In this project, you will compare the descriptions of a national park over the last hundred years. Choose a national park to complete the following: 1) Locate a primary source describing the geography and environment of the park. This source should have been written either before, or close to, the time that the park was founded.

A primary source is an original document or artifact that comes from the period of time being studied. Someone from that time period actually wrote, created, or used the object being studied.

Examples of primary sources are diaries, letters, oral histories, and eyewitness accounts.

When searching for a source, consider looking for something written by John Muir, Lewis and Clark, or Theodore Roosevelt. Each of these men wrote descriptions of many of the parks that are protected today.

2) Paraphrase the author’s description in the comparison chart. Be sure to record key characteristics of the geography; you will want specific details for your writing.

To paraphrase information:

Reword the passage from source material in your own words.
Aim for a shorter and slightly condensed version of the original material.
Attribute material to the original source.
3) Locate a secondary source describing the geography and environment of the park today.

Secondary sources are documents written after the event occurred. They provide a secondhand account of the event or topic. Secondary sources often contain more analysis, or even conclusions, regarding the events or topics discussed.

Examples of secondary sources are newspaper and journal articles, academic textbooks, encyclopedias, reference books, and other nonfiction books and websites.

4) Paraphrase the author’s description in the comparison chart. Record specific details and pay close attention to similarities and differences you notice between this source and your previous one.

Then, using your completed comparison chart, create a multimedia comparison of the similarities and differences between the two sources. Your comparison should have at least three sections or paragraphs and can be in the format of a wiki, a Web site, or an interactive poster on the national park.

In the first paragraph or section, discuss the similarities between the descriptions in your sources about the park. Your first paragraph should have at least one properly cited quote and be 70 words long.
In a new paragraph or section, contrast the descriptions of the park in the two sources, explaining what has changed since the park has opened. Your paragraph should have at least one properly cited quote and be 70 words long. Include a properly cited picture of the park to add to your information.
In the final section, analyze the changes that occurred in the park and what caused them. Your paragraph should be well-developed, with complete and complex sentences, and at least 70 words long. Add either a source or a relevant picture to your project that enhances the quality of your presentation. Remember to properly cite your sources.
At the end of your project, create a bibliography page that properly follows the APA Style Citation Guide for citations.