Ride with the Watsons.

I am guessing by now you have found out that we, the weird Watsons, are on a road trip to Birmingham, AL to drop the “lipless wonder” off with Grandma Sands. Momma has put a great deal of work into planning this trip and if only her plan would have worked we may have been able to see all the sites between here and Alabama- however Dad and his smooth self had the jive idea that we could drive right through. We did, but now Momma has assigned Joey and me to research about all the sights we might have missed.

 

That is where you come into play, as our travel partner you are going to help us find, discover, and explore our travel route.  There are special facts and sites we must see and to prove to momma we saw them and we now know what they are all about we have got to write in our own travel journal about it. You know momma too, if she says do it we got to or else- you do remember to finger to the flame, right?

 

This “summer learning opportunity” as she calls it will determine if we get to have any fun the rest of the summer – she is even going to grade how well we do. (She reminds me of that old teacher, Mrs. Lee, using a rubric and all- she expects nothing less that perfect.)

 

Well time is a wastin’ and we only got 1 hour on this here computer so lets get ready to begin.  Our game plan is to take the questions in order and work quick and quiet so we can finish up before time to leave.


 




How we plan to get this done- PROCESS

Using the websites provided with each question below find out the following and write the answers your journal pages.  Be sure you write answers in complete sentences so they make sense to anyone who might read them, there could be nothing worse than Momma making us do this over.


Discovery objective 1- Know where you from.  (10 points)

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Dad always said, “Until you  know where you from how do you know where to go.”

We need to know more about Flint, use these two websites to find out more.
http://www.cityofflint.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint%2C_Michigan

What is the average temperature in summer and winter for Flint?

What is Flint known as the home to?


           

·        Using the map of Michigan at this link http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Flint&state=MI

In what area of the state is Flint (north, south, east,…)?

Also using the Map what other large cities are close to Flint?

Name 2 major interstates or highways that are close by.


Discovery Objective 2-  Know how you gonna get there (10 points)

Photo of I-75

·        Preview and read this wiki  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_75

on Interstate 75

Look for facts about the length of the total interstate. 

Also find out in what city I-75 begins and end?

How long did it take them to build the interstate?

 

·        Using www.mapquest.com find the directions it gives from Flint, MI to Birmingham, AL. 

 Write the total miles and estimated driving time.

Does mapquest still recommend I-75 the entire way, if not tell the major highways that are suggested for this trip if it were happened in 2009.

 


Discovery Objective 3- know what you gonna’ see and why  (10 points)

·        Day one we saw Detroit and Tiger Stadium- http://www.tigerstadiumdetroit.com/

Find out when this stadium was built and what sports type team played here, what is going on with the stadium now, is it still in use?

 

·        Moving into Ohio use the state website to find out when it became a state and its 3 largest cities by population. http://www.50states.com/ohio.htm

 

 

·        We know what the Watson’s encountered in Cincinnati- a bad rest area- today by looking at the city’s website http://www.cincinnatiusa.com/

for tourist what are three major tourist attractions that you think would interest the Watson family- be sure to give a description of each and then tell which family member would like which ones and why, momma will want to know why these three attractions are worth our time and money.

 

·        There has always been debate as to if Ohio is a northern or southern state and since people always talk about the Mason Dixon line when the debate of north and south comes up we have been assigned to find out exactly what that is. Momma says we need to find this out our own way- She did suggest we use www.google  to find out what the Mason Dixon line is. Better be good at finding out the most important facts and making a list of ‘em about  this so-called line of separation. I know Momma won’t settle for less than 5 facts.

 

·        Welcome to Tennessee- home of the __________ mountains fill in this blank with information from you would find in a book at our public library. The link to the library where you can search for books by subjects is this, http://www.infodepot.org/

when you find a title of a book that you know would give the mountain range in Tennessee (not just any mountain) write the title and author in your journal  (do not forget book titles are underlined)

 

·        Because we had never seen the mountains it was hard for us to describe what they looked like- find a poem on one of these website that describes the Mountains as you imaged them in the book. Cut and paste your favorite poem into a word document, be sure to type your name on there as well and then print it(not too long, keep it under a page- you know momma would have fit you wastin’ paper and ink)

Poem Links

http://www.poetseers.org/themes/poetic_themes/mountain_poems/view

 

 

·        Dad keeps talking about what is going on in Alabama and I just can’t wrap my head around the idea of being treated bad because we are black. On the following website choose 1 image of the Civil Rights cruelty that you feel really shows how bad it was –

 

http://photos.state.gov/galleries/usinfo-photo/39/civil_rights_07/15.html

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/features/moore/attackedFrame.shtml

 

               Describe using your sensory vocabulary in two sentences what you see in the picture- ALSO Right click on your photo and save picture as your name in the shared drive for our class. **Make sure to name and save this picture into Lee/your class folder for a later assignment

Discovery Objective 4- Know where you goin’ (10 points)

 

·        Using the wiki site, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham,_Alabama

Find the following questions

·        What is the average temperature in winter and summer for Birmingham, AL.

·        What year was the Civil Rights Act of Birmingham passed?

 

·        Using this link to Birmingham’s city site, http://www.birminghamchamber.com/visiting/facts.html

 

Read over the 10 interesting quick facts about the city pick one you find most interesting and write a brief summary of what that fact is. (when she says a summary she is meaning a complete well developed sentence so she can tell you really read it all)

         


Grading - THIS IS THE IMPORTANT FINE PRINT!

In all if you answer all the questions in each Discovery Objective you will have 40 points- these will be graded for a project grade.

Answers must be in complete sentences and must be written in the travel journal. Any projects not completed will be graded as is. This is to be completed in class and on your own.

There will be make up for excused absences in the library during recess time. Any work missed due to ISS will be made up with alternative research from library resources.