Your family has decided to let YOU pick which park to visit for the family summer vacation. They want to choose a friend to help you with this difficult decision. The two of you will virtually visit seven parks across America. From these visits each of you will answer a few questions about each park you visited, which you will then use to write a five paragraph paper on which park you think you would be the best choice for your family vacation spot.

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Now that you have picked a friend to travel across America visiting parks with, it is time to see what your family needs to know about each park.

• Visit any three of the seven parks on the list (see Resources below) your family gave you.
  
• Complete the Family Vacation Worksheet for each of these three parks. 

Learning Tip: You are encouraged to brainstorm with your friend the pros and cons of the parks visited, although keep in mind that each of you must complete your own worksheets for each park visited.

• Once each of you has completed your three worksheets, choose your favorite park and write a five paragraph paper explaining why you think this park would the best vacation spot for you and your family.

Learning Tip: A good five paragraph persuasive paper includes an introductory paragraph where you state your opinion and three reasons for your opinion.  Each of your next three paragraphs should give one of your reasons and at least three supporting details for that reason. Finally, the conclusion paragraph restates (rewrite it using different words) your opinion .

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Resources

Ready? Bags packed? Sunglasses and sun block on? Then let's go... Here is the list of parks your family has asked you to visit and evaluate. Following the link to each park...Have fun!

Funtown/Splashtown Saco, ME	Hersheypark Hershey, PA
Disneyland Anaheim, CA	Elitch Gardens Denver, CO
Kings Island Cincinnati, OH	Waterville U.S.A. Gulf Shores, AL
Legoland California Carlsbad, CA	Go here to find mileage and travel time from your home to the parks.

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Evaluation

Each of you will be evaluated in three areas:

1. Your research (how you gathered your information) and the completion of three Family Vacation Worksheets (8 questions each)

2. Your five paragraph persuasive paper

3. Working cooperatively with others

 

1	14 Points	16 Points	18 Points	20 Points
Research & Worksheets	Answers 9 questions completely	Answers 15 questions completely	Answers 21 questions completely	Answers 24 questions completely
Persuasive Paper	Completes one-half page, no paragraphs	Completes one page, no paragraphs	Completes one page, 3 paragraphs	Completes one page, 5 paragraphs
Persuasive Paper	Hard to understand, unpersuasive, no supporting reasons	Somewhat hard to understand, unpersuasive, 1 supporting reason	Fairly easy to understand, persuasive, 2 supporting reasons	Easy to understand, persuasive, 3 supporting reasons
Cooperates with Teammates	Usually argues with teammates	Often argues with teammates	Rarely argues with teammates	Never argues with teammates
Listens to Other Teammates	Is always talking, never allows anyone else to speak	Doing most of the talking, rarely allows others to speak	Listens, but sometimes talks too much	Listens and speaks a fair amount

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Conclusion

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