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Social Studies Aloft

Ideas, Resources, and Inspiration for Your Inquiry-Based Social Studies Classroom

• Road Trip Project for middle school

Looking for an engaging end-of-the-year project for Middle School Social Studies? One option I love is a Plan a Road Trip Project. It is a great fit for the end of the school year when you and your students have summer on the brain, because road trips and summertime go hand in hand.

A great project for middle school

Here are the reasons a Plan a Road Trip Project works so well:

• It has real-world connections. When students plan their road trip, they will be selecting from actual locations. Who knows, the project might even inspire some of their future travels.
• Students are learning about Geography without even realizing it. This project brings in different aspects of Geography to help reinforce Geography skills that are important for students.
• It incorporates student choice. Each student you teach can create a different road trip for their project. This student choice will help create high levels of engagement for your students.
• You can make it cross-curricular. You can easily include things like mileage calculations, costs of gas and other travel-related expenses, and journal writing. These will make your Plan a Road Trip Project a cross-curricular learning experience for your students.
• Making historical connections is easy. If you’d like to tie the project into historical events, you can require students to visit sites with historical connections, such as lunch counters significant to the Civil Rights Movement or Revolutionary War battlefields.

Supporting Student Success

As with any Middle School Social Studies Project, three keys to success are scaffolding, chunking, and communication.

• Scaffolding – Provide students with the support they need to complete the tasks in their project. You know your students best. Some examples of scaffolding they might need for this project are: 1) a list of possible sites to visit or 2) an example of how to calculate their mileage.
• Chunking – Give students mini-deadlines along the way to keep them from putting off the project to the last minute. I find it helpful to give students an exact task or tasks I expect them to complete in a class period, and if they don’t finish that task in class, it becomes homework.
• Communication – It is always helpful to email parents when students are starting a project, even if you expect students will complete the project in class. I like to provide parents with information like the project description, deadlines, and the purpose of the project. I tell parents it is their student’s responsibility to complete the work, but they can help remind their student about the project and check to see that their child is keeping up with all the mini-deadlines.

A Done-for-You Plan a Road Trip Project

If you’d like to use a Plan a Road Trip Project with your students, but want to save yourself a lot of time, check out this no-prep, digital Plan a Road Trip Project . It’s ready to assign to your students today. 

Here’s what teachers are saying about this Plan a Road Trip Project:

• “I have some students who are distance, hybrid and some who are in person. This was a great lesson to have them be able to work together and share their ideas. I loved that I was able to place this in our online classroom and they could work at their own pace. When they are all finished they are going to be sharing their trip ideas with all. There are so many extension pieces that could be added to this if a person wanted. Thank you for your work on this and your willingness to share. It has been a lifesaver!” – Amanda F.
• “I used this during distance learning to practice research skills. What a well thought out, organized project. Super simple to follow and my students seemed to really enjoy it!!” – Jennifer P.
• “This was a very engaging and fun project spanning multiple days with my middle schoolers. The kids got to have fun while applying the skills we were focusing on. Easy to follow and would recommend to others.”  – Taryn S.

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National Geographic Education Blog

Bring the spirit of exploration to your classroom.

“A Field Trip Anywhere”: Try This MapMaker Project With Your Students

Educator Tama Nunnelley wrote this post.

If you could take your students on a field trip anywhere, where would you go? What kinds of things would you like them to see or learn on this quest? Maybe you would take them back to a historical time period or specific event so they could see it with their own eyes. Perhaps you would take them to a series of locations where they would interact with historical or current events. Well, you can do just that without ever leaving your classroom. How? With digital maps!

I often take my students to places in their own community, around the globe, or back in time by combining geographic skills with historical study. Geography isn’t just for geographers or geography classes. It plays an important part in each social studies class. Studying geography teaches young people a wide range of useful skills for the workforce, including critical thinking and problem solving. Some of the fastest-growing careers involve the use of geographic skills, including fluency with geographic information systems (GIS) .

One way I transport my students to different locations so they can use their own analytical skills is with National Geographic’s MapMaker . (Note: this project uses MapMaker Classic , which is free to educators alongside the newly revamped MapMaker .) MapMaker is designed for student practice with GIS. It does not require a lot of cartography skills to use and is a perfect tool to do cross-curricular activities and share maps as primary source materials.

To develop the attitudes, skills, and knowledge of a geographer while exploring their own world, each year my students undertake a semester-long project to create a road trip to a select part of the world based on their grade level. The project combines math, English language arts, science, and social studies. Geography and Community subject students are tasked with travel within our state. American History students can travel within the borders of the United States.  World History students have the entire globe at their disposal. I have done this project across multiple middle school grades and have adapted it for high schoolers and college first years. I believe it could be easily adjusted to all age ranges.

The first step in this process is to have students select three locations for travel by exploring in MapMaker. After choosing their locations, students plot each one on their digital maps; this involves selecting the pin they want to use for their location and placing it onto the map. They can navigate to their specific location by finding its latitude and longitude (click the bottom icon on the menu on the left-hand side of the screen for these settings) or zooming in or out using the “+” and “-” icons in the top left of the screen. Then, they select their pin of choice from the menu. They can select numbered markers or scroll down the menu for something more fun. Then, they can click on the correct location to add their pin.

Next, students use the mileage tool to see the distance between locations and create a budget for their trip. They are given a certain amount of money based on current prices and plan their travel around that total. They have to account for how many people they take with them and regular travel expenses like airfare, gasoline, hotels, and meals. They might also have to pay a fee to see the historical site on their itinerary. They select methods of travel and keep a spreadsheet of expenses. We use MapMaker to see where these locations are and use the mileage tool to determine distance. Students may adjust locations to better fit their budget after their calculations.

Students are also expected to tell us about their trip using a travel journal. This is placed inside their maps. Notice the editing tool under the text tool on the left side. Students can click on that then on one of their markers, then they can open the “Link” tab to insert information about the location. They can use the text tool to name that location as well by clicking on it and dragging the box to the desired location of the label.

Since this is a cross-curricular project, students are asked to include physical features and climate for each plotted stop on their journey. They give a weather forecast for each stop based on research into average seasonal weather in that place. Students have an easy way of depicting this on their maps thanks to GIS. Students select “Add Layer,” then use the layer category “Climate and Weather” to select appropriate displays. Normally, students will add “Precipitation and Rainfall,” “Climate Zones,” and “Surface Air Temperature” for either winter or summer, depending on their travel dates.

All of these are now visible layers on the map that can be edited for different levels of visibility. When students share these maps with their peers, they can manipulate the transparency level to show each required element.

Students also now have data populated in their legend that can be used in their presentation or for a more advanced project later.

If they would like, students can also change the base map as well by selecting the “Base Maps” tab and choosing the imagery to display.

Students must also locate a historical or important geographic feature of each location to include in their journal. They enter all information in the description box found under the editing/formatting tool and the “Link” tab. Students can fill in everything under Link to reflect information about the pinned location. I ask students to share here their general description of the location’s physical and human features, their weather forecast, and information about places of historical or geographic importance. My favorite part is that students can also add pictures and video to their travel journal. Be sure they remember to click “Save” beside the editing tool so that MapMaker populates their work.

The final piece of the project is for students to present their findings to the class or a small group of their peers while other students conduct mini-inquiries into these locations. The final product is better than a typical slide deck display because it is interactive and provides students an opportunity to engage in analysis using GIS and researched data.

I have also used MapMaker to track historical events. Students plot locations of battles, connections to U.S. history in our state, the building of the transcontinental railroad, and Alexander the Great’s wide-ranging conquests. Then, we add layers while studying GIS principles. Students add physical and cultural features to better understand the event or person they are studying.

I have also brought this down to the community level and had students map the development of our community from past to present. They trace historical events and create a roadmap for potential future development based on land use. We can also go back and reuse the data already collected on these maps to look at a location’s climate and weather as we study a different event that happened there.

The great news is that MapMaker was recently updated and features some incredible new tools students can use for exploration. Using MapMaker in the classroom is an easy lift to allow students to glimpse the tools of a geographer and begin to use them on their own. Teachers do not have to be fluent in mapmaking or technology to use MapMaker. In addition, using MapMaker provides an opportunity to talk about the role of cartographers and potential careers involving these skills.

Explore the MapMaker Launch Guide here , and visit National Geographic’s Resource Library for more resources to help you get the most out of the tool.

When they are creating or editing online maps, students are practicing real-world skills they will use in the future. They do not need to know every date in my history book, but they do need the skills that they can gain by combining history and geography. I feel like I make a difference when I do these activities and bring in project-based learning to my classroom. Composed of colors, lines, and labels, a map is one of the most effective mediums for capturing spatial relationships. Studied closely, they can be used to interpret the past, define the present, foretell the future, and take your students around the world.

National Geographic Education is celebrating Geography Awareness Week all week long on the Education Blog , on Tw i tter , and on Facebook . Check in regularly to hear from educators about their innovative and inspiring approaches to teaching geography, and learn how National Geographic tools and resources can help you empower your students to think geographically.

Tama Nunnelley is a social studies instructor from Alabama. She is a National Geographic Certified Educator and trainer, was a 2018 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, and was recognized in 2015 by the National Council for Geographic Education as a distinguished teacher. She serves as chair of the Geography Community of the National Council for the Social Studies and is an adjunct in geography at the University of North Alabama. She is always eager to talk to fellow educators and help them brainstorm new ideas. She can be reached at [email protected] .

Featured image by Rebecca Hale

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2 thoughts on “ “A Field Trip Anywhere”: Try This MapMaker Project With Your Students ”

Tama, I found this usage of National Geographic’s MapMaker to be quite intriguing and something that I could see myself using in my future classroom. I think it’s important to help students have a spatial awareness of historical events, and tracking different movements of people would provide great context to the students. I also think that offering them some autonomy to map out their own journey would be a great way to get student engagement while working on a geography unit. This would help them understand the specific routes necessary to take, the terrain of the region, and other what other towns/cities they may have to pass through along the way. I was curious though, what grades have you seen activities with MapMaker be particularly fruitful for student learning?

Hi Tama – I am a preservice teacher and really enjoyed reading about the projects you have given students using MapMaker. I’m curious what topics they have chosen and how they were able to use maps to support their work. I’m also curious about how long it takes students to become proficient with MapMaker. I am thinking of doing a sample project for my future world history students on the Silk Road. Does MapMaker have base maps showing the historic Sil Road routes that I could superimpose on contemporary borders? Is there a way to explore the old routes and compare with current rail and road networks? Thanks much for introducing such an interesting resource! Mark

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Project-Based Learning

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Project Based Learning Idea: Plan a Road Trip

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Project based learning is a great way to expose students to real world problems and activities. PBL activities engage them in learning skills and problem solving in a way that traditional class activities don’t. If you’ve never tried a PBL project, you will love it, AND your students will ask for more! These project based learning ideas for middle school and elementary students are just what you need to get started.

Who doesn’t love an epic road trip? Road trips are filled with memories, fun, adventure, and excitement.  But planning a road trip is anything but easy. There are so many amazing math, reading, writing, map reading and problem solving skills involved in a road trip that it is the perfect task for a fun project based learning activity.

Plan a Road Trip Project

This project based learning activity  will have your students planning a road trip from start to finish.  Students can work independently or in small groups as they work through this PBL project. Although working in small groups can sometimes be more difficult, it also gives students opportunities to develop communication skills and inter-personal problem solving skills.

A great way to introduce this project is to show kids a variety of print or video commercials for vacation destinations. Show pictures from a personal road trip that you’ve taken. You can even ask your students to talk about road trips they have taken with their families or friends. Once the class is excited about the topic, it’s time to let them get started

The  Plan a Road Trip PBL Project  has everything you need to get you class started. Just choose the activities from the packet you want your students to complete. Start with the planning pages included in the project. You can then do all of the activities or choose the ones that best meet your own learning objectives.

This resource includes a variety of printable activity pages and 3 final projects – more than enough for a great PBL unit. You can choose to have the students complete one final activity at the end, or weave them into the project so they ultimately complete all three projects.

1. Choose a Destination

Students start by choosing 4 possible destinations for their road trip. After doing some basic research on each location they then narrow down their options to one final destination.

Let your students determine whether they will visit one place or make a loop from start to finish in order to see multiple locations, or whether to travel near or far. For older students, a great way to add a new level of complexity to the project is to give them an overall road trip budget.

After students choose their destination, you could add in project #1, Mapping the Route. This would be a great place to have students create a map of the road trip with labeled states and destinations!

2. Prepare for the Road Trip

Choosing the destination is just the start! Students will then work on planning their road trip. In this planning phase they will be working on activities like:

• The Packing List
• Must-See Spots
• Places to Stay
• Distance Traveled
• Time and Money on the Road
• So Much More!

As students research and complete the pages, they use many different problem-solving skills, while strengthening their reading, writing, and math skills. As you can see there is no academic skill loss in this project!

Students will document their amazing  road trip project  by creating their own road trip selfies, music play list and more.  They will send postcards to their friends from one or more locations and they can even design a billboard for one of the tourist attractions they visit.

3. A Virtual Road Trip

Once back home from their virtual road trip students will spend some time reminiscing!  They will love writing about their favorite places and activities along the way. This is the perfect place for project #3 – An Amazing Destination. In this persuasive writing activity, students write about their destination in an attempt to get others to visit it too!

Finish up with your very own Travel TV Show where students present their road trips to the class.  A fun way to end is to let students vote on where they want to go next based on their classmates presentations!

4. The Final Projects

Once students have completed the planning pages, it’s time to assign one (or all) of the three final projects! You can choose any or all of these final projects. And yes, the scoring rubrics are included!

Final Road Trip Project Options:

• Mapping the Route
• Create a Destination Brochure
• An Amazing Destination Paragraph Writing

Once back home from their virtual road trip students will spend some time reminiscing!  They will love writing about their favorite places and activities along the way.  This is the perfect place for project #3 – An Amazing Destination.  This persuasive writing activity has students write about their road trip or one destination in an attempt to get others to visit it too!

Ready to get started?

If you need more ideas on  how to use project based learning in your classroom, check out this blog post filled with ideas .

Are you a parent or family getting ready to go on an actual road trip? Check out this great list of  30 Road Trip Trivia Games  by Outdoorish.com!

SAVE THIS POST FOR LATER

If you are not quite ready for this fun and engaging project, then pin it to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you can find it quickly when you are ready!

Shelly Rees

Hi, I’m Shelly! Thank you for being here. I love helping third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers with fun and engaging activities that require no to little prep! Let me help you by taking some of the stress and work off your plate.

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Road Trip USA

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Once out of stock, purchase Road Trip USA here ! 

(cd format).

Road Trip USA is a U.S. History and Geography Curriculum written by a homeschooling mom. It covers all 50 states in the USA, including a bit on the territories as well. Designed primarily for elementary level K-4th grade students, it includes fun States Jeopardy review games as well as colorful student worksheets, and state reports for older students. Here are some of the topics included in this curriculum:

• Geographical Locations
• State Symbols
• State Capitals and Abbreviations
• Mapping & Atlas Skills
• Famous Landmarks
• Historical Figures
• Historical Events
• Craft Activities
• US Presidents
• The State Puzzles

–> Click here to download a sample

What’s Included in this curriculum?

Lots of fun filled adventure waiting for you! It’s divided up into regions, so students will learn about the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, then finally The Western region of the U.S.

There are 136 lessons total, you will cover 2 states per week and do several review lessons along the way.

Customer Reviews

We really enjoyed our road trip through the USA. The kids loved all the (quick and easy) hands on activities and coloring pages.

I wasn’t aware this was a CD ROM, yes it says it but I didn’t notice. Honestly, who uses those anymore? A PDF should be offered instead. So I can’t review the product because I have no way of using it.

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USA Road Trip Topic Bundle

Go on an American adventure with your class with this 'USA Road Trip' Topic Bundle! Containing four complete PlanBee schemes of work, this pack contains complete curriculum coverage for all your History, Geography, DT and Science teaching for your America cross-curricular topic.

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Each of the four schemes of work included in this KS2 USA Road Trip Topic Bundle contain all the planning and resources you need to deliver the whole unit. Each lesson comes with a lesson plan, a slideshow for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of printable resources. That means that you have four schemes of work that are completely ready for you to download and teach – no need for any further planning!

What's included:

• Geography: The USA
• History: The Wild West
• Science: The Unforgettable Science of America
• DT: Food of the USA

Free Overview (Medium-Term Plan)

Download a free overview to support your teaching of this scheme of work.

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Fantastic resource - thank you Plan Bee

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SAMPLE RE Lessons from Year 1 to Year 6

Thanks, Becky!

Project: Road Trip

Life Skills, Geography

Grade 8, 9, 10, 11

Presentations, Projects

Multiple File Types

About This Product

Project: road trip - an engaging educational resource.

'Project: Road Trip' is an effective teaching resource, ideally suited for students at the 8th to 11th grade level. It transcends conventional educational areas and focuses on life skills and geography, essentially forming a part of social studies.

The main aim is to familiarize students with road maps' intricacies and imbue strategic planning skills.

Versatility in Teaching Formats

• This resource adapts seamlessly across different teaching scenarios such as whole group classroom lessons, smaller discussion-based groups or even thought-provoking homework assignments which can involve entire households!
• A strong emphasis on cooperative learning fosters teamwork among student groups while sparking competitiveness.

Activity Structure & Challenge Elements

The main task revolves around planning a route between two cities using genuine road maps (like those freely available from AAA). But it doesn't just stop at tracing routes. Students must also decide specific pitstops within set hours at capped speed limits. One interesting twist is each group having one 'secret' stopping point undisclosed to others adding intrigue.

Distribution & Enhancement of Skills via Role Assignments

• Giving specific roles ensures smooth navigation through the project tasks right up till delivering final presentations which bring out their journey preparation process vividly before others.
• This method magnifies various skill sets like critical thinking abilities, organization proficiency, time management qualities, strategic planning efficiencies and successful communication in a palpable way.

Universal Accessibility and Practicality

The project format (Rich Text Format) ensures hassle-free accessibility to educators without dependence on specific software tools or applications. That's undoubtedly the convergence of practicality with interactive learning.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, 'Project: Road Trip' captures interest whilst seamlessly weaving lessons of life skills into schoolwork thereby catering to dual benefits. Surely education just levelled up in terms of adventure with this!

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Check out these other great products

• Family History
• Travel Plan Project

You can use a travel plan project in the classroom to learn about budgets, maps, time management, and more.

By Chris Jackson

As teachers, we try to make school work challenging and provide real-world applications for what students are learning. Social studies curriculum provides a great opportunity to do this. Teachers cover geography , economics , and much more. Since we all know that the best way to learn is through doing, creating a travel plan can help students apply these types of skills to their everyday lives. They can explore new places as well.

Having students create a travel plan (with a clearly defined rubric) is an excellent way to spark their imaginations and get them excited about what they are learning. If students have the motivation to learn about geography, climate, or cost of living of an area, we can satisfy the state and federal mandates in a way students will enjoy.

When students begin designing their travel plans, have them start by thinking of their dream vacation. Let them determine where they would like to travel and how they want to get there. The variables that can be included can be endless. You might want students to have a budget, and plan their trip accordingly. Perhaps you would prefer to assign students different amounts of cash to spend. The possibilities are sure to ignite students in discussion and maintain interest. Imagine what your students will be open to learning if you tell them they can plan the trip using $500,000 and a Ferrari. 

This is more than just a “dream assignment” filled with fun hypothetical adventures, however. Students should begin by calculating the gas mileage for their “road trips,” charting the geography as they navigate their vehicles (planes, trains, automobiles, boats, etc . . .), and account for seasonal weather conditions and changing political climates across the world. Like anything that is involved and highly interactive, teachers should plan extensively before beginning the project and correlate their rubric to align with however many days will be spent on the assignment. Necessary background information will also have to be provided before you allow students to jump right in. 

The great thing about using a travel plan project in the classroom is how versatile it can be. With appropriate scaffolding, teachers can use a travel plan to address standards and curriculum in any grade level and subject. Schools that have teachers working together in a “team” setting in which English, social studies, and math teachers work closely together with the same students, could plan a group project in which students work on each subject area’s respective portions in that designated class (ie: calculating gas mileage is done in math, analyzing geographic change in social studies, creating a travel brochure for English, etc). 

The possibilities are truly endless for sparking student interest in a variety of topics. Students have to make a variety of decisions based on economics. They have to figure out how much gas costs and decide which car to purchase based upon their finding. It’s not going to get much more “real world” than that. Students are able to have fun with the project as well. 

Students can design posters, travel brochures, reports, models, diary entries, postcards, and so much more. The literary bent of the project can be graded based on the six traits of writing and writer’s workshop can be utilized to provide feedback and monitor student progress. Competitive elements can also be introduced and the project could turn into a game. 

The benefits of adding a travel plan project into your curriculum are many. All levels of Bloom’s taxonomy are touched upon extensively, instruction is definitely differentiated, multiple intelligences are incorporated, and student engagement is high. Both students and parents alike will rave about how wonderful a successful travel plan was. The knowledge learned is something that will be remembered and useful for years to come! Here are more activities you can do to spark the interest of students to create a travel plan.

Travel Plan Lessons and Activities:

The Art of Budgeting

Students learn how to set up and maintain a budget.

Time Management

Students create a time management plan for themselves, and critique others to get the maximum amount out of their time.

Travel Album

Students create a class travel album of places they have been. This could spark an interest in new places.

The Amazing Race

Students use road maps to find more clues and get to different destinations much like the TV show The Amazing Race.

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• McCormick Libary Request System (opens in a new tab)

“The Road Trip Project: Learning Geography Through Simulated Travel” Kass, Alex and Steven McGee, 1993-07

• From the Collection: Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). Institute for the Learning Sciences (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is stored off-site and requires two business days advance notice for retrieval. Please contact the McCormick Library at [email protected] or 847-491-3635 for more information or to schedule an appointment to view the collection.

From the Collection: 5.00 Boxes

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From the Collection: English

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• Box: 2, Item: 42 (Mixed Materials)

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Part of the Northwestern University Archives Repository

Collection organization

“The Road Trip Project: Learning Geography Through Simulated Travel” Kass, Alex and Steven McGee, 1993-07, Item 42, Box: 2, Item: 42. Institute for the Learning Sciences, Technical Reports, 8/2/11. Northwestern University Archives.

Cite Item Description

“The Road Trip Project: Learning Geography Through Simulated Travel” Kass, Alex and Steven McGee, 1993-07, Item 42, Box: 2, Item: 42. Institute for the Learning Sciences, Technical Reports, 8/2/11. Northwestern University Archives. https://findingaids.library.northwestern.edu/repositories/6/archival_objects/46106 Accessed June 18, 2024.

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Pre-Algebra Road Trip Project

By: Author Sarah Carter

Posted on Published: July 22, 2012  - Last updated: December 3, 2022

Categories Projects , Ratios/Proportions

Well, since I’m preparing to start my first year of teaching, I decided that I really needed to finish posting the last few projects I did during my student teaching. 

During my last week of student teaching , my cooperating teacher asked me to come up with a creative way to review some of the 8th grade math standards. 

A lot of my students had been struggling with the concept of proportions.  With lots of practice, they had been improving, but many students still weren’t comfortable with solving proportions. 

I wanted to show students that proportions were definitely applicable to their lives.  So, I created this pre-algebra road trip project.  It actually turned into a 3-part project because the students were enjoying it so much. 

Each student chose 5 cities to travel to on their road trip.  Using a ruler, they drew out their route on a US map.  Then, using the map scale, students determined the length of their road trip in miles.

Day 2 of the road trip project was spent using gas mileage and fuel costs for various vehicles to determine which vehicle students would take on their road trip.  

On Day 3, we calculated food costs, hotel costs, and rental car costs.  By the end of the 3-day project, students were much, much, much more comfortable working with ratios and proportions. 

It was an amazing experience to see the light bulbs go off with so many of my students.

Looking back at Day 2 and 3, there are a ton of little things I would change.  I actually changed the rental car problem on Day 3 because my students were having a ton of trouble with it.  I just did a flat rate per day.

This pre-algebra road trip project is easily adjusted based on your time limitations and the level of your students.  This was never intended on being a 3-day project.  It just sort of evolved into one. 

My 8th graders really enjoyed it.  My cooperating teacher enjoyed it.  My University Supervisor even observed me on Day 3 of the project. 

The lesson was a little more chaotic than I had planned, but my supervisor complimented me on the project.  He even asked for electronic copies of the files to send to some math teachers in China.   

Edited to Add : I have also done this with my Algebra 1 students.

Since I had already done this project with 8th graders, I thought my Algebra 1 students would be able to whiz right through it.  I was wrong.  I had to teach many of my students how to read a ruler. 

Rounding to the nearest quarter inch was a disaster.  And, the questions students asked me made me feel more like a geography teacher than a math teacher. 

These are actual conversations I had with my Algebra 1 students during this activity.

Me: Class, today we are going on a road trip.  If we’re going on a road trip, that means we will be traveling on… Class: Roads! Me: Yes, so that means we can’t travel to… Class: Hawaii Student 1: Why can’t you drive to Hawaii?  Me: Hawaii is an island.  That means it is surrounded by water. Student 2: Why does Hawaii look so weird? Custodian who just happens to be emptying the trash at this point: Hawaii is a series of small islands. Student 3: Do you mean you can’t drive between the little islands? Custodian: No.  When I was in Hawaii, we traveled between the islands by taking ferries. 

Student 1: Is Washington, D.C. here? [The student is pointing at Washington state.] Me: No. Student 2: No, Washington, D.C. is in Virginia.

Student 1: I think this map is wrong. Me: Why? Student 1: Oklahoma City should be above Tulsa.

Student 1: Do you mean Nashville, Tennessee is in the United States? Me: Yes.  Nashville is in the U.S. Student 1: I’ve heard of it before, but I didn’t realize it was in the U.S.

I required my students to write both the city and the state they were visiting on their assignment.  One student wrote that she was traveling to New Jersey, PA. 

Free Download of Pre-Algebra Road Trip Project

Road Trip Project Day 1 (WORD) (4771 downloads )

Road Trip Project Day 2 (WORD) (3553 downloads )

Road Trip Project Day 3 (WORD) (3115 downloads )

Road Trip Project Map and Rubric (PDF) (3345 downloads )

Video with Instructions on Completing the Road Trip Project

I ran across a YouTube video that someone created to walk students through completing the Road Trip Project. I thought I would link it here in case it was of use to anybody.

More Activities for Teaching Ratios and Proportions

Wednesday 4th of September 2019

Any chance you have the CC standards that are associated with this project?

Monday 27th of May 2019

Great project!

Friday 25th of January 2019

FOR STEP FOUR OF DAY ONE DID YOU HAVE THE STUDENTS USE THE UNIT CONVERSION OF MILES TO INCHES AND THEN SET THAT EQUAL TO THEIR DISTANCE?

Tuesday 30th of October 2018

i think she used a lot of creativity to make this project.

Monday 20th of February 2017

what is the cost/gallon of the fuel? Where do you get it from?

Thursday 18th of May 2017

I'm was the one that needed help that says anonymous

And my email is eliasdaniel4599[at]gmail.com, thank you

Hello their Sarah I'm having trouble with this project if you could plzz send me the answers like all of it plzzz:( this is due Friday my grade is at a D right now just plzz I'm sorry for bugging like asap lol thank you

Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)

Friday 3rd of March 2017

I got the fuel data for 25 miles from https://www.fueleconomy.gov/

Tyler Perry shoots scenes in Memphis for new movie 'Joe's College Road Trip'

If you thought you saw Tyler Perry on Beale Street this week, don't blame the Handy's Hurricanes from Rum Boogie Cafe.

The superstar actor-writer-producer-director was here Tuesday to shoot scenes for his new movie, Memphis and Shelby County Film & Television Commissioner Linn Sitler confirmed Wednesday.

The movie is titled "Joe's College Road Trip." The Netflix project began production earlier this month, with scenes also shot this week in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Filming also will take place in New Mexico, in early February.

The comedy-drama follows a grandfather and grandson on a road trip that includes visits to locations of cultural and historic significance to Black America. Perry, in a white Afro-style wig that is less extravagant than his famous Madea hairpiece, plays the grandfather.

In addition to shooting on Beale, the 54-year-old Perry and his traveling Tyler Perry Studios crew filmed outside the National Civil Rights Museum.

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Jon Shivers, director of Beale Street for the Downtown Memphis Commission, said the Beale scenes mainly involved the grandfather and grandson (played by Jermaine Harris) driving up and down the street in the vintage red convertible that is their road-trip vehicle. Shot on what was a somewhat misty and slightly rainy night, the sequence took "a few hours" to complete, Shivers said.

"Any time we can showcase Beale and Downtown Memphis in a positive light in the national spotlight, we're going to do so," Shivers said. He said the street was not closed and Beale remained open during the filming, although the district was not very crowded that night.

Shivers said Perry's team began working out the logistics of the Beale Street visit about two weeks in advance of its arrival in Memphis. The filming was essentially a secret project, with no advance publicity released by Perry's team or local officials.

Written and directed by Perry, "Joe's College Road Trip" is one of two new movies the highly successful playwright-turned-filmmaker is shooting this month for Netflix. The other, to be shot at Tyler's home studios in Atlanta, is "Madea's Destination Wedding," the 13th in the series showcasing Perry's signature comedy creation, the straight-talking, pistol-packing matriarch known as Madea.

Too bad that production didn't come to Memphis because "Madea hits Beale" is a phrase with promise. However, Madea will make a cameo appearance in "Joe's College Road Trip," in scenes shot in Atlanta.

US Geography Plan a Vacation Project - Road Trip Activities with Math & Writing

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Description

PLAN A VACATION PROJECT gives you the best of blended learning using math, writing, and geography. Students love this project where they budget and plan a TWO-WEEK VACATION from your school to their driving destination in the United States, including food, lodging, gas, and attractions. Links to restaurants and hotels are provided!

Critical thinking skills and creativity abound as students map out their routes and decide where and how they want to spend their money. Your students will learn so much by doing this project!

✅TAKE A LOOK AT THE PREVIEW to see all the components that make up this great bundle.

✅ FOR THE TEACHER:

• Differentiated resources to best meet the needs of your students
• Detailed teacher directions
• Links to menus and hotels for background knowledge
• 12 different activities - you can pick and choose or have students do them all
• Answer keys
• Final Projects (optional)
• Rubrics to use as benchmarks or for feedback

✅ FOR THE STUDENT:

• Trip brainstorming pages
• Maps of the United States
• 50 States Abbreviations and Capitals
• What Does it Cost? planning pages
• Best Known Sites
• Do You Prefer Busy or Quiet Sites?
• Hotel Costs
• Mileage and Gas Costs
• Places to visit
• Places to not visit
• State Symbols
• License Plates
• Final Projects *optional

Optional activities which can be used for differentiation:

★ Write a newspaper column

★ Create a brochure for a site

★ Write a review of a site you didn't visit and why

★ Create a 3D representation of a part of the country

★ Compare and Contrast sites visited

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Lakeland moves ahead with Combee Road waste-transfer facility, despite congestion concerns

LAKELAND — Lakeland officials have pushed forward with the city's plan to build a solid waste transfer facility on Combee Road despite concerns about long-term traffic congestion and the safety of the roadway.

The City Commission voted 6-0 Monday to approve heavy industrial zoning on 17 acres at 2700 N. Combee Road with a conditional use permit to allow for the construction of a solid waste transfer facility. Mayor Bill Mutz was absent at Monday's meeting.

"The largest benefit is the safety of our trucks and our people working," said Gene Ginn, Lakeland's manager of solid waste and recycling. "Inside the transfer station you are dumping on a concrete floor instead of an active construction zone or an active landfill."

Ginn said the city's garage trucks cost approximately $400,000 each, and driving into a landfill can cause a vehicle to get stuck in soft ground or have materials wrap around moving parts causing costly damage.

The goal is add between two and three years to a truck's lifespan, Ginn said, creating a cost savings for the city.

The plans — about 50% designed by Geosyntec Consultants Inc. — call for the construction of a 20,000-square-foot enclosed transfer building for the dumping of solid waste. It will stand a little more than 56 feet in height.

Lakeland trucks will drive across a scalehouse, measuring the vehicle's volume of trash, into the enclosed building to dump trash on a concrete floor, where it can be sorted. The trash will be loaded into significantly larger trucks to make its way to its final destination — whether that be a landfill or recycling center.

As the project is about halfway through design, Ginn said it will be about a year to a year and a half before construction of the facility starts. It will take at least two years before operations can begin.

What about the trucks on Combee Road?

Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley was among the first Lakeland officials to raise concerns at Friday's agenda study about how the solid waste transfer station could impact traffic congestion on Combee Road.

Chuck Barmby, Lakeland's planning and transportation manager, said Combee Road, or State Road 659, is used by approximately 17,000 vehicles a day. Of that, about 15.5% is truck traffic coming from companies like Saddle Creek Logistics Services and other nearby trucking facilities. The road is classified as a truck route, Barmby said.

"This is kind of the poster child of a corridor that needs something," he said at the agenda study.

The project's traffic study showed it's expected to add 140 truck trips daily to the road when fully built and operational in 10 years. More immediately, it's anticipated to add 56 truck trips during peak morning rush hour, 7 to 9 a.m., and add 22 truck trips during the evening rush, from 4 to 6 p.m.

To help counter the impact of this, the city has designed the solid waste transfer station to be internally connected with an existing Lakeland Electric substation. The substation's existing driveway will be closed off and removed.

"This is a relatively low trip generator," Barmby said.

McCarley asked whether adding a turn lane to the road would help improve traffic and safety, by providing a space for trucks to wait as they turn into the solid waste transfer station.

Barmby said there are several roadway improvement projects in progress for the Combee Road area.

The Florida Department of Transportation is in the process of what is called a "complete street" project, Barmby said, which will include improvements such as sidewalks, turn lanes, street lighting and more going down to U.S. 98/Bartow Road. The state does not have any construction funding set aside for this project, Barmby said.

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There is $2.5 million in the budget to have sidewalks installed on the west side of Combee Road running from Morgan Combee Road south to East Memorial Boulevard. FDOT has funds to complete this in 2028, Barmby said.

"It's still a few years out, but it's a substantial investment in bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure in the area," he said

Lakeland city staff will be working with Polk County and the Polk Transportation Planning Organization, or TPO, to discuss traffic and safety improvements that can be made at Combee and Saddle Creek roads, Barmby said.

FDOT also has accelerated the reconstruction of the Interstate 4 interchange at State Road 33, just east of Lakeland, which was funded as part of the Moving Florida Forward Initiative. It will see the four-laning of State Road 33 and reconstruction of the exit 38 interchange to the north of the future solid waste transfer station. Construction is expected to start later this year.

With many roadway improvements proposed or designed for Combee Road, the city's biggest need is funding.

"This is an area we have the most significant amount of funding challenges where it comes to dollars coming in from the federal or state levels," Barmby said.

FDOT will still have to review and permit the city's proposed changes to Combee Road as part of the planning and design process.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at [email protected] or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.