Created by Danaé Clohan
Jordan Middle School, Palo Alto, CA

You are part of a team of elite explorers.  You began your latest voyage at the beginning of the summer.  It has been 50 days since you left your home country and you have yet to see land.  You and the rest of the crew are beginning to talk about turning back as supplies are running low.  As you prepare to go to sleep one night, you hear cries of excitement.  Land has been spotted!  The next morning, the crew anchors the ship just off an uncharted coastline.  Plans are made to send you and three others to land to look for food and fresh water.  After you find provisions, you become curious to see more of this new land and eventually convince the captain to stay for a few weeks.  What do you find as you head inland to explore?

Task

You will be assigned to an Aztec Team or a Maya Team.  On your team, you will find several experts (mathematician, historian, anthropologist, archeologist).  As you explore this new region, you will find an established civilization.  Enter this civilization as an observer.  Collect information, take photos, and collect artifacts all in your interest area.  Keep everything in your personal journal. When you return to the ship for the voyage home, you will discuss and share information with your team.  Before you land at your home country, you and your team will need to prepare a presentation of findings to present to your country's ruler.

Process

ïEach member of your team should choose a specialty area. 
ïKeep an e-journal of all findings and resources. 
ïSearch the sites of your civilization listed in your specialty. 
ïRecord interesting and informative information in your journal (don't forget to include the sources).
ïDiscuss and share all findings with your team.
ïAs a group, be prepared to answer these questions:
    ïHow are the myths/folk tales of a civilization related to how the civilization runs itself?
    ïWhat are the scientific/technological/artistic advances evident in these ancient civilizations?
    ïWhat are the mathematical/scientific calculations behind the civilization's calendar?
    ïHow did the geography affect the farming, agriculture, hunting, and trade practices of the civilization?
    ïHow do religious beliefs and common cultural practices compare and contrast to modern day?
    ïWhat are the common ways that a civilization manages the behavior of its people?
ïPrepare a web site with your team's findings. 
 

As you set off on your inland exploration, keep in mind the following criteria to make note of as you navigate through your civilization's web sites:
 

Also keep in mind that your journal  will serve as your notes with which to compose your published piece. You will publish your findings as a web site  to present to your country's ruler.

As a group, you will:

    1. Discuss all of your discoveries with your team.
    2. Use a graphic organizing program to decide upon the content of your web site.
    3. Design your team's web site presentation.
    4. Create a quiz to follow your presentation.
    5. Prepare and plan your presentation for an audience.
 
 

Resources

Social Studies Text

Encyclopedias

Internet: Click on the underlined titles below to go to different civilizations.

Conclusion

How have you been changed by your travels (i.e.: adapting to different cultures, research and reporting methods, and experience of collaboration)?
 

Evaluation

Keep the following in mind as you research and prepare your presentation:
ïStudent designed rubrics for project content, project creation and design, and project presentation (See sample rubrics below).
ïStudent journals with group KWL chart, research notes, teacher questions, brainstorming, outlining, and storyboarding.
ïTeacher and student observation using a checklist of activities to be completed based on criteria created by student and teachers.
ïCompletion of a student multimedia project with peer evaluation.
ïPresentation of project.
ïPreparation of study guide and quiz based on group project.
ïNotes on peer projects.
ïQuiz on peer projects.
ïStudent self assessment reflection.
ïStudent/teacher assessment using rubric.
 

Evaluation of the Overall Effectiveness of the Project:
The overall project will be successful if:
1. All students participate equally in the creation and presentation of their projects.
        ï Group effectiveness - peer evaluation
2. The students fulfill the given objectives of the project.
        ï Multimedia design - student designed rubric, peer and teacher evaluation
        ï Content thoroughness - student designed rubric, teacher evaluation
3. Project is completed within the given time.
 

Rubrics (examples)
 

Self Evaluation 

    ïHow did you use your class time? Briefly describe your daily activities.
    ïHow did you work with your team?
        ïDid you share information and responsibilities?
        ïDescribe how you broke up the responsibilities.
    ïIf you were to do this same project again, what would you do differently? What would make this a more meaningful activity for you?
 
 
 
 

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