Minnesota Rural Location Project
MINNESOTA RURAL LOCATION PROJECT: “EXPLORING PLACE”
You have your choice between the following assignments about location.
1) Research a farmstead and how it has changed over time
2) Explore a Township or Neighborhood (this is not a history of the area, but how
the area has changed). A Township is 6 miles by 6 miles, neighborhoods would be
significantly smaller. You need to define the limits of the neighborhood.
3) Discover your genealogy pattern…this is geography so explore movement.
4) Show changes and/or places that still exist from a 1800’s ‘Birdseye View’ map or print
Conditions: You must….
-visit
-take pictures or sketches
-document research sources
-present it as an electronic presentation in power point or PDF (no talking)
-provide an electronic version (website drop box: last name, first name, topic)
-include a title page with your name, date, college, topic
-research..explore..describe..explain what you observe
-use information and websites presented in the class
-cite references and sources
-you are teaching someone who did not take this class and applying information you learned
-The project should be in a Power Point presentation and have at least 30 slides.
-This is a visual project with descriptions. Find a balance between data/images.
-Do not….Do not….just copy from limited internet sources….make it your own research.
(Be careful of using only a state, county or city websites)
GENERAL GUIDELINES TO INCLUDE WITH THE TOPICS
FARMSTEAD / Township or Neighborhood / Birdseye View Map / GENEALOGYLocation map / Location map / Location map / Map your ancestors routes
Plan map / Land Use / Current photos / Discuss locations
Building types / Changes over time / Old photos/maps / Talk about types of work
Building ages / Typical Features / Describe building changes / Tell family stories
Building uses / Local Map / Create a driving/walking tour / Put you in the story
Changes over time / Photos from the road / Locate places that still exist / The beginning of an on-going story
Farm activities / Air Photos Modern/Historic / Show how the area changed
Farmhouse age / Plat map / Use Goggle Earth views / Do not just copy an existing document
House changes / Describe building changes
Historic photos / Create a walking tour
Modern Photos / Do not just use city website
These topics will be available to the public to view online and used by myself, other faculty, the general public and future students. The material you research should be accurate to the best of your ability.
If you do the Farmstead Project, do your own farm, a relative’s farm or a friend’s farm. Do not just knock on someone’s door. Do not trespass for the other projects. Use images from the ‘Public View’.
Caution: Test your computer program compatibility before the project is due.
‘Microsoft Works’ or ‘Key’ do not always convert smoothly to a school computer
If you use photos, do not use the highest resolution/ compress your project
Continually save a draft of your work on the school network in your “H” drive
Any and all materials produced by students in this class may be made available for other students and the public to view