Grand Tour Assignment (Projects)

Freshman Projects
The Grand Tour
Assignment:
Write a letter to your parents/ guardians in which you set out a plan for your very “Grand Tour”. Your goal is to create a journey that will challenge you in some way, and thus will allow you to grow as a person. Think of physical, mental, cultural, and spiritual challenges you might encounter.

Try to focus on one of these questions when planning your trip:
What do you want to learn and what passions do you want to feed and nurture?
What are some weaknesses or fears you might want to overcome?
How can you make your life better? The world better?

Try to narrow it down to one goal you may have as you create you itinerary.
For example: I want to learn to be an astounding jazz musician so I might travel to historical jazz cities like Chicago, New Orleans, and New York OR if I want to get over my fear of insects I would travel to Thailand, Australia, and the Amazon to work with specific insects.

Where will you find information?
* Use your elementary and middle school education. DO you remember all those lessons on the wonders of the world, festivals in Japan, animals in the rainforest? Use them!
* Travel magazines such as National Geographic, Adventure, Outside, Travel and Leisure, etc are a good source of ideas.
* The internet is an awesome source as well. If you have a general idea as to which country or region you’d like to visit, go to the country’s tourism site for specific information about things to see and do. You can also go to travel websites like Intrepid Travel, GAP, and Lonely Planet to get great ides for itineraries.

Logistics:

∑ Structure your assignment as a letter to a parent or guardian. You must try to persuade them to finance this trip and to let you travel to your selected destinations. Use persuasive language and strong arguments.
∑ Use the map provided to outline your journey
∑ Write a detailed description of your journey.
What is the purpose of your trip?
Where will you go?
What will you do there?
What will you learn there?
What problems do you anticipate?
Will you bring a friend or travel alone?
∑ You must include at least three destinations (regions or countries).
∑ Length: One and a half to two pages (350-500 words)
∑ Word process your work.

You will be graded on:
Ideas and content (has three destinations, clear purpose for the trip, relevant details): ____/10
Organization (logical sequencing, beginning and ending, body, transitions): ____/10
Word Choice and Voice (strong nouns and verbs, aware of audience): ____/10
Sentence Fluency (sounds natural when read aloud, varies structures of sentences): ____/10
Conventions (spelling and grammar correct, proofread): ____/10
Total:______
P.S. You might want to have your parents read your letter. Who knows…..