Road Trip USA
A Geography Project
Introduction
Welcome to Road Trip USA! You are about to embark on a 6 day trip across the
United States that will have you stopping in a new state every day. The United States'
diversity in geography and culture assures a wild and interesting trip. So buckle up
and let's get moving....
Components
The completed project will include:
1. Itinerary: An outline of each day's plan. It will include starting point, ending
point, miles driven, states crossed, and major cities or land marks passed.
2. Journal: For each day on your trip you will write a journal entry. This should
be written as a narrative in the first person as if you are actually on the trip. In
addition to the narrative, you must include pictures from actual trips,
magazines, or your own artwork. Each entry should reflect the physical and
cultural characteristics of the place you have chosen to stop.
3. Profile: For each of the six places you select, you must create a short profile.
The name, absolute and relative location, population, elevation, region, climate,
vegetation, major industries, any notable human-environmental interaction, and
reason that you selected this stop.
4. Map: On the map provided, or one you create or adapt, you must trace your
route across the United States, indicating your stopping points. Distances
between stops are to be calculated. Major highways or freeways should be
noted (i.e. Interstate 8). All states and major cities that you pass through must
be labeled.
Guidelines





You must start in a major west coast city and end on the east coast in a major
city.
You must visit at least one National Park.
You must go through 3 of the 4 regions in the U.S.A. (Northeast, Midwest,
South, and West)
A different state must be visited each day (not Alaska or Hawaii).
There must be a 300 to 1000 mile span between each stop.
Resources
There are many web pages out there that give information about cities and countries
around the nation. Additionally your textbook may be useful, and the school library is
an invaluable resource.
Used from:
http://web.archive.org/web/20000616204122/http://www.grossmont.k12.ca.us/westhills/departments
/socsci/geo_html/roadtrip/roadtrip.html
Road Trip USA Rubric
A
(14-15 points)
B
(12-14 points)
- Each day includes starting and destination
Itinerary points, miles traveled, states crossed, major
cities passed.
- Contains all information in
15
the "A" box.
points
total
- Formatted in an attractive, neat, and
efficient manner.
- Format is consistent.
C
(11 points)
- Contains almost all of
information in the "A"
box.
-Format is inconsistent.
D
(9-10 points)
- Features generic, do not
adequately describe places.
- Entries 1-2 paragraphs.
-Spelling errors
- Consistent for each day.
A
(32-35 points)
- A creative look at the place being visited.
Journal - Specific cultural and physical features
described.
35
points
total
- Each entry 3-4 paragraphs long.
- No spelling errors.
- Typed or written neatly.
B
(28-31 points)
- Specific cultural and
physical features described.
- Each entry at least 3
paragraphs long.
- No spelling errors.
- Written neatly.
A
(32-35 points)
B
(28-31 points)
C
(25-27 points)
- Features of each place
too general, not clear.
- Features generic, do not
- Only cultural or physical adequately describe places.
features described.
- Entries 1-2 paragraphs.
- Entries only 2
paragraphs long.
- Spelling errors.
- Some spelling errors.
C
(25-27 points)
- Neatly written or typed.
- Neatly written or typed.
Profiles - Contains all information asked for in
Road Trip '97 handout.
35
points
total
- Information is clearly organized, labeled,
and consistent.
- May include some tidbits not asked for in
handout.
Map
30
points
total
- Writing could be more
clear.
- Contains all information
asked for in Road Trip '97
handout.
- Missing no more than
two items of information.
- Information is organized
and labeled.
- Organization is not
consistent.
A
(27-30 points)
B
(24-26 points)
D
(21-24 points)
D
(18-20 points)
- Too messy.
- Missing more than two
items.
- Lacking organization,
consistency.
- Labeling is unclear.
C
(21-25 points)
D
(18-20 points)
- Neat and carefully done
- Neat.
- Accurate locations.
- Not done carefully.
- Accurate location of places.
- Accurate locations .
- Each stop plotted.
- Some locations are
inaccurate.
- Each stop plotted, along with major cities
and states passed.
- Each stop plotted with
major cities and states
passed.
- Some major cities and
states labeled.
- Major roads indicated.
- Mileage based on roads.
- Some major roads
indicated.
- Use of color, pictures, etc.
- Mileage based on roads.
- Some cities and states
labeled
- Some major roads
indicated.
- No roads indicated.
- Mileage "as the crow
flies."
- Mileage "as the crow
flies."
Itinerary
Day 1: Starting Point:
Miles Driven:
Major Cities Passed:
Outline of day’s Plan:
Day 2: Starting Point:
Miles Driven:
Major Cities Passed:
Outline of day’s Plan:
Day 3: Starting Point:
Miles Driven:
Major Cities Passed:
Outline of day’s Plan:
Day 4: Starting Point:
Miles Driven:
Major Cities Passed:
Outline of day’s Plan:
Day 5: Starting Point:
Miles Driven:
Major Cities Passed:
Outline of day’s Plan:
Day 6: Starting Point:
Miles Driven:
Major Cities Passed:
Outline of day’s Plan:
Ending Point:
States Crossed:
Major Landmarks Passed:
Ending Point:
States Crossed:
Major Landmarks Passed:
Ending Point:
States Crossed:
Major Landmarks Passed:
Ending Point:
States Crossed:
Major Landmarks Passed:
Ending Point:
States Crossed:
Major Landmarks Passed:
Ending Point:
States Crossed:
Major Landmarks Passed:
Journal
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Day 5:
Day 6:
Profile
Day 1
Name of Location:
Relative Location:
Region:
Climate:
Major Industries:
Reason you selected this stop:
Absolute Location:
Population:
Vegetation:
Notable H-E Interaction:
Day 2
Name of Location:
Relative Location:
Region:
Climate:
Major Industries:
Reason you selected this stop:
Absolute Location:
Population:
Vegetation:
Notable H-E Interaction:
Day 3
Name of Location:
Relative Location:
Region:
Climate:
Major Industries:
Reason you selected this stop:
Absolute Location:
Population:
Vegetation:
Notable H-E Interaction:
Day 4
Name of Location:
Relative Location:
Region:
Climate:
Major Industries:
Reason you selected this stop:
Absolute Location:
Population:
Vegetation:
Notable H-E Interaction:
Day 5
Name of Location:
Relative Location:
Region:
Climate:
Major Industries:
Reason you selected this stop:
Absolute Location:
Population:
Vegetation:
Notable H-E Interaction:
Day 6
Name of Location:
Relative Location:
Region:
Climate:
Major Industries:
Reason you selected this stop:
Absolute Location:
Population:
Vegetation:
Notable H-E Interaction:
Elevation:
Elevation:
Elevation:
Elevation:
Elevation:
Elevation: