The Great Race

Based on the popular CBS show “The Amazing Race”, you and a partner will participate in your own race against your class mates. “Contestants strive to arrive first at the end of each leg of the race to avoid the possibility of penalties. Contestants travel to and within multiple countries in a variety of transportation modes, including planes, taxis, rental cars, trains and boats. The clues in each leg point the teams to the next destination or direct them to perform a task, either together or by a single member. Each task showcases the geographic region or indigenous culture and customs it is held in. If a team is in last place at the end of a leg of the race, they may be forced to stop competing or have a significant disadvantage in the following leg.” The purpose of this race is get to the finish line before any of your class mates with all completed projects. In order to accomplish this task you will need a few things.

First- A budget- at the beginning of this race you and your partner will be given $50, 000.00. You will be required to fill out a budget sheet for each leg of the racer. Filling out the sheet with your expenditures is required in order to win. You must account for every penny you’ve spent and earned. Yes, there will be chances to add to your resources.

Check Book

Second- Create a travel diary in a word processing format that will be filled with pictures and text of the places you will visit, and what you learn along the route. Along with the travel diary you will need to keep track of travel, food stops, entrance fees and other costs relating to traveling to specific places. Use this worksheet.

travel worksheet

Terminology

Detour
A choice between two different ways to accomplish a goal or reach a destination. On the surface, one may seem easy but involves some sort of twist; the other may seem difficult but in the end may be the quicker choice. A detour may also include weather or transportation issues that crop up and force you to alter your travel plans.
Fast- Forward
Two pre-determined legs have one FAST FORWARD, which allows the Team that completes the FAST FORWARD task first to proceed directly to the next PIT STOP without having to do any further tasks, including DETOURs or ROADBLOCKs, on the way. The trick is that only the first Team to find and complete the FAST FORWARD on the leg may use it; any subsequent Team that finds it will have wasted their time and must go back and complete all tasks. In addition, a Team may claim only one FAST FORWARD during the entire race. A fast forward may include money to add to your over all budget.
Pit- Stop
The final destination for each leg of a race, at which point a Team must “clock in.” The last Team to arrive at the PIT STOP is penalized by loss of funds. You will be given a project to complete at each pit stop. You will clock out when one of your team has completed the project and budget, travel journal, and worksheet.
Road Block
A task in which only one member of the two-person Team may participate; in most cases, the non-participant must wait for the participant to accomplish the goal. In previous races, Teams chose without restriction which Team member would complete the Roadblock. Now, no person can perform more than six Roadblocks on the entire Race. A road block can also consist of last minute instructions that can alter a project given at a pit stop.

Your first task - Choose a partner that you think you will be successful with and might win this race. You will need to find a flight from Denver International to Washington D.C. and arrange transportation from the airport to the Smithsonian. Once there meet me at 10 am on Wednesday, April 23 at the oldest building in the Smithsonian complex.