CGC1P
Geography of Canada
PERFORMANCE TASK #1 – UNITS 1 and 2
Name: ________________
In this assignment, you will be describing the physical characteristics of two provinces or territories in Canada. You will find information about the provinces and territories and then present the information as either postcards or an online blog. Your teacher will show you how you can do both.
This is a summative assignment and will be marked. There are three main parts to the assignment.
1.
Choose two provinces/territories that you want to research. Complete the rough notes handout for each province/territory by using the pages in the textbook and the atlas. Point-form notes are fine for your rough notes. The following information must be included in your assignment:


Landform Regions
Climate Characteristics
 Natural Vegetation
 Soils
 Three interesting places to visit in your provinces/territories

At least one picture per province/territory
2.
Shade the provinces/territories on the outline map of Canada. Make sure that the map is complete with a title, border, north arrow, legend and labels to identify your provinces/territories. (Check your Rules of Mapping handout!)
You must hand in your research notes and your map for evaluation.
1.
You can choose to make a postcard or a blog (or one of each) to present your findings on the two provinces/territories you have learned about. If you would like to present your findings in another way, discuss your choice with your teacher first.
Postcard Format:

Pretend that you are on vacation in the province or territory you are writing about. Write a postcard to a friend or family member telling them about your experiences there and about the landforms, climate, soils, natural vegetation, animals, and three interesting places that you have visited.

Use the template below to complete your assignment. Be creative and use your imagination!
Blog Format:

Pretend that you are on vacation in the province or territory you are writing about. Write a blog to a friend or family member telling them about your experiences there and about the landforms, climate, soils, natural vegetation, animals, and three interesting places that you have visited.

Your teacher can show you some examples to get you started. Be creative and use your imagination!

Have someone read your work before you submit it to the teacher for evaluation. This will help to make sure that you have included all the required information and that your spelling and grammar is correct.

Landform Region(s): (What landform regions are in this province/territory? What kinds of landforms will we see in this region?)
Landform Regions Name: ________________________________________________________________
Landforms:
Climate Characteristics:
 January Temperature ____________
 July Temperature _______________
 Annual Rainfall _________________
Does it have a continental climate or a maritime climate?__________________
Important Climate Factors: (What are the factors that affect climate in this region?)
Natural Vegetation: (What types of trees, shrubs, plants are there in this region?)
Soils: (What type of soil is there in this region?)
2.
3.
Three Interesting Places to Visit in the Province/Territory: (eg. Heritage sites, natural wonders, museums, other tourist sites)
1.

Landform Region(s): (What landform regions are in this province/territory? What kinds of landforms will we see in this region?)
Landform Regions Name: ________________________________________________________________
Landforms:
Climate Characteristics:
 January Temperature ____________
 July Temperature _______________
 Annual Rainfall _________________
Does it have a continental climate or a maritime climate?__________________
Important Climate Factors: (What are the factors that affect climate in this region?)
Natural Vegetation: (What types of trees, shrubs, plants are there in this region?)
Soils: (What type of soil is there in this region?)
Three Interesting Places to Visit in the Province/Territory: (eg. Heritage sites, natural wonders, museums, other tourist sites)
1.
2.
3.

___/20
___/10
___/10
___/20
PERFORMANCE TASK RUBRIC
Categories
Knowledge and
Understanding
Province/Territory
Natural Systems
____/10 _____/10
Meets the standard with distinction
(Level 4 80-
100%)
Postcards/blogs show a high degree of knowledge of natural systems
All required information is included
Meets the standard
(Level 3 70-79%)
Postcards/blogs show considerable knowledge of natural systems
All required information is included
Almost meets the standard
(Level 2 60-69%)
Postcards/blogs show some knowledge of natural systems
Most required information is included
Needs work to achieve the standard
(Level 1 50-59%)
Postcards/blogs show limited knowledge of natural systems
Some required information is included
Has not met the expectations
(Below 50%)
Has not met the requirements for this part of the assignment
THINKING
Critical thinking in postcards/blogs
Connections between physical environment and postcards/blogs
____/5 _____/5
APPLICATION
Research and Writing
Process
Rough Notes
Map
____/10
High degree of critical thought in written and visual work.
Many relationships between the physical environment and the student’s vacation experience are identified and are accurate.
Student demonstrates strong research skills in locating and using information accurately.
Rough notes are complete and submitted.
Postcard/blog has been peer reviewed.
Feedback used.
Map follows all mapping rules.
Communication
Written and Visual
Postcards/Blogs
_____/10 _____/10
Postcards/blogs and visuals are creative and capture the reader’s attention.
Postcards/blogs are written using proper sentences and use descriptive language.
Spelling, grammar and punctuation are correct.
Visuals are creative, eye-catching and represents the provinces/territories accurately.
TOTAL: _____/60
Comments:
Considerable critical thought evident in postcards/blogs creation.
Several relationships between the physical environment and the student’s vacation experience are identified and are accurate.
Student demonstrates ability to research and locate information and to use it accurately.
Rough notes are almost complete and submitted.
Postcard/blog has been peer reviewed. Some feedback used.
Map follows most mapping rules.
Postcards/blogs and visuals capture the reader’s attention.
Postcards/blogs are written using many proper sentences and some descriptive language.
Most spelling, grammar and punctuation is correct.
Visuals represent the provinces/territories accurately
Some critical thought evident in postcards/blogs creation.
Some relationships between the physical environment and the student’s vacation experience are identified and are accurate.
Some research evident.
Information not always used accurately.
Rough notes are incomplete or not submitted.
Postcard/blog has been peer reviewed but feedback not evident
Map follows some mapping rules.
Postcards/blogs and visuals show some creativity
Several spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors evident.
Visuals do not fully represent the provinces/territories
Postcards/blogs ’ content does not demonstrate critical thought.
Some or no relationships between the physical environment and the student’s vacation experience are identified and are accurate.
Very little research is evident. Significant difficulty researching independently.
Rough notes are incomplete or not submitted.
Postcards/blogs have not been peer reviewed.
Map is incomplete and does not follow mapping rules.
Postcards/blogs and visuals are difficult to understand. Student’s experience is unclear
Proper sentences not used or need improvement.
Many spelling, grammar and punctuation errors throughout.
Visuals do not connect to the provinces/territories discussed or are absent
Has not met the requirements for this part of the assignment
Has not met the requirements for this part of the assignment
Has not met the requirements for this part of the assignment

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