Latin American Country Project (Russ, Simpson, and Dodson 8th Grade): Assignment

You will complete a report on the country you have chosen.  Be careful to follow all directions!  Your report should be typed (double space).  Your report should have the number of pages indicated below and should be in the order indicated below.  Do not put your report into a folder; simply staple the top, left corner. This will be a major grade worth fifty points. 

I. Title Page - Include the following information: your name, your country’s name, a graphic or drawing that represents your country (something other than a map or flag!)

II. Map - Trace or draw (do NOT simply print a copy) a map of your country.  Indicate the capital with a STAR, and indicate the most populous city with a CIRCLE (if they are the same, circle the star).  Include important landforms or bodies of water and label them appropriately.  Also indicate which countries border your country.  You may hand-write the labels on your map.

III. Flag - Trace or draw your country’s flag (do NOT simply print a copy) AND write a brief paragraph explaining the significance of the symbols and colors on the flag.

IV. Overview - LIST the following statistical information: population, land area, population density, population growth rate, life expectancy, major ethnic groups (and percentage of population), major religions (names of religions and percentages of population practicing each), prominent languages, literacy rate (overall and by gender), type of government (democracy or authoritarian – include rating from www.freedomhouse.org), and per capita GDP.  In a well-written PARAGRAPH, comment on the picture of the country that emerges from this statistical information.  What conclusions can you draw based on this information?

V. History - Using complete sentences, write a one-page summary of your country’s history. Be specific in noting the ways that your country’s history conforms to or differs from the PATTERN of Latin American history we have discussed in class.

VI. Major Person/Special Issue - Using complete sentences, write a half page summary of any special issue relating to your country OR a biographical sketch of some major figure in your country’s history. 

VII. Advertisement - You have been hired by a travel agency to either encourage or discourage prospective tourists regarding their choice of your country as their destination.  In a well-written, persuasive paragraph assure them that they have made a wise choice or try to convince them to change their destination.  Remember that the evidence you use to support your argument is more important than the side you choose!

VIII. Sources - List the sources you used to compile your report.  There are no limits on the number or types of sources you may use, but you must cite them all and cite them in a manner that would allow me to find them.

IX. Oral Presentation - The day the reports are due, be prepared to share an interesting and relevant piece of information that you learned while researching your country.  This should only take about thirty seconds, but you should certainly put some thought into what you will share.  AVOID repeating information that we have already covered in class or simply reading from your statistical overview.