* 8 th Grade students will plan a walking tour of Paris, France. * Students will choose 5 different places to visit from the list below to include in their walking tour: * A café * A museum * A monument * A church or cathedral * Student choice * Students will plan a walking route starting and ending with the café showing the linear and area measurements, a polygon drawing, layers of each map appropriately labeled. * For each stopping point, students will include a picture and one interesting fact for that point. * Students will also include in their map the closest Metro stop to each place in their map along with directions to the next Metro stop.

* 7.1.NM.A.1 – Recognize familiar spoken or written words and phrases contained in culturally authentic materials using electronic information and other sources related to targeted themes. * 7.1.NM.A.2 – Demonstrate comprehension of simple oral and written directions, commands, and requests through appropriate physical response. * 7.1.NM.A.3 – Recognize a few common gestures and cultural practices associated with the target culture(s). * 7.1.NM.A.4 – Identify familiar people, places, and objects based on simple oral and/or written descriptions. * 7.1.NM.A.5 – Demonstrate comprehension of brief oral and written messages using age and level appropriate, culturally authentic materials on familiar topics. * 7.1.NM..B1 – Use digital tools to exchange basic information at the word and memorized phrase level related to self and targeted themes. * 7.1.NM.B.2 – Give and follow simple oral and written directions, commands and requests when participating in age-appropriate classroom and cultural activities. * 7.1.NM.B.3 – Imitate appropriate gestures and intonation of the target culture(s)/language during greetings, leave-takings and daily interactions. * 7.1.NM.B.4 – Ask and respond to simple questions, make requests, and express preferences using memorized words and phrases. * 7.1.NM.B.5 – Exchange information using words,phrases, and short sentences practices in class on familiar topics. * 7.1.NM.C.1 – Use basic information at the word and memorized phrase level to create a multimedia-rich presentation on targeted themes to be shared virtually with a target language audience. * 7.1.NM.C.2 – Imitate, recite, and/or dramatize simple poetry, rhymes, songs, and skits. * 7.1.NM.C.3 – Copy/write words, phrases, or simple guided texts on familiar topics. * 7.1.NM.C.4 – Present information from age and level- appropriate culturally authentic materials orally or in writing. * 7.1.NM.C.5 – Name and label tangible cultural products and imitate cultural practices from the target culture(s).

In order for retention to take place, there must be sense and meaning. I show students pictures of places to visit in Paris, but it becomes more real for them if they are actually finding places to visit themselves and finding an interesting fact about that place. If the learner cannot attach sense or meaning, and there is no time for further processing, then the new information is likely to be lost (Sousa pg. 87). Studies indicate that the frontal lobe is very much involved during the rehearsal process and ultimately in long-term memory foundation (Sousa pg. 87). Working on this project and being able to choose their stopping points makes it their own, therefore, increasing the likelihood that sense and meaning will take place. Several studies showed that during longer rehearsals the amount of activity in the frontal lobe determined whether items were stored or forgotten (Buckner, Kelley, & Petersen, 1999; Wagner et al., 1998) – Sousa pg. 87. In this activity, using Google Maps shows the student real places that they are finding for themselves The goal of learning is not to just acquire knowledge, but to be able to use that knowledge in a variety of different settings (Sousa, pg. 88). Using Google Maps can help the student develop skills that can be used for other map activities and other situations.

* Kinesthetic – Using the computer is tactile with hands-on learning. * Visual-Spatial – Using a 3-D map, drawing a shape on the map, creating a route, adding images, photographs, graphics. * Intrapersonal – Choosing which points to plot, working independently on the project. * Interpersonal – Presenting their map to the class. * Linguistic – Using the computer, labelling the points, researching an interesting fact. * Logical/Mathematical – Creating the route, conceptualizing the route, investigating and calculating the route.

Each icon represents the stopping points along with another icon representing the closest metro station to each stopping point.

When you click on an icon, a picture with a short description of that stopping point, pops up.

The next layer shows the area and linear measurements.

This layer shows the directions from point A to point E as a walking route.

This layer shows each Metro stop with an “M” icon. When you click on the icon, a box pops up with the name of the station, and the Metro directions to the next stopping point.

Sousa, David. How the Brain Learns. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Print. Buckner, R.L.,.M, Kelley, and S.E. Petersen. "Frontal cortex contributions to human memory formation." Trans. Array Nature Neuroscience Print. "Gardner's Multiple Intelligences." Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. Web. 10 Oct “Paris Metro Map Interactive.” Web. 11 Oct Paris Central. Web. 14 Oct Bateaux Mouches. Web. 14 Oct Musee Marmottan, Paris, France. Web. 14 Oct Web. 14 Oct