Secret Agent 001:

Your Instructions

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Introduction Task Process Sources Evaluation Standards

Introduction

You are a secret agent working for the government. Our most wanted and long-time enemy, "Bandito", has struck again. He has eluded us on all occasions, but we have uncovered a few pieces of vital information that will help us capture him once and for all. Here is what we know:

1. He is hiding out in one of the seven central american countries.
2. He speaks many languages including: spanish, english, and Kaqchikel (a mayan dialect).
3. He likes to hide in caves and mountainous regions.
4. He is tall, with a slender build.
5. He has designed a secret weapon that contains the resources copper, lead, silver, and zinc (He needs ALL for his machine to work).
6. His machine must be kept at temperaures lower than 70 degrees F.

Your Mission

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to research and gather as much information about a Central American country of your choice. You will be divided into mission teams of 3 or 4 agents. Each group will pick a country, but time is of the essence, for no two groups can have the same country. You are to research your country and conclude, based on the facts you uncover, whether or not the "Bandito" is hiding out in your country.

Strategy

            Research thoroughly all aspects of the country including, but NOT limiting:
                 1. capital and major cities
                 2. languages
                 3. cultures
                 4. society, people
                 5. geography (topography of land: mountains, lakes, rivers, etc.)
                 6. clothing
                 7. religion
                 8. economy ( poor, wealthy, money used, etc.)
                 9. interesting and not widely known facts
                10. agriculture
                11. education
                12. climate
                13. mineral resources

Be sure to investigate carefully because he is a master of disguise.

Operate with extreme caution, do not let anyone know of your mission, for your life is in danger.

Plan of Attack

Using approximately 1 1/2 weeks of class time, each team of agents will research and carry out their mission, investigating the country of their choice. They will then present their findings and conclusions, stating why the "Bandito" could or could not be hiding out in their country, to the rest of the government agents.
Day 1:

Head Agent assigns agent teams of 3 or 4
Agents will choose a central american country for investigation.
Students will begin brainstorming and outlining their plan.

Day 2-3:

Agents should complete their outline of their mission plan.
Surf the Internet using the resource links provided, and begin collecting research on selected country. Agents will need to create folders and databases for facts collected.
Begin research containing all of the required components.

Day 4-6:

Create written and oral report on compiled information and team conclusion.

Day 7-8:

These days are for agent presentations and reports. Agents will present their reports to the rest of the government teams, using public speaking/presentation management skills.

Informants (Sources)
http://www.belizeexplorer.com/
A virtual tour of Belize

http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/

º Use World Themes menu to change types of maps
º Use Map Key, Flags & Facts

http://www.latinsynergy.org/def_central_travel.htm
Latin site that allows you to explore the Central American countries

http://www.yahooligans.com/around_the_world/countries/
Yahooligans site for current facts and news on countries around the world

http://www.countrywatch.com
Country Watch, allows you to see current news and history of a chosen country

http://regional.searchbeat.com/centralamerica.htm
Search for your chosen country

www.encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=&pg=2&ti=761556126
Microsoft Encarta, explore your chosen country

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
World Fact Book, gives a listing of country student can research

http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/
A categorical list of topics on Latin American countries

http://www.wcpworld.com:80/future/culture.htm
Students can learn about the diversity of the world's cultures.
It includes a hotlist of links to any country in the world.

Assessment

BEGINNING DEVELOPING ACCOMPLISHED EXEMPLARY SCORE

Written Paper: 1 2 3 4

   All parts present
   (Intro, 3 body
   paragraphs, and
   conclusion) Less than 2 parts present 2-3 parts present 4-5 parts present 5 or more paragraphs present

   logical
   cohesiveness Content has no relevance or flow Content has some flow, but is choppy Content has flow and relevance Content has flow, logical order and relevance

   spelling More than 5 errors 3-4 errors 1-2 errors No errors

grammar More than 5 errors 3-4 errors 1-2 errors No errors

style No definite style Style is plain and unoriginal Style is original and unique Creative, original, and unique style

length 1 page or less 2-3 pages 3-4 pages 5 or more pages

typing
(spacing, margins,
font size, etc.) Obvious formatting of font size, margins, and spacing to extend length 2 errors (either margins, spacing or font size) 1 typing/formatting error No typing and formatting errors

Content Writing is extremely limited in communicating knowledge. No points to support your argument. Writing is limited in communicating knowledge. Only few points support your argument, and no evidence. Writes 4-5 related, quality paragraphs. Your argument is convincing. Writing is confident, strong and well documented and supported.

Oral Report:

style
(confidence, eye
contact, body
language, etc.) Low confidence, no eye contact, speaks low and obvously nervous Some confidence, some eye contact, and nervousness Confident, makes eye contact, good body language/posture Ease with public speaking, great confidence,and animation, eye contact at all times, great body language

presentation
(interest,
creativity etc.) No creativity, low interest Some creativity, some interest Creative and interesting, Very creative, High interest, unique, complete presentation

Support of
conclusions
(show deduction
process) No support of conclusions or deduction process Some support of conclusions, No deduction process

Support of conclusions, states deduction process Support of conclusions, obvious steps of deduction process clearly stated

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Standards

Geography	Civics	Economics	History
G-1A-M1 G-1A-M2 G-1A-M3 G-1B-M1 G-1B-M2 G-1B-M3 G-1B-M4 G-1C-M2 G-1C-M3 G-1C-M4 G-1C-M5 G-1C-M6 G-1C-M7 G-1D-M1 G-1D-M2 G-1D-M3	C-1A-M2 C-1A-M3 C-1A-M4 C-1A-M5 C-1A-M6 C-1A-M7 C-1A-M8 C-1A-M9 C-1A-M10 C-1B-M1 C-1B-M2 C-1B-M3 C-1B-M4 C-1B-M5 C-1B-M6 C-1C-M1 C-1C-M2 C-1C-M3 C-1D-M1 C-1D-M2 C-1D-M3 C-1D-M4 C-1D-M5	E-1A-M1 E-1A-M2 E-1A-M3 E-1A-M4 E-1A-M5 E-1A-M6 E-1A-M7 E-1A-M8 E-1A-M9 E-1B-M1 E-1B-M2 E-1B-M3 E-1B-M4 E-1B-M5 E-1B-M6 E-1B-M7 E-1C-M1 E-1C-M2	H-1A-M1 H-1A-M2 H-1A-M3 H-1A-M4 H-1A-M5 H-1A-M6 H-1C-M1 H-1C-M2 H-1C-M7 H-1C-M10 H-1C-M13 H-1C-M15

Mission Accomplished

Well Done Agent! you have successfully completed all aspects of the assignment.
You will be contacted for your next assignment.
Good Luck.

	BEGINNING	DEVELOPING	ACCOMPLISHED	EXEMPLARY	SCORE
Written Paper:	1	2	3	4
All parts present (Intro, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusion)	Less than 2 parts present	2-3 parts present	4-5 parts present	5 or more paragraphs present
logical cohesiveness	Content has no relevance or flow	Content has some flow, but is choppy	Content has flow and relevance	Content has flow, logical order and relevance
spelling	More than 5 errors	3-4 errors	1-2 errors	No errors
grammar	More than 5 errors	3-4 errors	1-2 errors	No errors
style	No definite style	Style is plain and unoriginal	Style is original and unique	Creative, original, and unique style
length	1 page or less	2-3 pages	3-4 pages	5 or more pages
typing (spacing, margins, font size, etc.)	Obvious formatting of font size, margins, and spacing to extend length	2 errors (either margins, spacing or font size)	1 typing/formatting error	No typing and formatting errors
Content	Writing is extremely limited in communicating knowledge. No points to support your argument.	Writing is limited in communicating knowledge. Only few points support your argument, and no evidence.	Writes 4-5 related, quality paragraphs. Your argument is convincing.	Writing is confident, strong and well documented and supported.
Oral Report:
style (confidence, eye contact, body language, etc.)	Low confidence, no eye contact, speaks low and obvously nervous	Some confidence, some eye contact, and nervousness	Confident, makes eye contact, good body language/posture	Ease with public speaking, great confidence,and animation, eye contact at all times, great body language
presentation (interest, creativity etc.)	No creativity, low interest	Some creativity, some interest	Creative and interesting,	Very creative, High interest, unique, complete presentation
Support of conclusions (show deduction process)	No support of conclusions or deduction process	Some support of conclusions, No deduction process	Support of conclusions, states deduction process	Support of conclusions, obvious steps of deduction process clearly stated