The big internet issue has been resolved, but the new company is waaaaay sloooower than the old company, so I'm feeling my way along with this new normal. Ah well...
Last week was the penultimate week of school, which can be an odd time at the continuation high school. The kiddos are either frantically trying to get those last couple credits finished, or they've given up for the year.
So, rather than fight this, Mr. M gave them a project to work on. They were to plan a backpacking trip through Europe. 14 days. 5 cities. Everything else was open to their choices. They could choose which cities, how long to stay in each city, and what they wanted to do there. And they needed to figure out how much it would cost.
They were to submit (online) a Google map with their cities marked. They had to do a write up of what they'd see. It would entail a lot of research online (and not a lot of lecture from the teacher).
Cool assignment, right?
Mr. M warned me some weren't doing it. Which is normal for the continuation high school.
One boy, who had done no work all period, claimed he was already done. (They had been working on it for a couple days already.)
Me: Okay, cool. Where are you going?
Boy: To Europe.
Me: Yes, I know. Which five cities did you choose?
Boy: Ones in Europe.
Me: Which ones?
Boy: Um... France.
Ahem.
On the one hand, I wasn't surprised that he hadn't done the assignment. They frequently claim they're done when, in fact, they haven't even started. But I did expect a better bluff. I mean, can't you just name five random European cities off the top of your head?
This was a geography class... (Well, and world history, depending on the period.)
So, quiz time. In the comments, name five random European cities. I won't even ask you to list the five you'd visit if you were planning a trip.
Edinburgh, London, Berlin, Glasgow, Budapest...
ReplyDeleteBeen to three of those.
What a shame. That does sound like a cool assignment.
That would be a cool assignment. They should've even grateful it was a fun one.
ReplyDeleteThey should've been. And, it was totally doable, so if they planned it right, they could start saving up and actually do that next year after they graduate (hopefully).
DeleteWarsaw, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Madrid
ReplyDeleteFun assignment!! And it took me a minute to come up with the 5 cities, LOL :)
betty
Yeah, it took me a minute, too. But you could come up with them. That boy didn't even know where to start.
DeleteRota, Nimes, Brindisi, Keflavik, Corfu.
ReplyDeleteThought I'd show off with lesser-known cities.
BTW, I've been to them all.
That would have been a cool assignment. I doubt I could come up with 5 cities without research. Europe isn't some place I've visited. Or want to visit for that matter!!
ReplyDeleteNot even the well known cities? Because, that's all I was asking for, really. I figured the boy could at least bluff.
DeleteLondon, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Prague. I've never been to any of them, but I have been to Cork and Killarney in Ireland, as well as Moscow, which is on the European side of Russia. While I was there, I traveled to a place where one can stand in both Europe and Asia at the same time.
ReplyDeleteBut that's a really cool assignment. I just might do it on my own for fun. Because I'm a nerd like that.
lol. Love your question of the day! It makes me laugh. I could name 5, but I'm not sure it's fair since I've actually been to and travelled through Europe.
ReplyDeleteI also love how France is a "city". Only in the US.
Of course I'm not much better. Yes, I probably could have named 5 European cities in high school, but it was only when I started travelling around Europe that I actually got a feel for the layout of the continent. It makes me feel as though I should travel around the US more to get a better handle on the layout of the states. I'm just not good at memorizing geography.
Fun assignment though! That was definitely a creative way to get the kids to think…
Fair enough.
DeleteFrance was only a "city" for him. I didn't even have to be the one to get on his case for that. His classmates did it for me.
My point was, the boy was so not doing the assignment that he couldn't even bluff through my simple question. Notice, he was the only one I asked. The rest could probably have answered me.
Ugh, slow internet is a crime!
ReplyDeleteIt's the end of the year. No one wants to do anything! And some are determined not to.
Edinburgh, Florence, Milan, Munich, Nice. I could put more, but I'm no good at spelling some of them. I could have bluffed my way through ;)
fun assignment
ReplyDeleteI thought so
DeleteOh wow...I would love to do this assignment...now and then! What's wrong with these kids?? I hope at least one or two liked the assignment. I would love to visit Wittenberg, Nuremberg, Regensberg, Rome, Florence. I have been to Paris, Prague, Munich, Graz, Venice and more...I am happy to say
ReplyDeleteI'm sure a couple of them did. Not ones I'd notice, as they would have been doing as requested, so I wouldn't need to stand over them and get them to work.
DeleteIt does sound like a fun assignment. Perhaps it was too abstract for the young man. Or perhaps he is just lazy.
ReplyDeleteRome, London, Paris, Madrid, and Athens.
Not sure how the student in your continuation school or class is treated by the community.
ReplyDeleteAround here they seem to be treat like criminal. I've met a few and what I see they see the world different.
Coffee is on
Some do have that attitude. I try not to prejudge as many of them can go on to do something productive with their lives. And many do. But just like anywhere, there are those who don't.
DeleteShit! Geography! (said while sitting directly in front of a school-sized world map) ummmm London Paris Bonn Reyjkavic and Edinburgh. I TOTALLY DID THAT WITHOUT LOOKING!
ReplyDeleteCongrats. You're smarter than an 11th grader! Well, that one...
DeleteParis, London, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Dublin. They're 5 I've actually been to anyway.
ReplyDeleteIt's easier if you've been to Europe, sure. You'll have to tell us about your travels sometime.
DeleteI would love to visit Venice, London, Paris, Dublin, and Rome.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'd love to see those cities, too.
DeleteThat's pretty suspicious. I mean, c'mon.
ReplyDeleteI know! But you'd be surprised at what some of them don't know.
DeleteOh my gosh. I would LOVE that assignment. Hmmm I'd go to Venice, Capri, Sorrento (yes, I love all things Italy lol), London and, erm, somewhere in Ireland. I honestly don't care where. I just wanna go. lol
ReplyDeleteWhere would you pick?
Ooh. I've actually been to Munich. As for others, these came to mind in short oder: Vienna, Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona. I weep for this young man's future. ~sigh~ Now, if I could just put my passport to use and travel more!
ReplyDeleteMaybe this was the push he needed to... Ah well. Perhaps one day he'll learn to appreciate travel.
Delete