LAND USE ACTIVITY                            Fall 2008

You will be assigned to a group by your instructor.  Each group will have either 3 or 4 people in it and you must work together in order to produce a good product. 

Each group will be given a different land use topic. The final product of your work will come in two forms.  First, your group will give a presentation to the class.  Note that the class will be taking notes and will be responsible for understanding the topic.  Second, each individual student will write up a summary of their own group's work in their own words. 

Topics you will address will include, but are not limited to :

• clearly describing the land use issue(s) involved
• using one location within the US that illustrates the issue(s) and
• describing some possible solutions 

Your group work will be presented to the class in no more than 12 minutes (per group) on Thursday, Nov. 20.  It would be better to aim for 9 minutes of presentation and leave 3 minutes for discussion and questions.  You may use power point slides, but this is not required.

You will be given some class time (but not the entire class!) on Oct. 30, Nov. 6, 11, 13, and 18 to get together as a group to work on this project.  However, you will need to be doing research or other activities related to the assignment between these meetings.  Remember that you all have busy schedules and should try not to have to schedule group meetings outside of class time. 

Your grade will be based on participation (25 pts.) and on the written summary (25 pts.).

PARTICIPATION:

• Did you work with your group during class time?  If you are sick or cannot be in class for another legitimate reason, please let Dr. Bollinger know before class meets, if at all possible. Dr. Bollinger will keep track of this. (10 pts.)
• Did you do adequate preparation between group meetings?  Your group will evaluate you on this. (10 pts.) (done on presentation day)
• Did you help with the presentation itself or in the planning for the presentation?  Your group will evaluate you on this.  (5 pts.) (done on presentation day)
• When you evaluate a group member, scores and comments will not be shared with the person being evaluated.  Dr. Bollinger will give each individual a summary only.   

WRITTEN SUMMARY:

•  On the class meeting day following the presentation (Nov. 25) each student will turn in a summary of their group's case study or topic which will include a explanation or description of the topic, an explanation of the land use issue(s) involved, and a description of some possible solutions.   If you wish, you may also include a statement of your personal opinion on the issues. .   
• It should be typed, double-space and in 12 point font.  The grading rubric will be the same as we have used throughout the semester (5 points for completeness, 10 points for content, 10 points for writing).