Engaged Learning Project

Title of Project: What is your dream vacation?

Subject(s): Advanced Mathematics Decision Making
Grade Level(s):12

Abstract:
The students will be creating a project about spending money and budgeting. The students will draw different
budgets out of a hat and will plan a vacation of their choice using that money. The student will be assuming the
role of a travel agent. They will create an itemized list of expenses. They will create pie charts on how they
spent their money. They will then present their vacation in a digital form of their choosing, i.e. videos,
Glogster, Prezi, etc. The student will try to sell their vacation to the class.
Learner Description/Context:
The students will look at the different type of charts and how to use each chart correctly. They will look at the
importance of budgeting. We will be working in partners. We will be in the computer lab and in the classroom.
The students will have to research the history of the vacation spot to further inform he audience why they
should go there. They can interview travel agents in the community. They can use the teachers in the school to
help with budgeting, history, or writing.
The school is a Title one school. We have computer labs that available to reserve. Some classrooms have Smart
Boards, but not all of them. The AMDM (Advanced Mathematics Decision Making) class is the math class that
seniors take who have had support for all other math class. It is considered to be the lowest level senior math
class. It is the math class that seniors take when they need one more math class but do not want to a hard
math class. The school system is the 2nd largest work provider in the county, right behind the farms. Only about
18% of our kids go to college. Our Per Capita Income is about $18,000. Only about 12% of our population
have a bachelors degree or higher. We have a teenage pregnancy rate of about 46% per 1,000 teens. We have a
3.24 drop out rate. We are 45% white, 27% Black, and 24% Hispanic. 74% of our kids are on Free/Reduced
lunch. 11% of our students are ESOL students and 7% of our students are considered Migrant students. Our
district has about 9,550 students enrolled. The high school only has grades 10-12 on its campus. We have very
little parent involvement.
Time Frame:
This project will take approximately 10 days. It will be a part of the unit where we talk about graphs and when
to use what kind of graph. It will come after the unit in which we have talked about budgeting and how to plan
expenses. We will work on the project in class and be in the computer lab for about 10 days.
Standards Assessed:
MM1P5. Students will represent mathematics in multiple ways.
MAMDMA3. Students will create and analyze mathematical models to make decisions related to
earning, investing, spending, and borrowing money.
MAMDMD2. Students will build the skills and vocabulary necessary to analyze and critique reported
statistical information, summaries, and graphical displays.
PSC 2.1/ISTE 2a: 2.1 Content Standards & Student Technology Standards
PSC 2.8/ISTE 2h: Data Analysis
ISTE NETS-S 3B: Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a
variety of sources and media
ISTE NETS-S 2a: a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety
of digital environments and media
ISTE NETS-S 1a,b: a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes b.
Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
Elizabeth Winslett, Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project

2
Learner Objectives:
Students will learn how to apply budgeting skills to real life applications. Students will show they know how
use graphs and determine what graphs to use in different scenarios. Students will integrate history with the math
skills and English skills. Students will use technology to research their vacations and to make a product to
describe their vacation. Students will persuade classmates to go on their vacation.
The hook or Introduction:
An example of the project will be shown to them before they begin. The students will complete their project
before spring break so that students could theoretically go on one of the trips for their senior trip. The rubric for
the project will also be presented to them before they begin their project. I will present everything that I had to
plan in order to make one of my vacations successful.
Process:
Students will begin by picking their partner and drawing their budget. Students will then decide on their
location. No two groups will be allowed to choose the same location. Students will then create a written
proposal of their location, how they think they will spend their budget, graphs describing how their money will
be spent, and a description of how their vacation will go. Next the student will go to the computer lab and
research their location. The budget options will be $1,000, $2,000, and $5,000. Their location cannot be in their
state of residence. The final project should include a description of the vacation, an itemized list of everything
they will be doing, a proposed schedule for the trip, a list of all of the expenses, a pie chart displaying how the
budget was spent, pictures of their location and activities, list all of options for getting there and rationalizing
which one would be best, the history of the location, the geographical information of the location compared to
home, and compare their hypothesized budget to the actual budget.
Project Item
Description and what can be used to complete it
How it will be assessed
Over all
This should be a general broad overview of their
How appealing is the vacation just
description of
vacation. This should be what draws people
based on the description. The class and
vacation
interest into their vacation. This should be the
teacher will rank the vacation from 1opening to the project. It could be a picture, voice
10. 1 being I would never go and 10
over, Power Point slide, or description at the
being I would be there in a heart beat
beginning.
Itemized list of
This should be a detailed list of the activities they
This will be assessed as whether it is
activities and
will be doing, like movies, snorkeling, etc. this
there or not and includes the cost.
their cost
should be done in a chart and include the price.
They can be using tables in word, power point or
excel.
Schedule for
This should be a detailed schedule of what every
This will be assessed based on the
vacation
day on the vacation will look like. I want to know
extent of the schedule and if
what you will be doing every day, every hour, an
everything is there. All activities in
every minute of this vacation. Excel would be best
the activity list must on the schedule.
for this
A list of ALL of This should be a detailed list of ALL of the
Did they use all of their money and
the expenses
expenses. How much is room/board, food,
how well did they budget?
activities, transportation, shopping, and other?
Excel would be best for this
A pie chart
Based on the categories of transportation, food,
This pie chart will be assessed based
showing how
shopping, activities, room/board, and other, how
on its accuracy and completion.
the budget was
did the student allocate their funds? Excel would be
spent
an excellent tool for this. They must show
percentages and dollar amount for the pie pieces.
Elizabeth Winslett, Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project

Transportation
How will you get to your destination and how will
options
you get around once you are at your location. List
all of the ways that you can get there and how
much each way will cost. Choose a method and
argue why it is the best method. Make sure to look
at gas prices in that area if driving is an option.
How many
Who is this vacation geared too, how many people
people is this
can this vacation accommodate, and what age
vacation
group would enjoy this most? WHEN ARE YOU
accommodating GOING?
Visuals of
This should include pictures of the vacation
vacation
location, activities that you will be doing, and any
other visuals that might help someone choose your
location
History of
Talk about the history of your location. What is the
location
local cuisine like, what is their weather like
historically, are there any big events that have
occurred their? What is the language of the
location? How many people live their? Do they
have a trade? How do people there make a living?
Geography of
Include a picture of where this is on the map. Talk
location
about the weather, altitude, and terrain of the
location compared to home.
Original
Include the original proposal of your budget and
proposal
compare it to what it is actually is. Excel would be
great for this.

3
How feasible are the options and does
the chosen transportation option make
sense?

Does it make sense what they

propose? Is the budget planned for
that amount of people?
Is this vacation appealing? Rating of
1-10.
How much do you know about this
location? Could you give a history
report on it after this project?

Did they list the differences of the

locations?
Is the original proposal included and
how does it compare?

The students will be doing the work while the teacher is moving about the classroom guiding students who may
be stuck and keeping students on task. The project will assessed using the outlet that the students selected to
present with, whether they have all of the items, and how persuasive they were at making the class go on their
vacation. All projects will be put on a class webpage that they students will help build. Each student will create
a page on the website about their vacation. All of the money is to be used. They cannot save it. The project
should be able to speak for itself. The teacher or a community member should be able to learn about the project
with other the student explaining it to them. Below is the propose schedule for the project:
Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Activity
Introduce project, do a reminder of budgeting and circle graphs
Assign/pick groups, choose budget, begin written proposal of how they will spend their money
Draw circle graph of proposed budget, turn in proposed budget and graphs,
Mini lesson on how to use Glogster, Prezi, Excel, PowerPoint, and any other source they may use to
present and research project
Plan vacation using computers to research and begin building what they need to make presentation
Plan vacation using computers to research and begin building what they need to make presentation
Plan vacation using computers to research and begin building what they need to make presentation
Put together project using the computers and whatever tool they have decided to use.
Put together project using the computers and whatever tool they have decided to use and Upload all
information to Class website about vacation
Present projects and vote on best vacation in each price range from every class.
Elizabeth Winslett, Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project

4
Product:
Students will produce a detailed description of their vacation using the digital media that they think will best
enhance their vacation. The project will be fun and engaging way for the students to look at the value of
budgeting, charts, and being persuasive. Technology will be used to research vacations, create charts, and the
final product. The students can create a data base of vacations for the people in the community to use. The
product will be assessed using a rubric and it will be assessed by their peers.
Technology Use:
Computers will be needed to create the presentation and research the vacation. LCD projector will be needed so
students can present their vacation. Excel, Power Point, word processor, the internet, and the production tools
of the students choosing will be needed to create the documents and information for the presentation. Some
tools that might be excellent to present would be Glogster, Prezi, Screencast OMatic, or creating a video.
References and Supporting Material:
Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2013). Integrating education technology in toeach. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson.
The instructor would need a rubric, an example project, papers with budgets on them for the students to pick,
and computers.
ome good resources that the student could use are:
http://www.glogster.com/
http://prezi.com/
http://www.youtube.com/
http://voicethread.com
http://www.animoto.com
http://docs.google.com
http://photobucket.com/

Elizabeth Winslett, Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project

Possible Rubric
Project Item
Description
Over all
This should be a general broad
description of
overview of their vacation. This
vacation
should be what draws people
[ 5 pts]
interest into their vacation. This
should be the opening to the
project.
Itemized list of
activities and
their cost
[ 10 pts]

This should be a detailed list of

the activities they will be doing,
like movies, snorkeling, etc. this
should be done in a chart and
include the price.
Schedule for
This should be a detailed
vacation
schedule of what every day on
[ 15 pts]
the vacation will look like. I
want to know what you will be
doing every day, every hour, an
every minute of this vacation.
A list of ALL
This should be a detailed list of
of the expenses ALL of the expenses. How
[ 15 pts]
much is room/board, food,
activities, transportation,
shopping, and other?
A pie chart
Based on the categories of
showing how
transportation, food, shopping,
the budget was activities, room/board, and other,
spent
how did the student allocate
[ 15 pts]
their funds. They must show
percentages and dollar amount
for the pie pieces.
Transportation How will you get to your
options
destination and how will you get
[ 5 pts]
around once you are at your
location. List all of the ways that
you can get there and how much
each way will cost. Choose a
method and argue why it is the
best method. Make sure to look
at gas prices in that area if
driving is an option.
How many
Who is this vacation geared too,
people is this
how many people can this
vacation
vacation accommodate, and
accommodating what age group would enjoy this
[ 5 pts]
most? WHEN ARE YOU
GOING?

5
How it will be assessed
Comments
How appealing is the
vacation just based on the
description. The class
and teacher will rank the
vacation from 1-5. 1
being I would never go
and 5 being I would be
there in a heartbeat.
This will be assessed as
whether it is there or not
and includes the cost.

Points Earned

This will be assessed

based on the extent of the
schedule and if
everything is there. All
activities in the activity
list must on the schedule.
Did they use all of their
money and how well did
they budget?
This pie chart will be
assessed based on its
accuracy and completion.

How feasible are the

options and does the
chosen transportation
option make sense?

Does it make sense what

they propose? Is the
budget planned for that
amount of people?

Elizabeth Winslett, Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project

Visuals of
This should include pictures of
Is this vacation
vacation
the vacation location, activities
appealing? Rating of 1[ 5 pts]
that you will be doing, and any
10.
other visuals that might help
someone choose your location
History of
Talk about the history of your
How much do you know
location
location. What is the local
about this location?
[ 10 pts]
cuisine like, what is their
Could you give a history
weather like historically, are
report on it after this
there any big events that have
project?
occurred their? What is the
language of the location? How
many people live their? Do they
have a trade? How do people
there make a living?
Geography of
Include a picture of where this is Did they list the
location
on the map. Talk about the
differences of the
[ 10 pts]
weather, altitude, and terrain of
locations?
the location compared to home.
Original
Include the original proposal of
Is the original proposal
proposal
your budget and compare it to
included and how does it
[ 5 pts]
what it is actually is.
compare?
TOTAL: 100
Teacher Comments on Overall project:

Grade:

Elizabeth Winslett, Kennesaw State University