The+Guiding+Activities


 * Project Based Learning EDIM502 Group 4

The Guiding Activities

__Guiding Activity 1. Mapping Your Community__ - DJ Draus **

- Content Indicators -
A. Students will identify the layout of their existing community. B. Students will analyze the geographical and cultural layouts that impact the design, function, and infrastructure of their community. C. Students will analyze and collaborate on the ideas provided by their fellow classmates about where to build an the new amphitheater.

- Activities -
1. Each student will create a free account on the web site MAPme.com, which is a collaborative and interactive mapping program on the internet. From here, they will bring up the layout of their local community in real time. Their first task is to use the site tool "hot spots" to identify and label different locations which will help them understand how a community is laid out geographically/culturally. These locations will include their home, the home of 1 other relative, the home of 1 of their friends, their favorite restaurant, their school, a local business, a river/lake/pond, and major highway (or their busiest road.) Students can include descriptions, pictures, and even videos that come up whenever the "hot spot balloon" is clicked when viewing their map.

2. Next, each student will decide where the best location should be for the new amphitheater to be built in their community. On their map, they will use the "hot spot" application to identify and label the amphitheater's new location. In addition, they will include an explanation for others to read as to why they picked this location in the community.

3. Students will read and respond to at least 5 other student amphitheater location explanations by clicking on the "hot spot balloon" and clicking //read more// under their amphitheater label. In addition, students will also be able to comment on any other hot spot locations their peers have created... ie - "that's your favorite restaurant??? Gross!" or "I didn't know you lived in my neighborhood?!?!"

4. Students will then view their maps, complete with the comments/feedback from their peers. After reading the comments of their peers, groups will be formed by the teacher based on who agrees with where the amphitheater should be located. The first task of this new group will be to collaborate and form a written proposal of why they should use this location for the new amphitheater. This proposal should address the following essentials...
 * Important benefits of this location for the new amphitheater.
 * Feedback to their peers on the comments/questions posted on MapMe, both good and bad, for this location.
 * Arguments against other recommended locations.




 * __Guiding Activity 2. Researching Amphitheater Design -__ **Dianne Meskauskas

- Content Indicators -
A. Students will research what others have accomplished in other cities to provide their communities with a center for the arts B. Students will collect photos and information about different amphitheaters: where is it, how many does it seat, how much did it cost to build, how large an area does it take up? what makes one amphitheater a better sound system than another?

- Activities -
1. Students will find a variety of amphitheaters that exist: smallest? largest? where is there a closed one? and open one? Generate questions about amphitheaters and try to find out what variety exists in the world already. Photos with captions can be posted on [|Flickr] or a [|Picasa] photo album to share between groups or possibly arranged as part of an interactive or animated presentation. 2. Students will find properties of amphitheaters: how many does each one seat? where is it? what kind of climate is it in? what is good/bad about each design? what is it built of? how much did it cost to build? Students will determine categories for a database of information to be recorded for a number of amphitheaters. Could be posted to a google docs spreasheet for an easy database. 3. Students will focus on community building projects to see what is most similar to the project they want to create. Has this been done before? If so when? where? how long did it take? how many people were involved?



**__Guiding Activity 3. Creating Our Amphitheater Using Google SketchUp__** **- Cindy Pawlowski**

​A.** Students will analyze needs for size and materials based on a variety of anticipated uses for the amphitheater. B. Students will determine seasonal uses for the space, while choosing materials and structural design. C. Students will maximize the use of existing site conditions based on area topography maps. D. Students will design an amphitheater using Google Sketch Up.
 * -Content Indicators-

1. Student groups will brainstorm ideas for possible usage of the amphitheater by the community. They must determine how much seating is required and decide whether to incorporate fixed seating and/or lawn seating, as well as the structure for the stage. They must also keep in mind the acreage of the lot. The group must decide whether or not to include a sound system and/or lighting. Students will view selected amphitheathers and also search the web for existing amphitheaters to broaden their design knowledge.
 * -Activities-**

2. Student groups must decide upon the seasonal usage of the amphitheater. Will the amphitheater be open aired? Will the stage have a roof? Will the seating be under roof?

3. Each student group will enter the website [|Digital-Topo-Maps.com] This website in an interactive topography mapping website. Students will continue double clicking to zoom into their choice location for the amphitheater. Once the location is viewed in full screen, students will click the 'My Topo' button to create a topography map specific to their desired location. Students click the hybrid button to display a hybrid map as well. The hybrid map will show an aerial view of the location. Students will print each map and use them as visual aides to lead their group discussions.

4. Student groups will submit rough draft drawings of the amphitheater, both aerial and three-dimensional views. Upon approval of design progress, student groups will use [|**Google SketchUp**]**​** software to create a three-dimensional digital image of their designs. Students will view and interact with Google SketchUp [|**training videos**]. Google SketchUp Pro is a free download for educators until June 30th.



**__Guiding Activity 4 - Involving Local Volunteers and Organizations - Doug Butchy__** In order to make building the amphitheater a reality, it is essential to enlist the help of community organizations and volunteers. For this activity, students will need to make contact with their local service groups such as the Boy and Girl Scouts and the United Way. They can also gather volunteers from their school and community.

1. Students should first decide on what exactly their volunteers will be working on. Will they actually be aiding in the construction? Will they be working on landscaping? Will they be assisting a construction company? Who will actually be building the amphitheater?

2. Find contact information for the local Boy and Girl Scout troops using "The Scout Zone" website [|http://www.thescoutzone.org/locator.html]

3. Find contact information for the local United Way at []

4. Once students have gathered this information, they should place a phone call to each group describing the nature of the project and what they intend to do. Students should know what functions they would like their volunteers to perform when calling. The specific instructions of where/when/what should be given at this time.

5. In order to enlist the help of volunteers from their community and school, students will be creating flyers using Google Docs to hang up with contact information for a specific person in the group (possibly the teacher). The flyer should include a brief description of the project and dates that the volunteers will be needed.