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CGF 3M1 Physical Geography in the News

Cumulative Assignment
Throughout this course you will be exposed to many aspects of Physical Geography. We
shall be looking at the surface of the earth, underneath the surface, the water bodies of our planet,
the air and life in the sky, and how people and animals live on and impact the earth.
The purpose of this project is to help you better understand the many aspects of physical
geography that we will be studying. Issues related to physical geography are always in the news,
whether we realize it or not. You will demonstrate your understanding of what is happening in the
world by collecting evidence of physical geography events from newspaper/magazine articles in
print and on the web. Each article you collect will relate to a unit or topic of study in this course.
The Assignment
Step 1 -Decide whether you are doing a Scrapbook, Blog, or Website
Step 2 -Over the span of the semester you should be collecting and/or looking at, at least one
of Torontos daily newspapers (The Globe and Mail, The National Post, The Toronto
Star, The Toronto Sun) on a daily basis!
-Articles used in your assignment must be from within this school year (September-June).
-You may also check various news/information magazines or websites like Macleans,
Time, Canadian Geographic, National Geographic, CBC, CNN, Weathernetwork, etc.
Step 3 -Go through the newspapers/magazines/websites and cut out any articles (including
Photographs) that demonstrate something that deals with physical geography. (or post the
article/picture to your blog/website, or the link if the former cant be done.)
-Remember to keep the entire article and record all bibliographic information (Full Name
of the Newspaper/Magazine, Page Number, and Date.)
Step 4 -Classify your articles according to the unit of study they fall under:
Unit 1 Introducing Our Earth
-General Articles about our planet or pictures of various natural phenomena
Unit 2 The Ground Beneath Us
-Deals with topics including Plate Tectonics, Earhquakes, Volcanoes, Mining,
Landslides, Avalanches
Unit 3 The Hydrosphere (Water)
-Deals with topics including Flooding, the building of Damns, the Tides, Swamps,
Rivers, Lakes, Oceans, Tsunamis with Tidal Waves, Snowstorms
Unit 4 The Atmosphere (Air)
-Deals with topics including Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Thunderstorms, Monsoons,
Blizzards,
Unit 5 The Biosphere (Life on this Planet)
-Deals with topics including Agriculture (Farming), the Lumber Industry
and Deforestation, Forest Fires, Rainforest Diversity or Depletion, Types of Land:
Grassland, Desert, Forest, Climate Change and its impacts
-Any impact on humans or that humans are causing to the physical world
and its inhabitants.

Step 4 -For Each article you should highlight the most important information and you
should also type up a summary of the article and tell me how it relates to physical
geography and the unit you have included it under. At the end of your paragraph include
the bibliographic information: Full Name of the Newspaper, Day and Date of Publication;
Section and Page Number.
(i.e. The Toronto Star, Saturday November 5, 2008, A5)

You should have an attractive and appropriate title page for the assignment and for each
unit of your book, blog, website!
Your Main Title page should have: The title of the assignment; Student Name; Teacher
Name; Course Name and Code; Date of Submission.

Step 5 -Make your project as visually interesting and attractive as possible! Present your articles
in a professional and creative manner. Include the rubric sheet on the last page of your project.
*If you are experiencing problems or having difficulty getting/finding content on a regular
basis you must let the teacher know.*
**It is not appropriate to notify the teacher one week or one month before the assignment is
due!!! (This excuse will not workyou have been warned ahead of time!)**
Step 6 MAPS-You must create a series of maps and plot/locate the various physical geography
events that you have collected stories about. How you plot the events and the type of map you use
is up to you. You must decide what will be the most effective and attractive way to create your
map(s).
Step 7 WRITTEN REPORT-Your written report should be 3-4 pages in length and should discuss
the following items: Your collection and findings of physical events, The connections you can
make between events, Your learning from this assignment, Your opinion about various issues
dealing with physical events.
PROGRESS CONFERENCE DATE:__________________________
*Be prepared to bring in your articles that have been collected to date and discuss your findings,
problems to date and plans for the project.
FINAL DUE DATE:__________________________________________________________
Your project will be evaluated according to the criteria provided in the rubric.
Physical Geography in the News is your major cumulative project and worth 20% of your
final course mark!!

SCRAPBOOK/BLOG/WEBSITE
Level 4
10
9
Organization,
Layout and Design
a) Title Page
(Application)
Organization,
Layout and Design
b) Article Display
(Application)

Level 3
7.5
7

Level 2
6.5
6

Level 1
5.5
5

R
4 3 2 1

I
0

Title Page is
Complete and
Effectively displayed

Title Page
complete and
well displayed

Title Page done but


poorly presented

Title Page done


with minimum
effort.

Title page done but


incomplete

Did not do a Title


Page

10

7.5

10
Organization,
Layout and Design
c) Text
(Communication)
Content
a) Grammar,
Spelling
(Communication)
Content
b) Summary of
Article
(Thinking)
Content
c) Connections to
Unit
(Thinking)

Articles displayed
neatly, creatively and
designed to impress
the reader

Overall Completion
of Project
(Knowledge)

7.5

Text is done
very neatly

10

7.5

6.5

Articles displayed
with some
effectiveness

Text is word
processed and free of
errors

6.5

Text is legible

6.5

5.5

Articles displayed
with limited
effectiveness

5.5

Text can be read


but is messy

0
Did not hand in the
assignment

4 3 2 1

Text is very difficult


to read or illegible

Did not hand in the


assignment

4 3 2 1

Few errors in
writing style
(spelling and
grammar)

Some errors in
writing style
(spelling and
grammar)

Many errors in
writing style
(spelling and
grammar)

So many errors in
the writing style that
it is tough to read
and understand

Did not hand in the


assignment

10
9
8
Excellent Analysis
and Summary of
Articles

7.5
7
An Original and
appropriate
Summary of
Articles

6.5
6
A Good Summary
of Articles

5.5
5
Limited
Summary of
Articles

4 3 2 1
Insufficient
Summary of Articles

0
Did not hand in the
assignment

10
9
8
Highly effective
connections made to
unit

7.5
7
Effective and
convincing
connections
made to unit

6.5
6
Some Connections
made to unit

5.5
5
Limited
Connection made
to unit

4 3 2 1
Insufficient
Connections made
to unit

0
Did not hand in the
assignment

6.5

5.5

4 3 2 1
Articles displayed in
a disorganized
manner

Up to 2 errors in
writing style (spelling
and grammar)

10

Appropriateness of
Articles
Representation
(Knowledge)

Articles
displayed
neatly and
creatively

9
8
Exceptional
representation of each
unit

7.5
7
Considerable
representation
of each unit

6
Some
representation from
each unit

5.5

5
Poor
representation of
each unit

4 3 2 1
Some units not
represented
adequately

0
Did not hand in the
assignment

10
9
8
Student has gone
above and beyond
expectations.

7.5
7
Student has
completed a
great project

6.5
6
Student had meet
the expectations of
the project

5.5
5
Student has done
the bare
minimum and
only what is
asked

4 3 2 1
Student has not
completed enough
requirements of the
project

0
Did not hand in the
assignment

7.5
7
Events have been
mapped
effectively and
clearly

6.5
6
Events have been
mapped with some
effectiveness, some
parts are unclear or
confusing

5.5
5
Events have been
mapped but it is
messy and
unpolished

7.5
7
Map appears well
done with all
cartographic
elements

6.5
6
Map is fairly neat but
has some cartographic
elements missing

5.5
5
Map is neat overall
but has some hard to
read spots and some
cartographic
elements missing

MAPS
Mapping of
Physical
Geography Events
(Thinking)

Appearance of
Map
(Application)

10
9
8
Events have been
mapped with
extreme
effectiveness,
clarity and
creativity
10
9
8
Map appears
professional and
contains are
required
cartographic
elements

4 3 2 1
Events have not been
mapped
appropriately. Map
cannot be understood.
Very messy and
rushed
4 3 2 1
Map is quite messy
and appears rushed
with most
cartographic elements
missing

0
Did not hand
in the
assignment

5.5
5
The explanations and
opinion were very
weak and lacking
substance

4 3 2 1
Insufficient
explanation and
unsupported opinion
offered.

0
Did not hand
in the
assignment

5.5
5
The report was very
difficult to read with
many errors

4 3 2 1
The report was
incomplete/very hard
to read due to many
writing errors

0
Did not hand
in the
assignment

0
Did not hand
in the
assignment

WRITTEN REPORT
10

Explanation and
Opinion of Global
of Events
(Knowledge)

Writing Style
(Communication)

9
8
The report
explained the
connections/links
between events
with a strong
supported opinion
10
9
8
The report was
written very
fluently and
effectively

7.5
7
The report
explained the
connections and
links and offered a
supported opinion
7.5
7
The report was
well written with
few errors

6.5
6
The report
explained some
connections and
links but offered
little in the way of
an opinion
6.5
6
The report was hard
to read in some
areas with errors
throughout

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