Research Scenario

Maryland may be a small state, but it has a lot to offer. In fact, it is often called "America in Miniature" because it has so many features that we see all across the country. In order to publicize our state's abundance of physical and human resources, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development is running a contest to attract people to visit the different regions in our state. Your class has been invited to participate.

First, let's take a quick glimpse of what Maryland has to offer by viewing the video,
Maryland Nature.

Next, let's activate your prior knowledge by completing the K section of the KWL Chart. Think about what you know about Maryland's regions from visiting the mountains, the beach, or from living in the Piedmont Plateau.

Task and Product

You will design and make a brochure that can be used by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development to attract visitors to the three different regions of the state. Your brochure can be designed in Microsoft Publisher or by using any of the applications listed below.

Choose one of these three Maryland regions to research:

• Atlantic Coastal Plain
• Piedmont Plateau
• Appalachian Region

Your research and brochure should contain information about physical characteristics of each region and an explanation about how these characteristics affect people living in the region (For example: mountains + snow = skiing and snowboarding).

Your teacher may decide to assign an alternate presentation listed below:

Assessments

The following scoring tools may be used or adapted by your teacher to evaluate your research process and your final product and presentation.

Questions

Great questions guide research. Use these questions, along with additional questions you will develop, to guide your research:

• What are the physical features of the region?
• What are some natural resources that are common?
• What is the climate? Look at:
  • Distance from large bodies of water
  • Elevation
  • Precipitation
  • Ranges in temperature
• Where do people live?
• What kinds of jobs do people have?
• What types of recreational activities are available?
• What are the main types of transportation?
• What are the principal goods and services that are produced?

Gather and Sort

Use a variety of sources from the Student Resources page to gather information about your topic.

Sort your research findings using this research organizer to record information about your region.

Be sure to avoid plagiarism and remember to cite your sources.

Organize

Analyze: Look at your research organizer. Do you have enough information about your topic to answer the essential question? If you need more information, return to the Student Resources page and continue to use the resources provided to gather more information.

Synthesize: Use the information you have gathered on your research organizer to create your brochure. Here are directions for setting up a trifold brochure using Microsoft Word. If you are using another application, use the tutorials listed in the Task and Product section.

Evaluate: Review the checklist for your brochure to make sure you have included all the information required. If you have not answered all the questions, go back and use the Student Resources page to find the missing information.

Conclusion

Presentation: Participate in a gallery walk to view your classmates' presentations. There could possibly be in many different types of formats, so take your time and explore the many types of presentations. Select three to read in full, as well as view one brochure from each of the other regions. Use this chart to take notes.

Reflection: Now you know something about Maryland's three regions and their physical characteristics and human-made features. Write a journal article telling which region you would like to visit and why.

Extension Activity: Using the information that you learned about your region and how it impacts Maryland residents, what other states have your similar region and how do that states residents utilize that type of region.