Viajamos: Planning A Trip

Introduction

    Your rich uncle has decided to send you and a friend to the Spanish-speaking country of your choice so that you can immerse yourself in the language and culture of that country. He remembers how important it was for him to actually visit a Spanish-speaking country when he was trying to learn Spanish.  You, however, cannot choose a country without more information.  So, research a few Spanish-speaking countries, choose the one you want to visit, make all your travel plans, and send your rich uncle your detailed itinerary along with the bill.  Remember to make sure that your budget reflects the cost for both you and your friend.

The Task

    1. Explore a country and decide which cities you want to visit.

    2. After choosing a country, find out the unit of currency used and its current
        exchange rate against the American dollar.

    3. Find out the weather conditions in your chosen city/country at the time of your trip and plan your
        clothing appropriately.

    4. Contact hotels in the areas you will visit to find out prices and services the
        hotel has to offer.

    5. Contact at least two airlines and get prices for travelling to your chosen city/country
        from the two airports closest to your home.

    6. Find three modes of transportation in your chosen cities and the cost for each.

    7. Find three restaurants in your chosen city, and find menus and prices.

    8. Find three special attractions you would like to visit on your trip. These could be
        museums, monuments, churches or other points of interest.  Include admission fee and a brief
        description for each place.

The Process

   1.  Narrow your search to a few countries that interest you.
   2.  Use the sites above and explore those countries.  Choose one country as the one you
        will visit.
   3.  Locate the information you need for each of the seven required items
        listed in The Task section.
   4.  After you have gathered information, write a letter to your rich uncle. Your final product
        should be a long letter to your rich uncle that includes a detailed plan with your complete
        itinerary, the information he requested, and a detailed budget.

Resources

     Countries Worldwide
     Weather Reports
     Travel Accomodations
     The Virtual Tourist

     Airlines:

United Airlines
Delta Airlines
American Airlines
Orbitz
Travelocity

      Search Engines:

              Google
              Yahoo
              Excite
              AltaVista

Conclusion

        By doing this travel plan, you have become acquainted with a Spanish-speaking country and have also learned how to search for sites using search tools. You should now be able to use this knowledge to gain information for other projects and to teach other students how to access information using the Internet.  Be sure to email your on-line mentor the letter to your rich uncle.

 

References
Dodge, B. (1995). WebQuests: A technique for Internet-based learning. Distance Educator, 1(2), 10-13.