Introduction

Hopefully, you have heard of the Panama Canal, but do you know anything more about the background or construction or this grand waterway? It is not the longest, deepest or widest canal in the world, but it is the only one that connects two oceans! You are going to learn about one of the worlds most impressive projects.

The Task

As a class, we will cover some basic information on the history and construction of the Panama Canal together. Then, working in small groups, you will gather more precise information that will be used to put together a presentation for the class. The final project may be in the form of a written report, several newspaper articles from the time of construction, a complete test with answer key, or a HyperStudio stack presentation. The following is a list of things for your group to consider while researching this topic.

• why was the canal built; what is its importance?
• who benefits from its construction?
• who started the construction; did they experience any difficulty?
• was there any new technology used in the construction of the Panama Canal?
• why is this landmark so impressive?
• who has ownership of the canal; from when to when?
• what was the cost of this project? how long did it take to complete this large waterway?
• in your opinion, will it always be an important landmark - or will its importance fade?

There will also be a smaller project that will be completed individually. This will be discussed later in this overview. It is important for you to realize that you will have responsibilities within a group as well as individually.

Resources

Listed below are some sites that will contain information on the Panama Canal. Some sites contain vast amounts of information, while others just have an important point or two. Be sure to visit all the sites to insure that you will have all the necessary information for your report. Each group member should take ORGANIZED notes at this time. These may be added to your notes from the movie shown in class.

• Panama Canal Background
• Mrs. Hall Panama Canal Problems
• CZBrats-Front
• Panama Canal
• Focus on Panama - History section only here
• Panama Canal Commission
• Panama Canal: Man vs. Nature

The Process

There will be two distinct parts to this project. First, there will be a project for each GROUP of students. Second, there will be assignments for each INDIVIDUAL.

1. First, take notes from the movie shown in class. These will be used for both the individual projects as well as the group project.
2. Working in your assigned group, research the sites given in the resource section of this program. Again, take notes for your own use as well as to contribute to the group.
3. Working in your group (everyone should have their own notes to refer to), put together a final project reflecting upon the questions given above and covering the important points regarding the Panama Canal. The group project may be a type-written report, or it may be written test with a complete answer key, a series of newspaper articles that the group writes as if it were the time of the Panama Canal construction, or a report completed on a HyperStudio stack. This is the groups opportunity to show how much they understand about the significance of the Panama Canal. Be sure to put together a well organized and complete final assignment. The group will then present this project to the class.
4. Finally, each individual will need to make three separate journal entries. One entry should be from the perspective of Ferdinand de Lesseps. Another entry should be the thoughts of Colonel George W. Goethals. Finally, the last entry should be in the voice of the President of the U.S. at the time we took control of the construction of the canal. This, of course, was President Roosevelt. Each entry should be complete (about a page or more) and should reflect the personal thoughts of that individual as they contemplate their unique situations (problems and successes).

Learning Advice

I want you to view the group project as a teaching experience. Your group will be teaching the rest of the class about the Panama Canal. Decide how the project will be broken down, and who will be responsible for what. I will assume that everyone knows how to work within a group and the importance of contributing to the group's success. If the group encounters problems that they are unable to resolve, you will need to let me know.

Use this check off list to insure that you have completed all of your group and individual responsibilities:

___ notes from movie and research

___ group project (written report, test & answer key, a series of 4 or more timely newspaper articles, or a HyperStudio stack)

___ three page long journal entries (perspective of Lesseps, Goethals, and Roosevelt)

Conclusion

In researching this project, you will gain insight into the history and construction of the magnificent Panama Canal. I hope that you will appreciate all the work and new technology needed to complete the waterway. It represents the sacrifice, dedication and and commitment of thousands of people. Was the final product worth this struggle?

This page written by Ms. Petrous.

This page was adapted from Bernie Dodge 's WebQuest_Template1.html by Tom March