Choose one of the two topics below for your primary post. Post a quality discussion about that topic and then respond to at least two other students' original posts. It recommended that you make an attempt to also acknowledge/comment on at least on of the responses to your original post, but it is not necessary. Primary posts are due Wednesday 11:55 PM ET. The two mandatory responses are due before Sunday at 11:55 PM ET.

Topic: Cities of the Realm

Pick a City from either Middle or South America and describe its unique geography. What is the physical geography of the location? What is the urban geography that makes the cityscape unique? What is the unique cultural landscape of the city? Have you been there? What geographical aspects did you experience that were memorable? Do you wish to visit? What draws you to that city?

For discussions on problems or issues, be sure to include in your post the causes of the issue, the effects (positive and negative) of the issue on the environment and people, and possible remediation of its negative impacts.

For all topics, focus your post on a relatively small geographic area. For instance, if you're talking about deforestation, you could discuss deforestation in the Amazon, or Nicaragua. If you want to talk about pollution, you could focus on Times Beach, Missouri or the Love Canal incident in New York or the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. You can start with your text for some ideas or just look to other sources, but be sure to include at least one source other than you text and always provide a link to the source so we can read it as well.

Grading Rubric Summary:

– Initial Post (60 points): Writing quality, post length [250 words not including title, quoted, and referencing text], topical relevance, and proper review of source. Within the Initial Post grade is a 'Terminology, Sources, and Attribution' grade worth 15 points. Be sure to use e-book terms, have a source link at the end of your post, and provide a review of the content of your source. Also, provide a photo of a city or landscape feature you discuss and a map to the location discussed.

– Reply Posts (40 points): 100 words minimum for each response. Must be at least two responses before the deadline. Within the Responses grade is a 'Conversation and Community' grade worth 15 points. For these points, Responses must directly discuss the topic of the original post to which the response is directed.

Don't forget to attach (separately) Photos and Map of Locations you discuss.