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

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, and a final report 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 Chicago and South Florida
- Research information about the course and the region
- Create a paper with a map of their planned route and timeline

Project - The 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 paper completing the following requirements:

Your Day Off:

Your task is to duplicate Ferris' goals and objectives, but in the region of South Florida, not Chicago.  Follow these guidelines:

a. Jurisdiction - your travels must begin at your home, 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. Give a complete timeline of the days' events, describing all locations, and modes of transportation. 

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).  A minimum of eight total locations must be visited:

Symbolic (Sears Tower) - travel to a location of significance (historic/scenic)

Business/Economic (Mercantile Exchange) - visit a place of business that deals with the exchange of goods or capital; not including a store, mall, or shopping center

Culinary (Chez Quis) - dine at a "high quality" restaurant for lunch

Athletic (Wrigley Field) - must be a paid event; college, semi-pro, or professional

Artistic (Art Institute) - visit a museum or some attraction with an artistic focus

Cultural (Von Steuben Day Parade) - must coincide with a major South Florida event

Environmental (Glencoe Beach) - visit a beach, park, or some place representative of South Florida

* Identify why you chose the selected locations/events; be sure to defend all choices. 

d. Map - A map depicting your travels and highlighting the selected locations will bolster the project's validity and reliability.  The map must be included within the paper.

Final Advice -
-  use the "geographic jargon" (THREE terms from each course unit). 

-  have a solid background regarding all material
-  use 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

* Graphs, charts, and other illustrations may be included - but are not required.

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