(eX)peditions Unlimited

(ex)peditions Unlimited, often referred to as just Expeditions, is the first semester freshman project. Freshmen are randomly put into their first houses to begin their first project. After being two to three weeks into school, students will be seperated into groups that were determined by their personality types. Personality types are determined by taking a “test” a week or so in. The test is not an actual test but more of a self assessment on behavior, action, and mainly personality.

Groups or teams will take a two month virtual trip to the location assigned to their group. They must learn what the major issue is in the area, what is causing it, and how to prevent or even stop it.

Essential Question
The Essential Question for Expeditions is one that might sound familiar; "What is the most significant factor affecting the Earth's environment?" Groups will use this question to further their studies. They will also have a chance to answer this same question individually for the Multi-Genre Project.

Project Components
There are seven (7) project components in Expeditions. Some components require artistic skills, while others require more technical abilities, making Expeditions a good learning experience for IPoly freshmen.

Field Journal
Each student will write a field journal, as if they were real scientists that went on their assigned journey. The science teacher of the grade level (currently Cancino, 2017) will assign journal entries throughout the semester. Each entry must have the current location of the expedition, time the entry was written, the weather and temperature of the location at that time, and at least three drawings called figures. Figures must have letters or numbers for identification, a title, and be referred to somewhere in the entry. For example, (Figure A), (See Figure 2), or [A] are all acceptable ways of referencing a figure.

Movers and Shakers
Previously called the "Figure Presentations", the Movers and Shakers component is officially part of Expeditions Unlimited, although most students consider it as its own project as the presentations seem to have to real connection to the main project. Students will be randomly assigned an influential figure of the past and will have to learn about that person and present information about the figure as them. Students must dress like the figure they are presenting.

Team Logo
Also known as the Desmos Logo, groups must design a logo for their team using Desmos, an online graphing calculator. The design must incorporate either a plant or an animal native to their destination. First, students sketch their own designs. Then, their group will review all of the individual designs and come up with a final sketch.