FINAL PROJECT: Bon Voyage!
Bid a final farewell to 7th Grade Language Arts
by planning your ultimate getaway!
FINAL PORTFOLIO DUE _________
PRESENTATIONS BEGIN _________
Assignment Overview
For your final project in this class, you will be taking on the role of a travel agent, planning a trip to the
destination of your choice and preparing a portfolio consisting of multiple documents to fulfill a
variety of roles. You will have several responsibilities in this role, because you must do research on
the area as well as present the information in a persuasive presentation. These documents will
represent a culmination of all you have done/learned this year. I know you can all be successful!
***DO NOT LOSE THIS PACKET – YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANOTHER ONE. THIS PACKET
CONTAINS ALL INFORMATION NEEDED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
(available on the web at www.libertyunion.org > Middle School > Teacher websites > Rodriguez)
***I STRONGLY RECOMMEND A FLASH DRIVE, AS OUR TIME IN THE COMPUTER LAB IS
LIMITED. A FLASH DRIVE WILL ALLOW YOU TO EASILY TRANSPORT YOUR WORK BETWEEN
SCHOOL AND HOME! 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FINAL PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS:
1. Bind the portfolio in a STURDY matter. A pronged folder or plastic report cover work very
well, but you can be creative! (Do not simply staple it!)
2. Start with a Title Page and/or Cover Page, including your TITLE (BE CREATIVE!!! I don’t
want to read “Hawaiian Vacation” or “Trip to China”!!!), NAME and the DATE. Be sure to
decorate your cover to tell us about your destination.
3. Include a Table of Contents with Entry titles and accurate corresponding page numbers.
4. Include Entries for TASKS #1-5:
 Each entry needs a TITLE
 Each page should be NUMBERED (page numbers should be listed in the Table of
Contents!)
 Each entry must be TYPED
5. Decorate the portfolio with pictures/borders!
 Use magazines, stickers, clipart, newspapers, photos, ribbons, etc. (No glitter, please!)
 You may hand draw if you choose! Just keep it neat!
 **Please do not spend money on this!!! Use things you already have around the
house!!! There is NO REASON to have your adult keepers go out & spend money for your
decorations!!!
Task #1 – Business Letter to Visitor’s Bureau
(Due in advance of Final Portfolio)
Begin your portfolio with a business letter to the Visitor’s Bureau (or Chamber of Commerce) of the
destination you have chosen. In this letter, your primary purpose will be to request information on
your location.
Remember, a business letter is a FORMAL document. Keep that in mind as you choose your
language!
FORMAT:
 BLOCK format – this means you NEVER hit tab! Indent NOTHING! Not even the first
line of a paragraph! Every single line should be flush with the left margin.
 TYPE this in 12-pt Times New Roman.
Components of a Business Letter:
 Heading: your address (you may use the school’s address: 994 S. Main St.,
Baltimore, OH 43105) and the date
 Inside Address: their complete address (Find the ACTUAL address online or in a
travel guide book. Search for your city’s visitor’s bureau or chamber of commerce!)
 Salutation (Remember to punctuate with a COLON!)
 Body (Consisting of a minimum of 3 paragraphs – Intro, Body, Conclusion)
o Introduction: Introduce yourself briefly & give reason for your letter
o Body: Request specific information
o Conclusion: Tell them you appreciate any information they can give you and
thank them for their time!
 Closing (Sincerely or Respectfully Yours are appropriate for a formal letter)
 Signature & your printed name (signed first, printed underneath)
**You can find a sample in the Write Source books AND on my webpage!!
***YOU WILL PRINT 2 COPIES –
ONE TO TURN IN ON BUSINESS LETTER DUE DATE,
ONE TO SAVE FOR FINAL PORTFOLIO!!!***
Task #2 –Research Report (DUE 5/9)
(Due in advance of Final Portfolio)
It will be difficult to convince someone to take a trip to a place you or they know nothing about! That
said, you will be writing an informational research paper on your destination (this should be
expository/informative, but it’s ok if there is a slight persuasive element).
When writing a research paper, you need to do RESEARCH! Crazy, I know! Thus you will be
required to do research, CITE YOUR SOURCES in the essay itself, and turn in a
bibliography/works cited page with your final draft. Please follow the guidelines provided. You will
use the outline & source organizer worksheets to help you through the research report writing
process.
**DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!!! Any plagiarized work will be given a 0 and disciplinary action will be
taken.
***YOU WILL PRINT 2 COPIES –
ONE TO TURN IN ON RESEARCH REPORT DUE DATE,
ONE TO SAVE FOR FINAL PORTFOLIO!!!***
Requirements for Research Report:
CONTENT:
 The essay is clearly adapted to audience and purpose. It is very well-developed, containing
strong ideas, examples and details. The response, using a clearly evident organizational
plan, engages the reader with a unified and coherent sequence and structure of ideas. The
response consistently uses a variety of sentence structures, effective word choices and an
engaging style. There are no convention errors.
FORMAT:
 12 Point Times New Roman font, 1” margins, 2.0 line spacking, black ink, 2-3 pages
(excluding bibliography)
BIBLIOGRAPHY/WORKS CITED PAGE
 Correct MLA Formatting (instructions posted at libertyunion.org > middle school > teacher
websites > Erin Rodriguez
Suggestions for research topics/body paragraphs:
 History
 Tourist Attractions
 Location
 Climate/Best time to visit
 Official symbols
 Claim to Fame
 Flora/Fauna
 Language spoken/currency
 How to get to/around the city
Good websites to start with:
 http://infohio.org/
 http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/
 http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/trave
l/
 http://www.travelchannel.com/Places_Tri
ps
 http://www.lonelyplanet.com/us
 http://www.fodors.com/
Sample Bibliography
Bibliography
Aniston, Jennifer. A Visitor’s Guide to Fiji. New York: Bantam Publishing Co., 1999.
Baggins, Frodo. “Fijian Beaches: Fun in the Sun.” Fiji Visitor’s Bureau. 22 Mar. 2006. 4 Apr. 2006.
<http://www.fijivb.gov>.
Carter, Nell. “A History of Fiji.” Fiji Department of Natural History. 30 Mar. 4 Apr. 2006. <http://www.fijidonh.gov>.
“Deep into the Fijian Seas.” National Geographic Online. 19 Dec. 2008. 25 Mar. 2009.
<http://www.nationalgeographic.com/fijian_seas>.
Sample In-text Citation
(if the author is known)
Fiji boasts the location of the original international dateline, which has since been moved to the
middle of the ocean to avoid confusion (Aniston 4). ***Author’s last name & page number
-orAccording to Jennifer Aniston, Fiji boasts the location of the original international dateline, which has
since been moved to the middle of the ocean to avoid confusion (4). ***Author’s last name is already
stated, so just the page number is needed
(if the author is NOT known)
Fiji boasts the location of the original international dateline, which has since been moved to the
middle of the ocean to avoid confusion (Deep 2). ***First word of the title & page number
-orIn the article, “Deep into the Fijian Seas,” one learns that Fiji boasts the location of the original
international dateline, which has since been moved to the middle of the ocean to avoid confusion (2).
***Title is already stated, so just the page number is needed
Task #3 – Itinerary for 3-5 Days
(DUE AS PART OF FINAL PORTFOLIO)
Plan out your itinerary (planned schedule of activities) for a 3-5 day trip.
This should include the following:
 three meals per day (including time & specific locations/restaurants for those meals)
 a FULL day’s worth of activities (including approximate times for each activity and any other
details you may need to include, such as location or company)
o Please make sure there is a variety of real, specific activities. As relaxing as 3-5 days
of nothing-but-beach can be, I want to see evidence that you have researched the
available activities at your destination.
o No sleeping in!!!
*Assume you are already there! You should NOT include any TRAVEL TIME to or from your
destination. Your itinerary should include 3-5 full days in destination.
The following is an example of one way you could format your itinerary (but feel free to use a
different format):
Itinerary
Day 1
7:00 Breakfast at Maravu
Plantation Resort (included
with stay)
Day 2
Day 3
7:00 Breakfast at Maravu
7:00 Breakfast at Maravu
Plantation Resort (included with Plantation Resort (included with
stay)
stay)
8:30 Meet at Dive Fiji dive
shop for morning 2-tank dive
departure
8:15 Meet in lobby for
horseback tour of plantation
(resort-sponsored activity)
8:30 Meet in lobby to get cab to
Bouma Falls. Hike the
rainforest & swim in falls
12:00 Lunch at Taveuni
McDonald’s
11:30 Beach Barbeque (resortsponsored activity)
12:30 Picnic lunch at Bouma
Falls (resort-sponsored activity)
1:00 Deep Sea Fishing Trip
through Fiji Anglers
1:00 Lounge on the beach!
Don’t forget sunscreen!
1:30 Take cab to Taveuni
Historical Society museum
5:00 Dinner at The Conch
restaurant
5:00 Dinner at Maravu
Plantation Resort
4:30 Meet at Dive Fiji dive shop
for night dive departure
7:00 Maravu Boys concert at
Resort (resort-sponsored
activity)
7:00 Cultural Heritage
performance at Resort (resortsponsored activity)
7:00 Dinner at Swordfish Grill
10:00 Lights Out!
10:00 Lights Out!
10:00 Lights Out!
Task #4 – Budget
(DUE AS PART OF FINAL PORTFOLIO)
What’s the bottom line? How much is all of this going to cost? You will work out an ACTUAL budget
for your itinerary (so yes, you will be researching specific costs AND citing the websites where you
found those costs!!).
Remember to include ALL costs, including the following:




Getting there/back
Getting around while there
Lodging
Food
 Activities
 Any other miscellaneous expenses (passport,
shots, traveler’s insurance, etc.)
 Anything that is on your itinerary!
Budget Format:
 Include an itemized price list (how much each thing will individually cost)
 Include the total amount (all together, what will it cost)
 Show pricing for two DIFFERENT-SIZED travel parties, such as an individual adult and a
family of four (2 adults, 2 children) (or some similar combination).
The following is an example of one way you could format your budget:
Budget
Itemized Expenses
Individual Adult
Airfare from Columbus, Ohio to Taveuni, Fiji
Rental Car for 5 days
5 Nights in Maravu Plantation Resort, Basic Bure
(Breakfast and some activities included in price)
Lunch at McDonald’s
Dinner at The Conch
Dinner at Swordfish Grill
2-tank SCUBA dive (adults only – children’s price reflects
snorkeling)
Night SCUBA dive (adults only)
Horseback Tour of Plantation
Deep Sea Fishing Trip
Taveuni Historical Society
Passport Processing Fees
Total
Budget sources:
www.travelocity.com
http://www.swissfijidivers.com/
www.swordfishgrill.com
1,430.00
240.00
900.00
Family of Four
(2 Adults, 2
Children)
3,860.00
240.00
1,500.00
6.00
20.00
30.00
60.00
20.00
70.00
100.00
180.00
50.00
30.00
60.00
5.00
75.00
2,906.00
100.00
120.00
180.00
14.00
300.00
6,684.00
http://www.maravu.net/
www.theconchtaveuni.net
www.fijianglers.com
Task #5 – Postcard from Destination (Narrative Friendly Letter)
(DUE AS PART OF FINAL PORTFOLIO)
Give your clients a taste of what they will experience by designing a postcard and writing a narrative
in the form of a friendly letter FROM the destination.
*Both sides should be visible when you put this in your portfolio, so you probably want to do
the front & back of the postcard as TWO separate items OR display it so that both sides can
be seen.
Postcard Design:
□ Should accurately represent the destination
□ Should be colorful
□ Should be neat and professional looking
Narrative Friendly Letter:
□ Heading (Date mandatory, Address optional)
□ Salutation or Greeting (Dear So-and-so,)
□ Body (this is the NARRATIVE portion):
 Tell a well-developed STORY (narrative) about something that happened on this
vacation! “I’m having fun” is NOT a story!
 Imagine that you are ON your vacation and share your story with a friend/family
member back home
□ Closing (Sincerely Yours, etc.)
□ Signature [Your Name (signed)]
The following is an example of the format for your postcard (letter side):
August 6, 2013
Dear Nikole,
You will never believe what happened to me on my vacation in Fiji! I went on a shark-feeding dive,
and it was amazing.
We loaded up the dive boat with our equipment and headed out to sea. The morning sun was
beating down brutally on us, so we were anxious to get in the water. After twenty minutes of
skidding along the ocean surface, we finally made it to our dive site along the Rainbow Reef.
I zipped up my wetsuit, locked my fins into place, and heaved my BCD and tank onto my back. I
took my place in line and slowly waddled up to the edge of the dive boat. I pulled my mask down,
popped my regulator into my mouth, and took one giant step off the boat and into cool, clear,
turquoise water.
Instantly I began to sink beneath the surface. I took my first stale breath into my regulator and
looked around. The dive master and the rest of our group floated around me, suspended dark
forms highlighted by neon fins and flashy silver tanks. The reef was only a dark blur below us. We
began our descent to the ocean floor 65 feet below.
By the time we hit the soft sand just west of the reef, the reef had exploded into the rainbow of
colors that give it its name. Fish of every color and shape darted in and out of the coral. But my
attention quickly shifted to the dive master who was pointing to the chumsicle that was slowing
descending from the boat above us. That’s when the hulking, shadowy forms began to emerge
from the deep blue. The sharks had arrived!
(...CONTINUE YOUR STORY TO END!)
See you soon!
Erin
To: Nikole Bunting
994 South Main Street
Baltimore, OH 43230
Task #6 – Persuasive Presentation
*final task is NOT a part of your portfolio!
Now that you’ve done extensive research on your destination, it is time to convince the consumer that
your trip is the right one for them! Think of this as a SALES PITCH. Please note that your persuasive
speech is NOT just a retelling of your research report. This is a presentation that you have created
using ALL of the previous 5 tasks. You’re selling us the ENTIRE vacation package you created!
Requirements:
□ Give a detailed persuasive presentation on your vacation package, presenting
elements from all written tasks.
 Information is thorough and adequate.
 Information is presented in a logical, orderly fashion.
 Information represents content from all written tasks.
 Information is presented in a persuasive manner (Speaker uses elements such
as voice inflection, colorful adjectives, and charged language to persuade the
audience in their favor).
□ Use a minimum of one visual aid to enhance your presentation (poster, video,
overhead, etc.)
 Visual aid should be professional, neat, and large enough for all to see.
 It effectively enhances the presentation; it does not DISTRACT from the
presentation.
 It is explained/incorporated into the presentation.
□ Demonstrate strong public speaking skills:
 Eye contact
 Posture/Poise
 Voice projection/Pace/Inflection
 NOT reading directly from a source
 NOT engaging in distracting behavior
*The presentation should be approximately 2-4 minutes in length
SCORING GUIDES:
BUSINESS LETTER SCORING RUBRIC
Writing Applications
5
This is an excellent piece of writing. The prompt is directly addressed, and the response is clearly adapted to
audience and purpose. It is very well-developed, containing strong ideas, examples and details. The response, using
a clearly evident organizational plan, engages the reader with a unified and coherent sequence and structure of
ideas. The response consistently uses a variety of sentence structures, effective word choices and an engaging
style.
Conventions
3
Minor errors, if any, do not impair a reader’s understanding and comprehension. Few errors may be present in
capitalization, punctuation and spelling. The writing displays a consistent understanding of grammatical conventions.
The response displays an appropriate format with correct arrangement of its component sections or parts.
LETTER FORMAT:
3 Heading, Inside Address, Salutation, Closing, & Signature are all present & correctly formatted
(Applications x 2) + Conventions + Format = Final Score
RESEARCH REPORT RUBRIC
Ideas
5 The topic, focus, and details make the essay truly memorable.
Organization
5 The organization and transitions make the essay clear and easy to read.
Voice
5 The writer’s voice sounds confident, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic, and is well adapted for the intended
audience.
Word Choice
5 The writer’s exceptional word choice skillfully conveys the message.
Sentence Fluency
5 The elevated style and variety of the sentences skillfully convey the message.
Conventions
5 Error free.
Bibliography/Works Cited
5 Contains all sources in proper MLA format with no errors.
*If no bibliography is present, essay is automatically considered PLAGIARIZED and NO CREDIT will be
given. Essay will be considered for credit upon receipt of a bibliography.
PORTFOLIO SCORE SHEET
**FORMAT REQUIREMENTS**
Bound (in a sturdy manner)
Title Page (Creative title, name, date)
Table of Contents (including titles & page numbers)
Pages Numbered
Decorated (cover AND throughout) – neatly & appropriately
Contains ALL 5 WRITTEN TASKS
**ENTRIES/CONTENT**
Task #1: Business Letter (Graded Separately)
Task #2: Research Report (Graded Separately)
Task #3: Itinerary
 Detailed 3-5 day itinerary planned (from wake up to bed time, all meals included)
 Specific activities, locations, companies, etc. named
 Itinerary contains VARIED activities. There is little to no repetition.
 Shows strong evidence of real research
Task #4: Budget
 Include ALL costs (ITEMIZED & TOTAL)
 Costs are realistic/actual, as evidenced by cited sources
 Include cost breakdown for 2 different-sized travel parties
Task #5: Postcard
CONTENT:
 The letter content is clearly adapted to audience and purpose (FRIENDLY LETTER TELLING A
NARRATIVE). It is very well-developed, containing strong ideas, examples and details. The
response, using a clearly evident organizational plan, engages the reader with a unified and
coherent sequence and structure of ideas. The response consistently uses a variety of sentence
structures, effective word choices and an engaging style.
FORMAT:
 Friendly letter contains all components of a letter
DESIGN:
 Colorful, creative, neat postcard design that appropriately represents destination
**OVERALL MUGS**
Minor errors, if any, do not impair a reader’s understanding and comprehension. Few errors may be present
in capitalization, punctuation and spelling. The writing displays a consistent understanding of grammatical
conventions. The response displays an appropriate format with correct arrangement of its component
sections or parts.
TOTAL SCORE: ____/65






SCORE
____/15
____/15
____/15
____/15
____/5
PERSUASIVE SPEECH RUBRIC
3
Position
Position is clearly stated.
Supporting Arguments
Strength and Relevance of
Arguments
Confidence/Formality
Public Speaking Skills
Presents thorough and well-supported arguments of proof.
All arguments are strong and convincing. All supporting arguments are
relevant.
Presents in a confident and formal manner.
Voice is well projected and uses meaningful and natural inflection, eye
contact is consistent, and behavior is professional at all times.
Visual Aid Effectiveness
Visual aid effectively enhances presentation and is thoughtfully
incorporated into presentation.
Visual Aid Appearance
Visual aid is professional and visually appealing.
DO YOUR BEST! ENJOY! 