Cross Curricular Project

I have started my cross curricular project featuring "Vacation Location". Students will select their dream vacation location and which they will work with in various classes. I have selected 9th grade ELA, Algebra I, US History, and PE/Health. In ELA I have created a hand-out to give the students explaining the requirements of the 4 week portfolio. To complete this subject I need to create a lesson plan and rubric. In Algebra I have created a 2 week lesson plan and hand-out. I still need to determine the assessment and extend the lesson 2 more weeks. In US History I have completed the lesson plan and hand-outs. A rubric is the only thing lacking. For PE I want to incorporate "The Amazing Race". Other than this idea, I have not started on this subject.
This is what I have so far for ELA:
(hand-out for students)

Vacation Portfolio
You will be creating a portfolio of your ‘Dream Vacation Location”. After researching your location you will complete a variety of activities. You may select from the list below. Each activity is worth the amount of points notated next to it. You must complete at least 100 points worth of activities. You can complete up to 10 points more for extra credit. You may NOT repeat any activity.

Travel Brochure ~ 15 pts. Create a travel brochure that describes your location. It should include, but is not limited to: brief history, current trends, famous attractions, hand-drawn photos & printed pictures.
1 page persuasive essay ~ 25 pts. Write a persuasive essay explaining why your ‘Vacation Location’ is the best or worst place to go on vacation. This essay should be well written, organized, and have zero grammatical errors.
Digital Tour ~ 50 pts. Create a digital tour of your ‘Vacation Location’ using Microsoft Power Point, Movie-Maker, ect. The tour should include but is not limited to pictures (which must be labeled!), words, and sounds.
Poem/Song ~ 20 pts. - 30 pts. Write a poem or a song about your ‘Vacation Location’. You must use facts but you may include your imagination. (20 pts). Perform your song in front of the class for an extra 10 pts.
Draw a Picture ~ 10 pts. Draw a picture of your ‘Vacation Location’. You must include factual images.
Newspaper Article ~ 20 pts. Write a newspaper article about a current event that is happening at your ‘Vacation Location’. This must be factual and include at least one photo.
Design a T-Shirt ~ 5 pts - 10 pts. Design a T-Shirt that represents your ‘Vacation Location’. (5 pts) It may be drawn on paper, designed on a computer program, on an actual t-shirt, ect. (If you design a real t-shirt and wear it to school you will receive an additional 5 pts.)
Commercial ~ 10 pts - 20 pts. Write a script for a commercial promoting your ‘Vacation Location’. (10 pts) Perform it in front of the class either individually or with a group for an extra 10 pts. If you perform with a group only you will receive the extra points.
Interview ~ 35 pts. Interview someone who has gone to your ‘Vacation Location’. Create a list of at least 25 questions and add the answers. Make sure you include questions that are open-ended. Create a page that includes the individual/individual’s that you interviewed, date, time, and have the interviewee’s sign it.
Photos ~ 5 pts. Make copies from photos taken by someone who has personally gone to your ‘Vacation Location’. You must have at least 5 photos with labels on the back explaining what the photo is.

Setting Box ~ 25 pts. Create a 3-D representation of your ‘Vacation Location’ inside a shoebox. The representation should include key components of your specific location.

The following are TEKS that may be covered depending on what activities the student chooses.

(11) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Procedural Texts. Students understand how to glean and use information in procedural texts and documents. Students are expected to:
(A) analyze the clarity of the objective(s) of procedural text (e.g., consider reading instructions for software, warranties, consumer publications); and
(B) analyze factual, quantitative, or technical data presented in multiple graphical sources.
(12) Reading/Media Literacy. Students use comprehension skills to analyze how words, images, graphics, and sounds work together in various forms to impact meaning. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly more complex texts. Students are expected to:
(A) compare and contrast how events are presented and information is communicated by visual images (e.g., graphic art, illustrations, news photographs) versus non-visual texts;
(B) analyze how messages in media are conveyed through visual and sound techniques (e.g., editing, reaction shots, sequencing, background music);
(C) compare and contrast coverage of the same event in various media (e.g., newspapers, television, documentaries, blogs, Internet); and
(D) evaluate changes in formality and tone within the same medium for specific audiences and purposes.
(13) Writing/Writing Process. Students use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text. Students are expected to:
(A) plan a first draft by selecting the correct genre for conveying the intended meaning to multiple audiences, determining appropriate topics through a range of strategies (e.g., discussion, background reading, personal interests, interviews), and developing a thesis or controlling idea;
(B) structure ideas in a sustained and persuasive way (e.g., using outlines, note taking, graphic organizers, lists) and develop drafts in timed and open-ended situations that include transitions and the rhetorical devices used to convey meaning;
(C) revise drafts to improve style, word choice, figurative language, sentence variety, and subtlety of meaning after rethinking how well questions of purpose, audience, and genre have been addressed;
(D) edit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and spelling; and
(E) revise final draft in response to feedback from peers and teacher and publish written work for appropriate audiences.
(14) Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are responsible for at least two forms of literary writing. Students are expected to:
(B) write a poem using a variety of poetic techniques (e.g., structural elements, figurative language) and a variety of poetic forms (e.g., sonnets, ballads); and
(E) an analysis of the relative value of specific data, facts, and ideas.
(17) Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions. Students understand the function of and use the conventions of academic language when speaking and writing. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:
(18) Oral and Written Conventions/Handwriting, Capitalization, and Punctuation. Students write legibly and use appropriate capitalization and punctuation conventions in their compositions. Students are expected to:
(A) use conventions of capitalization; and
(B) use correct punctuation marks including:
(i) quotation marks to indicate sarcasm or irony;
(ii) comma placement in nonrestrictive phrases, clauses, and contrasting expressions; and
(iii) dashes to emphasize parenthetical information.
(19) Oral and Written Conventions/Spelling. Students spell correctly. Students are expected to spell correctly, including using various resources to determine and check correct spellings.
(20) Research/Research Plan. Students ask open-ended research questions and develop a plan for answering them. Students are expected to:
(A) brainstorm, consult with others, decide upon a topic, and formulate a major research question to address the major research topic; and
(B) formulate a plan for engaging in research on a complex, multi-faceted topic.
(21) Research/Gathering Sources. Students determine, locate, and explore the full range of relevant sources addressing a research question and systematically record the information they gather. Students are expected to:
(A) follow the research plan to compile data from authoritative sources in a manner that identifies the major issues and debates within the field of inquiry;
(B) organize information gathered from multiple sources to create a variety of graphics and forms (e.g., notes, learning logs); and
(C) paraphrase, summarize, quote, and accurately cite all researched information according to a standard format (e.g., author, title, page number).
(22) Research/Synthesizing Information. Students clarify research questions and evaluate and synthesize collected information. Students are expected to:
(A) modify the major research question as necessary to refocus the research plan;
(B) evaluate the relevance of information to the topic and determine the reliability, validity, and accuracy of sources (including Internet sources) by examining their authority and objectivity; and
(C) critique the research process at each step to implement changes as the need occurs and is identified.
(23) Research/Organizing and Presenting Ideas. Students organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience. Students are expected to synthesize the research into a written or an oral presentation that:
(A) marshals evidence in support of a clear thesis statement and related claims;
(B) provides an analysis for the audience that reflects a logical progression of ideas and a clearly stated point of view;
(C) uses graphics and illustrations to help explain concepts where appropriate;
(D) uses a variety of evaluative tools (e.g., self-made rubrics, peer reviews, teacher and expert evaluations) to examine the quality of the research; and
(E) uses a style manual (e.g., Modern Language Association, Chicago Manual of Style) to document sources and format written materials.
(24) Listening and Speaking/Listening. Students will use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others in formal and informal settings. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:
(A) listen responsively to a speaker by taking notes that summarize, synthesize, or highlight the speaker's ideas for critical reflection and by asking questions related to the content for clarification and elaboration;
(B) follow and give complex oral instructions to perform specific tasks, answer questions, solve problems, and complete processes; and
(C) evaluate the effectiveness of a speaker's main and supporting ideas.
(25) Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of language. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to give presentations using informal, formal, and technical language effectively to meet the needs of audience, purpose, and occasion, employing eye contact, speaking rate (e.g., pauses for effect), volume, enunciation, purposeful gestures, and conventions of language to communicate ideas effectively.