Melissa Fleming

Web DropIn #5

SLMMCD 521

Become an Adventurer

Explorers: Since it is that time of the year which we celebrate the founding of America by Christopher Columbus, do you ever think of how it would be to set forth on your own adventure and exploration? Haven’t you ever wanted to travel back in time or in the future? Do you ever wonder what you would feel, what you would see, and if you would do it all over again? Well today is your lucky day!

You have just read the Introduction to the book The Illustrated Book of Great Adventures. You are about to become the adventurer’s you have dreamed about and set forth on your own exploration! We are going to be starting electronic journals, courtesy of www.blackboard.com. Each day I will give you some question’s to answer, you will put them in your electronic journal, and we will discuss what you have wrote the next day in class. I want each entry to be at least 1 page long, and I especially want you to open up your minds. You can travel during any time period to anywhere your heart desires. The sky is the limit.

Instructions – Please take 20-30 minutes each day to answer the following questions for your journal entry!

Please put your name, date, and Journal # at the top of the page!

Journal: Day #1

Although you have a wonderful idea of what explorers went though on their adventures, if you get stuck on trying to come up with ideas for you journal entries, use “Illustrated Book of Great Adventures,” and the following sites I am going to provide you that will cover all spectrums of explorers & adventurers for your electronic journal entries. This will also guide you for the final project. Take any necessary notes needed that will further aid you…. In other words, write something down about what you have just read!!!

Great Link to Modern Day Explorers: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/council/eir/index.html

Great Link to Australian Explorers: http://www.davidreilly.com/australian_explorers/

Great Link to the Explorations of Christopher Columbus: http://www.mariner.org/age/columbus.html

Wonderful Detailed Description of a Journal Entry from one of DeSoto’s Officers Luis Fernandez De Biedma: http://www.vaca.com/biedma.html

Fantastic Site of an Antarctica Exploration: http://www.yourexpedition.com/bae_archive/index.html

Exploration of the Medieval Period: http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/medieval.html

Amelia Earhart/Aviator: http://www.ellensplace.net/ae_eyrs.html

Journal: Day #2

• Why do you think people explore?
• Why would you want to be an explorer?
• If you could explore anywhere, where would you go?

Journal: Day #3

• Tell me about your family, your friends.
• Where are you coming from?
• How would you convince people to come with you?

Journal: Day #4

• What are you looking for?
• Why are you going?
• What are you doing to get ready?

Journal: Day #5

• How does it feel to be taking this trip?
• What did you tell your family before you left?
• What do you hope to accomplish?

Journal: Day#6

• Your journey has ended, how do you feel?
• Did you accomplish all that you set out to do?
• If you could do it over again, what would you change?
• What do you want people in history to remember most about your trip?

FINAL ASSESSMENT – Biography About Yourself & Character Trait Map

Now that you have a nice full journal, write a biography about yourself. Use some of the words we came up with for our brainstorming activity in your biography. Please make you biography at least 2 pages double spaced. If you have any trouble composing you biography check out the web site http://www.bham.wednet.edu/bio/biomak2.htm I will be looking at your originality, spelling, grammar, and if your content is running smoothly. REMEMBER, if you are not comprehending a vocabulary word, try and relate how it fits with the story, ask me, or for last resort look it up in the dictionary, or at www.dictionary.com! Once you have completed your biography take a look at the notes you wrote down on Journal #1. Out of all of the sites you looked at, which one was your favorite explorer? I want you construct a Character Trait Map that you will compare and contrast your findings with your biography. Print out TWO copies following worksheet, Character Trait Map, and see how much you have in common with your favorite explorer. Have fun with these assignments!