Writing Projects
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Introduction |
Writing is most useful when you get a chance to practice it. This unit aims to give the student several open-ended projects to work on, both individually or in groups. |
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Table of Contents |
The following projects are included as challenge. |
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Topic |
See Page |
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Names |
G-2 |
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In Search of America |
G-3 |
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Process for “In Search of America” |
G-5 |
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The Coast; Maine; pgs. 1-35 |
G-6 |
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The Coast; Massachusetts; pgs. 37-66 |
G-10 |
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The Coast; The Islands; pgs. 67-99 |
G-14 |
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The Coast: New York and New Jersey; pgs. 100-120 |
G-17 |
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The Coast; Mid-Atlantic; pgs. 121-154 |
G-19 |
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The Coast: The Southeast; pgs 155-176 |
G-23 |
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The Coast: Northern Florida; pgs. 177-196 |
G-26 |
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The Coast; South Florida; pgs. 197-end. |
G-28 |
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Feedback |
G-31 |
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Names
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Introduction |
The following is a brief research project that asks you to root around a little bit. Be thoughtful and creative. |
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The Assignment |
You will be assigned one of the following names. Research that name, and find some aspect of the person’s life and times that you find interesting and write an essay on this. One 3-5 page typed paper on a topic related to one of the names. The paper needs to have a correct bibliography and footnotes. The paper should be spellchecked and edited. |
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Footnotes and Bibliography |
The correct form for footnotes is in “Write Source 2000.” This is another version of the industry standard, the MLA Handbook. |
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Names |
Choose one of the following names to research. 1. Torquemada 2. Nostradamus 3. Alexander 4. Ramses II 5. Lord Byron 6. Philip of Macedonia 7. Stonewall Jackson 8. Joshua Chamberlain 9. Elizabeth I 10. Richard III 11. Oscar Wilde 12. Pope Innocent III 13. George Washington Carver 14. Fiorello Laguardia 15. Shoeless Joe Jackson 16. Saint Francis of Assisi 17. Tycho Brahe 18. Charlie Parker 19. Mohammed 20. Lorenzo de Medici |
In Search of America
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Introduction |
This is one of my favorite projects. It involves reading a book, called The Coast and doing a lot of research. It also involves working effectively in a group. |
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The Assignment |
In groups of two or three, you are going to be assigned a place to visit for a week and a $1000 between the two of you. You may not work or get money in any other way. • You need to write out your deadlines and your Group Process • You need to make a list of the stuff you will pack. I will take you there. • You need to write a journal detailing your visit, getting each detail absolutely correct and accounting for each dollar you spend. • You will need to write one descriptive essay and one argumentative. The essays will need to be computerized, with spelling and mechanics corrected. See the Group Writing Process. |
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Locations |
You may choose from the list of the following locations. Hilo, Hawaii Williamsburg, Virginia New Orleans, Louisiana Atlanta, Georgia Matinicus Island, Maine Colorado Springs, Utah Medora, North Dakota Canton, Ohio Branson, Missouri San Antonio, Texas La Jolla. California Arches National Park, Utah Anchorage, Alaska Ketchum, Idaho Cedar Rapids, Iowa Mackinaw Isle, Michigan |
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The grading |
Your essays and your journals will be sent electronically to schools who live in the selected areas. Also, adults in the community will also read and comment on the essays. Both groups will use the edit sheets. |
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Hints |
In the past, students have found the following hints very helpful. • Use travel agents • Call the Chamber of Commerce • Use tourist books • Use the Internet (ask Mrs. Gardner or myself) • Plan your time. |
The Process for the “In Search of America” Project
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Introduction |
This project is a big, time consuming, monster that will crawl around in your mind. |
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Group Work |
I cannot suggest a clear process for your group to work together. You need to decide what your group process is going to be and write it down. Your process needs to... |
• Involve everyone
• Balance work fairly
• Allow for review of work
• Allow for the work to be done on Deadline.
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Group Practice Hints |
You may make this part of the chore easier if you |
• Look at the Group Process used earlier
• Assign Homework and make the teacher responsible for enforcing it
• Create deadlines.
The Coast: Maine; pages 1-35
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Introduction |
As you might learn from the Introduction, Joseph J. Thorndike made the trip down the East coast very slowly and not in a timely manner. Nonetheless, his work makes it look that way |
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Way Down East |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What makes West Quoddy Head interesting? What happens in the ocean off of the coast? 2. What did Franklin D. Roosevelt plan to do in Passamaquoddy Bay? Why might that be effective? 3. Why has there been a “depression” in that area of Maine? How is new money coming into the area? 4. Who explored the Maine initially? Why didn’t he come back? Where did the French go instead? 5. What is a “drowned coast”? 6. How are blueberries making money for Maine? 7. According to Maine law, how far does ”private property” go? Why is that a concern for fishermen? |
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8, What is happenning to the lobster catch in Maine before 1990? What are some of the explanations for it? Why would a lobster like Maine more than Nantucket? 9. What happenned to the lobster catch after 1990? Why do the lobstermen resist regulation? |
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The Maine Islands |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. How did Bar Harbor get “discovered” How did the millionaires get there? Why did they leave? 2. What is the curse and the blessing of wealthy contemplation? 3. What is this author’s definition of an island? Why does he like Isle au Haut? 4. What does the island look like? 5. Why were islands good places for sheep and cattle? |
Why were they forested and settled so aggressively in the nineteenth century?
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What was the next “crop” come from the Maine islands? 6. What are the three economic activities left to Maine islanders? |
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7. What other sources of industry is the Island Institute trying? 8. What stupid thing did the state of Maine do ninety years ago? Who owns most of the islands now? 9. What is the Island Trail? Define “environmental correctness” Why is that a good thing? 10. Describe what a Puffin looks like? Why do you suppose the author approves of the tour boats? |
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The Rocky Coast |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What does Route 1 look like? 2. What is the “prettiest place anywhere” What attitude did the clerk show? 3. How did Woodenboat get started? What is the advantage of the birchbark canoe over other boats? |
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4. What was the misunderstanding about ”Norumbega”? What does it mean in Abnaki? 5. What Europeans probably discovered Maine first? |
According to John Smith, why should the English look to Maine?
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Why were Maine shipbuilders so well known? 6. What did the markings on the cliff read? |
Why do you suppose so mainy New Englanders like the idea of the Vikings or the Celts?
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7. How long had Indians been there? 8. Why can’t the natives afford to live on the coast of Maine? Who puts the pressure on for development? Is that any different on Nantucket? 9. Who lived on Prout’s Neck? What is the Marginal Way? Why is it unmarked? * What is this writer’s belief about the use of the shore? |
The Coast; Massachusetts; pages 37-66
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Introduction |
Thorndike spends more time in Massachusetts than he spends anywhere else. In many ways, Massachusetts is a microcosm for all the issues he addresses later. |
The Sandy Shore
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North of Boston |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What is the strangest part of the New Hampshire Coast? Why was Seabrook stalled for so long? What opened it up? What is the author’s attitude about the power plant? 2. Where are the Isle of Shoals? Why doesn’t the author like it? 3. Who are the Trustees of Reservations? How do they run Crane’s beach? 4. What does Rose McCarthy do? Why don’t the reach people like her? Where are there public lanes like that on Nantucket? 5. How is it that you go “up to Boston” from Marblehead, but “down to Maine”? 6. What is the “Island End” river? How heavy is the flow from the sewers? 7. Why was Lewis Wharf important? What does it look like now? What is on Spectacle Island? |
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9. What did William Golden do? What did his suit cause? 10. What is the most cheerful thing you could say about Boston Harbor then? How has Boston Harbor changed since the writing of this article? |
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Cape Cod With Thoreau |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. Why is Plimoth Plantation “one of the best” reconstructions? 2. What errors did the guide make? Why do you suppose she made those errors? How did Indians make dugout canoes? What advantages did these canoes have over birchbark? 3. What did the Cape look like to Thoreau? What has been added to make it more pleasurable? 4. How was Cape Cod created? Why are houses “doomed” on the Cape? What must King Canute have tried to do? Why do people continue to build on the sand? 5. What are the concessions the Government had to make in order to build National Seashore? |
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6. Why couldn’t the government bulldoze the Provincetown shacks? 7. How does the author stand on the ORV’s? The nudists? 8. Why did Thoreau come to the Cape in the fall? Who were the “wreckers”? 9. When Thoreau saw the inner cape, what did he see? What is it like now? Why? |
What do you suppose Nantucket would have looked like to Thoreau?
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10. Did Thoreau like the Cape? Why? What does his quote show? |
The Coast; The Islands; pgs. 67-99
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Introduction |
Thorndike spends these three chapters in the waters between New York and Nantucket, so The Islands is not the greatest name for this section. Read carefully the section on your home, however. |
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Offshore |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. According to the author, how were the islands formed? 2. How is Cuttyhunk different from Nantucket? 3. How does the author feel about the Madaquecham Jam? 4. What traits does he describe to Nantucketers? How did they get them? 5. According to the author, why did whaling die out on Nantucket? 6. What quote does he attribute to Beinecke? Did his renovations do the work they were intended to do? 7. How does the author feel about Conervation land? 8. What are the two futures for the island, according to the article? 9. According to the book, what is the attitude the island has to ORV’s? Have the events of this summer proved this out? 10. How is the Vineyard different from Nantucket? |
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Fishing Grounds |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What ethnic group dominates the memorials in the Seaman’s Bethel? 2. According to the article, what are the two cycles that New Bedford has gone through? What has been the one consistent industry? What is happening to that industry now? 3. Why is Avila mad? What is gill-netting? How did they catch swordfish before gill-netting and long-lining? 4. What idea is hard for fisherman to accept? Will they have to? 5. How were the George’s Bank when they were first discovered?
How did fisherman catch fish up until recently? What really changed that? How did Washington ban the large factory ships? So how did all the fish get caught? 6. What does “limited entry” mean? 7. How is the Atlantic like the western plains? 8. How does Smith feel that the fisheries could come back? |
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The Sound |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. How did the rich Rhode Islanders make most of their money? 2. How did Providence and Newport go their seperate ways? 3. What does the author like about Newport? Why was dinner at “The Breakers” an unpleasant experience? 4. What building style began in Newport? What does it look like? Where are there buildings like that on Nantucket? Why are these shingle houses good to build near the sea? 5. What happened in the Great Swamp? Why wouldn’t people want to remember it? 6. Why would builders want to put a bridge from Long Island to Rhode Island? 7. Why wasn’t the mouth of the Connecticut river developed? 8. What is Long Island Sound filled with? Why is it a good place for recreational boating? 9. Why don’t the harbormasters like most powerboats? 10. How might Don Imus join the Pequod Yacht Club? 11. How has man been the main enemy of the Connecticut shore? 12. What does the Soundkeeper do? What is Hypoxia? How is his battle going? |
The Coast: New York and New Jersey;100-120
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Introduction |
This section of the Coast deals with some of the most populated areas of the country, with some horrible pollution and undiscovered gems. |
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Long Island |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. In the first few paragraphs, what assumption does the author make about America? Who was Gibbon? 2. Who first owned New Amsterdam? Then, who owned it? 3. What nautical inventions began in New York? 4. How is cargo unloaded in New Jersey? How was it done once? How does the author feel about that? Why? 5. What are the two largest cargos to leave New York? 6. Who was Robert Moses? Why didn’t the rich like him? What did he build? What is so good about it? Why does the author like it? 7. What is so good about the National Seashore on Fire Island? |
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8. What are “devlopment rights” 9. What is the worst part of the South Fork? 10. What is Gardiner’s island like? Why is it undeveloped? |
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The Jersey Shore |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. Where is Sandy Hook? What has been built there? Why? Why is it futile? 2. Why is New Jersey’s early development a problem now? How did Asbury Park lose it’s glory? How did Ocean Park keep it’s glory? 3. What is Wildwood like? How do groins work? Do any of these tricks work to stop erosion? How have the Nantucket jetties changed the coast of Nantucket? 4. What happened to Cape May? Would the same sort of fade-out happen on Nantucket? |
The Coast; Mid-Atlantic; pgs. 121-154
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Introduction |
Thorndike spends most of the book in the Northeast, but now he gets into an interesting area, including the Chesapeake Bay and Cape Hatteras. |
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The Bay |
Answer the following questions fully. Use a complete sentence. 1. What is the shocking statistic that starts off the piece? What, do you suppose, has caused that statistic? Why are the underwater grasses (eel grass) important? What makes the Chesapeake so difficult to keep clean? 2. What is the Craphouse Taj Mahal? Why is manure a problem? What are the potential benefits for Nantucket if the Chesapeake rebounds? 3. How did St. Michael’s outwit the British? 4. What is a Rockfish? Is the author right? (ask Mrs. Hall) What steps did the government take to preserve the fish? Which steps were the most effective? 5. What animals have survived in the Bay? What animals are still threatened? Why? 6. What is unique about Tangier and Smith islands? Why aren’t they tourist havens? |
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7. How do you get a soft-shell crab? 8. What clouds the future of Smith Island? 9. What long-term changes are needed to keep preserving the bay? |
Is there a development on island like the one described on page 132?
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Past the Capes |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What is Delmarva? 2. What system has the Army Corps of Engineers tried to use at Indian River? How does it work? |
Where else (besides those places mentioned in the text) are they trying this?
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3. Why are Assateague and Chincoteague famous? What is the natural law that he mentions? Why might that be so? Where have you seen this law in action? 4. Who is the Nature Conservancy? What did they do to the Cape Charles islands? How did that effect the economy there (do you suppose)? How does the author feel about the Conservancy? 5. What historic events have happened in the capes? |
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6. Who is the “guardian angel” of boaters? Who do they spend their time rescuing? What are the most frequent calls the Coast Guard hears? Is that true on Nantucket? 7. Explain the Life-Saving Service quote; “You must....” Is that mindset still true today? Should it be? 8. What is an EPIRB? Why should all ocean-going ships have one? 9. What is the Intra-Coastal Waterway? Where does it start? 10. What is the Great Dismal Swamp like? What does a lock do? 11. According to the author, why are the port towns off Edenton, Bath and New Bern failing? 12. Describe the confrontation with Larry Capone? Why is that an important rule? Why is this author concerned with that idea? 13. Who are the Plummers? How does the author notice them? |
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The Outer Banks |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. Describe the outer banks? |
How are their residents similar to residents up and down the coast?
2. What is the legend about Nag’s Head?
Who were the Outer Banks refuges for?
Where else were these “refuges”?
Why do you suppose islands get this connotation?
3. Why is Hatteras so dangerous?
What problem does the lighthouse have?
4. What is the natural pattern for barrier islands?
Recently, scientists seem to be learning the same thing, up and down the coast. What is it?
5. What stops the fisherman from driving to the beach?
Where else have we seen the same argument?
6. What is the task of the Park Service?
What is there current policy about erosion?
How does that put them in conflict with the Corps of Engineers?
7. What happened on Roanoke Island?
Who was Virginia Dare?
The Coast: The South East; pgs. 155-176
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Introduction |
Seaside South Carolina and Georgia are little known and less explored places. Our intrepid author ventures through them on his way to Florida. I will be asking more general, overall questions. |
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Hurricane Hugo |
Read the section, then answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. Why do you suppose the author is so fascinated with Hurricane Hugo? How does it fit into the themes of the work?
2. What is some of the notable damage the Hurricane did to the city of Charleston? 3. This chapter is fairly typical of Thorndike’s narrative style. How does he structure his chapters? 4. What does Thorndike focus on in this section? What do you suppose he misses? 5. What building techniques helped houses survive hurricanes? 6. What action would the author like to see the government do? 7. How does the author feel about Hugo? |
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The Sea Islands |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. Thorndike has done a fair amount of research. How does this chapter show this. 2. The History of the development of Hilton Head is the same as the development of every other seaside community. What is that pattern? 3. What is the structure of this chapter? 4. Why doesn’t the author give any direct statements about himself? Would the text improve with that? 5. Thorndike uses two or three types of sources for his “illustrations“ What are they? 6. What is the most interesting part of this chapter? 7. What notable things did Fanny do? How was she imprisoned by her times? 8. What are those sea islands like? Would you want to visit? How are they emblematic of the entire coast. |
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9. This book gives us very little to know about the author. From reading most of the book, I ask you to answer these questions. How old is he? What career does/did he have? What did he major in in college? How much money does he have? Where does he live? How does he, generally, travel? |
The Coast; Northern Florida; pgs. 177-196
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Introduction |
Thorndike spends a lot of time in Florida, almost as much time as he spent in New England. Florida also gets the best of his writing. |
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On Bartram’s Trail |
Read the passage and answer the questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. In St. Augustine, Thorndike writes about some odd places. what idea of the town do you get from that? Has he done that in other spots? What point, do you suppose, is he trying to make? 2. Describe the battle of the alligators? |
What would a European audience, having never seen an alligator, think of this description?
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3. The wildlife in Florida is not the same as Bartram’s description. Why does the author think this is so? What could be an alternate (nasty) reason? 4. What was Audobon’s reaction to the lake? What do you suppose the phrase “nolens volens” means? 5. What role do the Japanese have in this book? Do you think the Japanese and the English are similar? |
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On the Flyway |
Read the passage and answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What barbarian invasion will hit Daytona? How have other Florida cities dealt with the invasion? 2. How has the space center been good for wildlife? What action of man has been the most dangerous for wildlife? 3. Why did the federal government get involved with Merrit Island? What else did Theodore Roosevelt found? 4. What’s a sanderling? When do they begin their migration? Why then? What are the biggest hazards to migrating birds? Why do they fly at night? Where do they go in Delaware? 5. Where do the birds end up? |
The Coast; South Florida; pgs. 197-end
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Introduction |
Thorndike finishes his trip in the sewer trap of the country, South Florida. |
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The Treasure Coast |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What is unusual about the landfills in South Florida? What is the author’s attitude towards the land management in Florida? Does Nantucket have a similar problem? 2. How are the residents of Florida similar to the birds? Why do some residents want to spend 6 months in Florida? What was the problem the hostess voiced? How does the author feel about developments? 3. What is the strange rule about age in developments? Why might they have that rule? 4. What is the new rule they have about developments? How are some of the old structures in danger? Why is this coast valuable? Why is it dangerous? What would Nantucket’s evacuation rating be? 5. Why is this part of Florida called the Treasure Coast? What is an aqualung? Why was it important to this area? |
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6. What is Confusion Corner? What causes the confusion? 7. What are the motorboat problems in the Stuart waters? Why don’t they like sportfishing boats? 8. What are the hurdles facing the Sea Turtle? Why are they an important species? What’s a TED? Why don’t the Conchs want to use them? What other groups, in this book, are the Conchs like? |
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The Gold Coast |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What is Hobe Sound like? What does he mean by “Bush people”? What was the significance of the sweater gift? How has wealth helped keep this coast wild? Where else on the coast has wealth done this? 2. What is Palm Beach like? How is it different from Hobe Sound? Who was Mizener? What are his buildings like? How are those buildings different from the Shingle Style of Newport? |
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Why aren’t the beaches more accessible?
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The Keys |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What bad things were done to the Everglades? What is the worst thing done to them? Why? What has been done about it? 2. What is the Overseas Highway? What are keys? 3. What is the Buccaneer mentality? How is that similar to other natives? 4. How was Key West initially connected to the mainland? What has been the main source of income, over the years, in Key West? What’s a busker? |
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5. What houses does he list in Key West? What unifies the houses? What is interesting about Sloppy Joe’s, beside Hemingway? 6. Where in this chapter does the author use Irony? 7. What is Reef Relief? What legislative successes have they had? 8. What are the main threats that besiege Key West? Do they threaten the rest of the Coast? 9. What is the Southern Most point? What does it have in common with West Quoddy Head? 10 How does Key West provide a conclusion for the book, aside from it’s location? |
Feedback: The Coast and In Search of America
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Introduction |
This book and project are intended to be a fitting conclusion to a longish unit on writing. At the end of this, you will have researched, read, and written in a way you have never done before. |
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The Work |
Answer the following questions by marking a number between 1- 10. 10 means you are extremely happy, while 1 means you are heavily bummed. • How well did you enjoy doing the work? ___ • Do you understand writing better now than you once did? ___ • How much did the book help you ___ • Was the book interesting ___ • Did the writing help you? ___ • Was your writing interesting? ___ • How well did you work with your partner or your Group? (see below) ___ |
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The unit |
Answer the following questions by marking a number between 1- 10. 10 means you are extremely happy, while 1 means you are heavily bummed. • How hard were the homeworks? ___ • How hard were the quizzes? ___ • How hard were the essays? ___ • How hard were the tests? ___ |
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Open ended Questions |
Answer these questions with a short phrase or sentence. • Did you do any of the challenges that relate to this unit? • Did you write any essays that relate to this articles in this unit? • What was your grade on the exam? • What was your grade on the essays? • What would you change in this unit, if you could? • What exercise did you like in this unit? |
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Your Group |
This is one of the few units where students form their own groups and the rules to their own groups. • How well did your group work together? • What grade did you recieve on the In Search of America project? • What might you change about your group? • What did your group do well? • Do you prefer making the rules up for your own group or following the teacher's rules? Explain. |
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Other Thoughts |
Do you have other thoughts or concerns about the class or the work? If so, please put them right here.
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