1. This essay is open-ended, which will allow the student to apply his/her geographic knowledge gained thus far and apply it to a pertinent issue facing Louisiana.

2. It is advisable you use major concepts learned from the first 4 weeks (Intro to Geography; Physical Geography; Human Geography; Weather and Climate) to aid you in answering this question. Essay question: What should the state of Louisiana do in order to both mitigate and adapt to the consequences of our shrinking marshland? In other words, how can we fix our shrinking coastline? What geographic, environmental, or economic plans can/should the state and its residents pursue to make sure southeast Louisiana is here for another 300 years? This essay should be one page minimum. You will have 2 hours.

3. You MUST find at least ONE newspaper article (preferably 2) that addresses your proposed solution. Copy and past the newspaper link at the top of your paper. (but not the actual story itself). This link should be from a reputable and legitimate newspaper. If you are struggling to find a newspaper, please utilize the library website and/or visit the library so that they can aid you in locating the correct resources.

Recommended news websites: National Geographic, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, NPR, BBC, The New Orleans Advocate, The Times-Picayune.

4.Your essay must be well-written, complete sentences, and grammatically correct. Please proofread your response before you submit it. You are only required to post once, but if you feel like replying more than once, you are welcome to do so.

5. Finally, keep in mind that this is a geography class. When you write, I want you to “think geographically”–this means, less of your opinion and more of an analytical connection to geography. Opinions are useless unless they are backed up by a sound argument. In addition, offensive comments will not be allowed under any circumstance. If I deem your response to be inappropriate, you will receive an automatic grade of 0.

This assignment is due by Thursday, April 11, midnight. It is worth 50 points. Good luck and remember to think like a geographer! The best responses will be well thought-out, free of grammatical errors, and will draw from the course material to back up their answers (eg: citing terms, theories, and concepts learned from the notes).