Setting Explorations: My Most Excellent Year

Welcome to Setting Explorations!  Follow the steps below to take your team through all the necessary tasks to become experts on the setting for My Most Excellent Year,  Boston, MA.

Part I.  Download the Setting Explorations Sheet (see link below) and follow the directions.  You'll be given a slip of paper with your clue in class to begin.  Make sure you write your predictions after each clue and after the group sharing session. 

Part II.  Divide your team into the five roles listed below and get started.  Remember to work together to share information for your culminating project: a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation on Boston, MA.  Your final product will include your in class presentation of the travel plan and you'll be turning in an itinerary, a flyer, an Excel budgeting sheet, a hard copy of the PowerPoint slides, and your reflection. 

A.  TRAVEL AGENT:  As the travel agent for your team, you will be responsible for coordinating the following items:  1.  Travel to and from your hometown; 2.  Travel within Boston (cabs, subway, bus system, rental car, etc...); 3.  Lodging; 4.  Packing list of items to take with you.  You'll also be overseeing the creation of the travel itinerary, flyer, and Excel budget sheet as your other teammates complete their jobs.  Use the following sites to help you in your work:

Expedia  www.expedia.com

Travelocity  www.travelocity.com

Kayak  www.kayak.com

Lodging  www.hotels.com 

B.  History Buff  As the resident expert in all things historical, you are responsible for planning fun, engaging, educational excursions for your group.  Remember that you'll need a decription of each site as well as approximate cost per person and the estimated amount of time you'll spend there. Use the following sites to help you:

The Freedom Trail  www.thefreedomtrail.org

The Black History Trail www.afroammuseum.org

The Irish Heritage Trail  www.irishheritagetrail.com

Walk to the Sea www.walktothesea.com

Paul Revere House www.paulreverehouse.org

Old Sturbridge Village www.oldsturbridgevillage.org

Plimouth Plantation www.plimoth.org

C.  Chowhound  You're the go-to gourmet.  Research the best places to eat in Boston from the must have traditional Bostonian experiences to stadium chow to sit down gourmet cuisine.  Remember that you'll need a description of each restaurant, suggested menu items with descriptions, and an estimated cost per person including tax and tip.  Use the following sites to help you:

Chowhound  www.chowhound.com

Zagat www.zagat.com

Culinary Tours www.foodtoursofboston.com

Boston Foodie Guide www.bostonusa.com/visit/bostoninsider/bosinside/thefoodie 

The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts www.cambridgeculinary.com

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Boston www.chefs.edu/Boston

Where to Eat www.wheretoeatboston.com

Boston Globe's Food Critic's Column http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2010/04/04/where_to_eat/ 

D.  Culture Vulture  Concerts, theater, ballet, and museums are your idea of fun.  Plan cultural opportunities for your group that include a description of the event, the approximate cost per person, and the estimated amount of time you'll spend there.  Use the following sites to help you plan:

Colonial Theater  www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/cities/boston

Citi Performing Arts Center www.citicenter.org

Huntington Theatre  www.huntingtontheatre.com

American Reperatory Theater  www.americanreperatorytheater.com

Lyric Stage Company of Boston  www.lyricstage.com

Cutler Majestic Theater at Emerson College  www.majestic.org

Boston Ballet  www.bostonballet.org

Boston Symphony Orchestra  www.bso.org

Complete Listing of All Boston Area Museums  http://www.cityofboston.gov/visitors/museums.asp

E.  Sports Fan  You love the roar of the crowd and the smack of the bat or the swoosh of the net.  Plan sports related outings for your group that include both spectator and participant opportunities.  For each outing descibe where you'll go, exactly what you'll be doing, the estimated cost per person (including souvenirs) and the estimated amount of time you'll spend there. Use the following sites to help you:

Boston Red Sox  www.redsox.com

New England Patriots  www.patriots.com

New England Revolution www.revolutionsoccer.net

Boston Celtics www.nba.com/celtics

Boston Marathon www.bostonmarathon.org

Head of the Charles Regatta www.hocr.org

F.  Sites for Everyone

Citysearch  www.citysearch.com 

Frommers  www.frommers.com

City of Boston  www.cityofboston.gov/visitors

Boston Guide  www.bostonusa.com

 10 Best www.10best.com/destinations/massachusetts/boston