

  Evaluation/Assessment:

• Criteria will be used to evaluate students' final presentation based on content, communication skills, use of technology and community resources, and other assignment requirements.

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