Vacation Planner & Travel Guide: a Math and Media Adventure!

& Gwyneth Anne Bronwynne Jones
- Library Media/Technology Specialist
Murray Hill Middle School

TEACHERS: This math, media, social studies and technology integrated lesson and website follows a math worksheet. Click here for a print-friendly version of this lesson.

Introduction: Your family has given you the challenge of planning a vacation to another city. Saving money on travel plans always leaves more cash for entertainment and fun, so make sure to be thrifty in your research.

Things to keep in mind:

You're going to have to drive, so choose a ride that is sweet but also easy on the gas mileage.

Motel or hotel? You have to spend the night in your city (driving while tired is dangerous!) make sure you choose one that's nice and affordable.

Things to do and see? Make sure to check out the local attractions for each city!

1) Choose three cities you would like to visit.

Atlanta, GA Hotel and Attraction Info: Click here Yahoo! City Guide	Boston, MA Hotel and Attraction Info: Click here Yahoo! City Guide	Chicago, IL Hotel and Attraction Info: Click here Yahoo! City Guide
Dallas, TX Hotel and Attraction Info: Click here Yahoo! City Guide	Phoenix, AZ Hotel and Attraction Info: Click here Yahoo! City Guide	Portland, OR Hotel Info: Click here (Note: this city takes extra effort) Yahoo! City Guide
San Diego, CA Hotel and Attraction Info: Click here Yahoo! City Guide	San Francisco, CA Hotel and Attraction Info: Click here Yahoo! City Guide	Seattle, WA Hotel and Attraction Info: Click here Yahoo! City Guide

Very Important. Read these directions fully including the warning before going to the link!

After clicking the below link wait for the page to load, look for "Choose your City" and select the city you are visiting. Once that page loads look for the list of "Top Clicks" on the right. This will show you a list of popular restaurants in this city....choose one! After reading the restaurant description, look for the "average entrée to cost" to determine how much a meal at this restaurant is going to cost. Some listings even have a sample menus and reviews~!
For dining information, click here.

WARNING: Though this site is very helpful and free, it has a few aggrivating attributes - pop-up ads and annoying flashing banner ads. Rest assured, Please ignore these and make sure not to get distracted from your research... or else! -ms. jones

2) Plan your trip, decide which city you will go to first, second, and third.Remember you will start and finish in Annapolis.

Annapolis to_______________________ to_____________________

to ________________________ and back to Annapolis.

Calculate the distance between each city and then of course the total mileage of your trip.

SHOW ALL YOUR WORK on a separate paper!

Calculate Your Trip!	Annapolis to: _________________________ miles______________
1^st City	____________	to	_____________	_______ miles
2^nd City	____________	to	____________	_______ miles
3^rd City	____________	to	Annapolis	_______ miles

Total mileage of trip ____________

4) Chose your automobile. To find a list of cars and what kind of MPG they get you can go to the EPA Find A Car Website or look at the list of the Most and Least Fuel Efficient Cars EPA Website.

I will be driving a ________________________

5) What is the MPG of your automobile? ________________MPG Combined City and Highway

Be sure to show me your work and write an explanation!

6) How many times will you have to fill up your automobile?

7) If gasoline costs on average $1.62 per gallon.How much will you spend on gasoline?

8)If you travel at an average rate of 60 MPH, how long will it take you to simply drive from Annapolis to each city and back to Annapolis?(We are not taking into account ANY stops.)

Important: On your trip you stay in each city for only one night! You leave Annapolis at 8:00AM on Saturday.

1)What time do you arrive in your first city? Be sure to show me your work and explain your arrival time/day.(Don't forget to take into consideration you might have to stop to refuel, eat?)

2) Where will you be staying?______________________

3) What is the hotel's rate?______________________

4) What is one tourist attraction you are going to visit while in this city?What are the costs of visiting it, if any?What about a souvenir?

5)Don't forget to take into consideration you will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at this city. (Go back to Choose a Restaurant and follow the directions)

Explain your total cost while visiting this city.Be sure to include where you ate, and another incidentals.

1) What time do you arrive in your second city? Be sure to show me your work and explain your arrival time/day.(Don't forget to take into consideration you might have to stop to refuel, eat?)

2) What is the hotel's rate? ______________________

3) What is one tourist attraction you are going to visit while in this city?What are the costs of visiting it, if any?What about a souvenir?

4) Don't forget to take into consideration you will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at this city. (Go back to Choose a Restaurant and follow the directions)

Explain your total cost while visiting this city.Be sure to include where you ate, and another incidentals.

1) What time do you arrive in your third city? Be sure to show me your work and explain your arrival time/day.(Don't forget to take into consideration you might have to stop to refuel, eat?)

2) Where will you be staying? ______________________

3) What is the hotel's rate? ______________________

4) What is one tourist attraction you are going to visit while in this city?What are the costs of visiting it, if any?What about a souvenir?

5) Don't forget to take into consideration you will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at this city. (Go back to Choose a Restaurant and follow the directions)

Explainyour total cost while visiting this city.Be sure to include where you ate, and anyother incidentals.

1)What time do you arrive back in Annapolis? Be sure to show me your work and explain your arrival time/day.(Don't forget to take into consideration you might have to stop to refuel, eat?)

13) How long did your vacation last?

14) How much money did your vacation cost?

15) Which was your favorite city, and why?

16) What would you do differently on your next road trip vacation?

Bonus Question!

Using the World Almanac find the population for each city that you visited. Go to the index in the front of the Almanac and look up your city by name. (Hint: Choose the page number that is bold) Write the population # on your worksheet next to where it says "First City, Second City and Third City" respectively. Make sure you write down the cities' name first.

For Example: First City - Cleveland, OH Population 498,226.
Please put back the Almanac and Woo hoo! Great Job!

(the rubric will go here)

The following links were utilized in this lesson.

TEACHERS: Click here for a print-friendly version of this lesson.

If you have any questions or comments about this lesson feel free to EMAIL me!
Either Click here or cut and paste my email addy into the address line of an email.
gwynethjones@mail.howard.k12.md.us