| LU Title: Preserving the Past, Present, and Future with Journals | Author: Debbie Dermady |
| Grade Level: Sixth Grade | Thousand Islands Middle School |
| Topic/Subject Area: Language Arts | County Route 9, P.O. Box 1000, Clayton, NY 13624 |
| Email: ddermady@1000islandsschools.org or bad8251@aol.com | Phone/Fax: 315-686-5199 |
OVERVIEW
The purpose of this unit is to create an awareness of the unique contributions journals and journal writing can provide in preserving past, present, and future history.
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
|
Declarative Students will know that: |
Procedural Students will be able to: |
|
Journals play a significant part in preserving the past, present, and future. |
Create their own journal. |
|
Journals are kept by a diverse group. |
Research a variety of journals from the past and present. |
|
Journals tell stories. |
Read a variety of genre which involves journal entries, diaries and more. |
|
Journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people. |
Preserve their own history using a time capsule, which will include a video describing the unit of study, their own journal writes and a mini-autobiography. |
|
Journals are kept in a variety of ways such as; learning logs, diaries, baby books, day books, organizers, agendas and more. |
Participate in Literature Circles for said readings. |
|
Use a variety of media to gain an understanding and appreciation as to the significance of journals in preserving history. |
|
|
Evaluate their own learning of how journals play a significant part in preserving history. |
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What is a journal?
Who uses journals?
How can I keep a journal?
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving the past, present and the future?
How do journals tell stories?
CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS
List
Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or
Benchmark(s)
Information for these were taken from The University of the State Of New York /State Education Department
Learning Standards for English Language Arts and Science, Math and Technology
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Key Idea 1:
Listening and reading to acquire information and understanding involves collecting data, facts, and ideas; discovering relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written and electronic sources.
Performance Indicators:
Students will:
compare and synthesize information from different sources
relate new information to prior knowledge and experience
interpret and analyze information from a variety of reference materials
develop information with appropriate supporting materials
organize information according to an identifiable structure, such as compare/contrast or general to specific
use standard English for formal presentation of information, selecting correct
grammatical constructions and vocabulary, using a variety of sentence structures, and observing the rules of punctuation, capitalization and spelling.
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Performance Indicators:
Students will:
listen attentively to others and build on others ideas in conversations
with peers and adults
express ideas and concerns clearly and respectfully in conversations
and group discussions
write messages electronically or handwritten using appropriate language
and style for the situation and audience
MST Standard 2:
Students will access, generate, process and transfer information using appropriate technologies.
Performance Indicators:
Students will:
access, generate, process and transfer information about journals and journal writing via the World Wide Web.
- generate, process and transfer information through technology usage with
camcorders, digital cameras, 35mm cameras, cassette recorders, VCR’s and
televisions, and possibly television studio equipment.
generate, process and transfer information using software programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint and MS Word.
In the initiating activity, students will be asked to activate prior knowledge about journals by using the K-W-L Strategy. They will also use a graphic organizer in the form of a structured overview as an outline for their learning unit. A variety of journals will be on display for students to view. A video from Scholastic’s Dear America Series will be shown to give the students insight to how a journal was used to preserve history from the past.
Lesson One What is a Journal and How Could I Use One? (Launch)
(Using A Structured Overview and K-W-L Strategy)
Lesson Two Using Journals from the Past with Literature Circles (Think-Pair-Share)
and with The World Wide Web.
Lesson Three Attic Hunting
Lesson Five Character Sketches
Lesson Six How Our Community Preserves History in the Present
with Journals (Compare/Contrast Graphic Organizer)
Lesson Seven Our Own Baby Books, Organizers, Agendas, and more
Lesson Eight Creating a Journal of Our Own (Autobiography)
Lesson Nine Using Realistic Fiction and Non-fiction Pertaining to Journal Writes
from the Present with Literature Circles
Lesson Ten Using Computers as a Writing Tool for the Present and Future
Lesson Eleven Using Videos, Time Capsules, and More to Preserve Journals
for the Future (This lesson will take at least one week, if not more)
Lesson Twelve Personal Narrative
Culminating Activity Celebration – Our Gift to the Future
(Presentation of our video(s) and closing ceremony for our time capsule)
The student will create their own historical journals.
The student will activate prior knowledge pertaining to journals and their usage in preserving the past, present, and future.
The student will acquire information pertaining to journals through various forms of media:
museums, libraries, public speakers, and newspapers.
The student will compare/contrast journal usage in the past, present, and future.
The student will discuss their own ideas and opinions pertaining to journals and their usages through group discussions.
The student will imagine themselves in situations taken from various journals and write about these experiences in their own journals.
The student will actively participate in free writes in their own journals.
The student will read various forms of media pertaining to journals.
The student will edit/revise their own summarization in a self-evaluation essay.
The student will complete a culmination activity involving a video, time capsule, and an autobiography.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES
In chronological order
including acquisition experiences and extending/refining
experiences for
all stated declarative and procedural knowledge.
Lesson One (Initiating Activity)
Purpose or Focus of Experience
Initiating Activity
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Essential Questions
What is a journal?
How can I keep a journal?
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as learning logs, day books, organizers,
agendas and more.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the past.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
- create and maintain their own journals throughout the unit of study.
- research a variety of journals from the past.
- use a variety of media to gain an understanding and appreciation
as to the significance journals play in preserving history.
Instruction:
The students will:
- brainstorm the question, “What do I know about journals?” (Launch & TPS)
- use a K-W-L worksheet and complete the “What I Know” column. (Launch)
- participate in a group discussion about journals.
- browse through a collection of journals.
- view a video pertaining to how a person from the past kept a journal.
- use a structured overview for the unit of study.
- begin to maintain a journal of their own for this unit of study.
The teacher will:
- present and model information given above.
“What I Want To Know” section of the K-W-L strategy.
Blough, Doris and Joyce Berman. “20 Ways to Liven Up Learning Logs.” Learning ’91. Jul/Aug:65-65.
Bunce-Crim, Marna. “Writing in the Content Areas.” Instructor. Feb.92:22.
Frank, Marjorie. If You’re Trying to Teach Kids to How to Write, Then You’ve Gotta Have This Book. NY:Incentive Publications, 1979.
Fulwiler, Toby. “Journals Across the Disciplines. “ English Journal. Dec1980:9.
Kyvig, David and Marty Myron. Exploring the Past Around You. Nashville:AASLA, 1982.
Rief, Linda. Seeking Diversity, Language Arts with Adolescents. NH:Heinemann, 1992.
Swallow, Pamela Curtis. A Writer’s Notebook. NY:Scholastic, 1999.
Weizman, David. My Backyard History Book. Boston:Little Brown and Co., 1975
K-W-L Strategy Worksheet from Dimensions of Learning Seminar
Scholastic Books – Dear America Series, My Name is America Series, and
The Royal Diaries Series
Scholastic Videos - Dear America Series
Structured Overview Graphic Organizer
Students will maintain an ongoing journal.
Lesson Two
Purpose or Focus of Experience
Using Journals from the Past with Literature Circles
and with The World Wide Web.
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
MST Standard 2:
Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.
Essential Questions
Who uses a journal?
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving the past?
How do journals tell stories?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the past.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as; learning logs, diaries, day books, baby
books, organizers, agendas and more.
Procedural
Students will be able to:
- create and maintain their own journals throughout the unit of study.
- research a variety of journals from the past.
- play an active role in Literature Circles.
- read a variety of genre that involves journal entries, diaries and more.
Instruction:
The students will:
- maintain a journal for this unit of study.
- participate in Literature Circles to read a variety of genre pertaining to journals
of the past.
- use a cassette recorder to maintain Literature group discussions.
- use the Internet to search for more information on how journals have been used to
preserve history from the past.
- create a mini presentation with their Literature Circle group. (5-10 minutes)
The teacher will:
- model the roles of the participants in Literature Circles.
- serve as a facilitator through this learning experience.
- guide students through Literature Groups.
- hand out presentation rubric.
- use discussion guides with the Dear America Series.
Time Required
The initial activity will take about one hour, however Literature Circles should meet at least three times per week (20 min.) for two weeks to discuss ongoing reading assignments.
One class period for presentations.
Daniels, Harvey. Literature Circles, Voice and Choice in the Student-Centered Classroom. York,Maine:Stenhouse Publishers,1994.
Scholastic Books (Many Authors). Dear America Series, My Name Is America Series,
The Royal Diaries Series, 1996-
Various Internet sitesto be continued
www. Scholastic.com/dearamerica (discussion guides)
Assessment Plan
Reflection
Lesson Three
Attic Hunting
Purpose or Focus of Experience
Use a variety of media to gain an understanding and appreciation of journal usage in the past.
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Essential Questions
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving the past?
How do journals tell stories?
How do journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as learning logs, day books, organizers,
agendas and more.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the past.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
Procedural
Students will be able to:
- maintain an ongoing journal.
- use a variety of media to gain an understanding as to the significance of journals
in preserving history.
Instruction:
The student will:
- maintain an ongoing journal.
- acquire a general understanding of the variety of journals displayed
- go on an “Attic Hunt” to see how their own families may have used journals in
the past.
- be ready to share findings with the class.
The teacher will:
- model the findings in an attic hunt.
- assign the students an attic hunt.
Resources
A variety of memorabilia will be displayed from the past.
Assessment Plan
Students will be asked to go on an attic hunt for ways journals may have been kept in the past in their own families.
Student Work
Reflection
Lesson Four
Purpose or Focus of Experience
To use a variety of media to gain an understanding and appreciation as to the many ways journals play an important part in preserving history.
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Essential Questions
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving the past?
How do journals tell stories?
How do journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
The students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as learning logs, day books, organizers,
agendas and more.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the past.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
Procedural
The students will be able to:
- research a variety of journals from the past.
- use a variety of media to gain an understanding and appreciation as to the significant
part journals play in preserving our past.
- complete a prediction/reaction guide pertaining to types of journals found
in the museum.
Instruction:
The students will:
- complete the prediction part of a prediction/reaction guide prior to a museum visit.
- visit one or two museums.
- complete the reaction part of the reaction guide after they have visited the museum(s).
- share findings with the class.
The teacher will:
- model and guide the students through the prediction/reaction guide.
As an extension of this activity, students would keep ongoing journal entries about each visit and complete the prediction/reaction guide. It is planned that People Who Made Jefferson County Famous, a supplement to the Watertown Daily Times Newspaper will also be used to give students identification with Local History.
Time Required
Resources
Jefferson County Historical Society
Clayton/Cape Vincent Museums
Clayton/ Cape Vincent Public Libraries
Thousand Islands Craft Museum
Assessment Plan
Students will maintain an ongoing journal.
Student Work
Reflection
Lesson Five
Character Sketches
Purpose or Focus of Experience
The purpose of this lesson is to use a variety of media to gain an understanding and appreciation as to the significant part journals play in preserving history.
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Essential Questions
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving the past?
How do journals tell stories?
How do journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as learning logs, day books, organizers,
agendas and more.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the past.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
Procedural
Students will be able to:
-use a variety of media to draw character sketches of how journals were used to
tell about the daily life of a person.
Instruction:
The students will:
- “adopt” a character from one of the journals he/she has read.
- create a character sketch of this person.
- share what they have created and tell why they created it as such.
- begin to create their own character sketches using photography.
The teacher will:
- model and guide the students through this learning experience.
- as an extension read aloud the selection Journey by Patricia MacLachlan.
Time Required
Resources
or other media they have found a particular interest in.
MacLachlan, Patricia. Journey. NY:Yearling, 1991.
Assessment Plan
The finished character sketches will be one type of assessment as well as their ongoing journal writes.
Students will maintain an ongoing journal.
Reflection
Lesson Six
Purpose or Focus of Experience
The purpose of this lesson is to create an awareness of how journals are used today.
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Essential Questions
Who uses a journal today and in what way do they use one?
How do journals tell stories?
How do journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group?
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving history from the present?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as day books, organizers, agendas and more.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
Procedural
Students will be able to:
- maintain their own journal.
- use a variety of media to gain an understanding of how journals are used
in the present.
Instruction:
The students will:
-interview a person from the present about how he/she maintains a journal today.
- view a variety of ways journals are kept in the present.
- compare/contrast the journals from the past and present. (Graphic Organizer from DOL)
- maintain an ongoing journal of their findings.
- share with others found information.
The teacher will:
- model and guide students through the process.
- model and guide students through the process of interviewing.
- model and guide the compare/contrast strategy.
Students will be asked to complete an interview sheet when they talk to someone who uses a journal in the present. They will need to bring in a completed interview sheet to share during the next class time. Students will be working on their own journals throughout this activity. Students will also be asked to bring in any types of journals they may use or have such as learning logs, baby books, diaries, etc., if they would like to share them during the next class.
Time Required
Resources
The teacher will use a variety of their own journals and how he/she maintains them.
A Graphic Organizer on Open Compare and Contrast from Dimensions of Learning will be used.
Assessment Plan
Completed interview sheets and comparison/contrast graphic organizer will be used for assessment purposes.
Students will maintain an ongoing journal
Student Work
Reflection
.
Lesson Seven
Our Own Baby Books, Organizers, Agendas, and more
Purpose or Focus of Experience
Connection to Standards
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
MST Standard 2:
Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.
Essential Questions
How do journals tell stories?
How do journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group?
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving history from the present?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as learning logs, day books, organizers,
agendas and more.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
Procedural
Students will be able to:
- use a variety of media to gain an understanding and appreciation as to the significant
part journals play in the present.
- research a variety of journals from the present.
Instruction:
The students will:
- bring in and share baby books, diaries, or any other types of journals they might use.
- begin to create a timeline or lifeline of their own life.
- use a software program to create a timeline, but it is not necessary.
The teacher will:
- model and guide the students through this lesson.
Students will need to complete their time or lifelines for the next class. Photographs taken from a past lesson will need to be brought in as well.
Time Required
Resources
A variety of media will be displayed.
Tom Snyder’s software program Timeliner could be used, but not necessary.
Assessment Plan
A completed time or lifeline will be used for assessment as well as ongoing journal writes.
Students will maintain an ongoing journal.
Student Work
Reflection
Lesson Eight
Creating a Journal of Our Own (Autobiography)
Purpose or Focus of Experience
To link the present with the future
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Essential Questions
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving history for the future?
How can I keep a journal?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as learning logs, day books, organizers,
agendas and more.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the past, present and future.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
Procedural
Students will be able to:
- preserve their own life through journal writes.
- create their own autobiography using their journals.
- begin using the information give for preserving history using a time capsule.
Instruction:
The students will:
- begin to preserve the present through journal writes.
- create an autobiography using their journal entries.
The teacher will:
- model and guide the students through the process of this lesson.
Students will need to spend some of their own time on completing this lesson.
Time Required
One hour for class instruction and beginning of the process.
This lesson will take more than one class period.
Resources
Packard, Mary. Make Your Own Time Capsule. NY:Troll, 1999.
Smith, Dona. 2000 and Beyond-A Time Capsule. NY:Troll, 1998.
Students will maintain an ongoing journal.
A completed autobiography.
Reflection
Lesson Nine
Using Realistic Fiction and Non-fiction Pertaining to Journal Writes
from the Present with Literature Circles
Purpose or Focus of Experience
Providing a link between students lives and the lives of characters in non-fiction as well as realistic fiction and how journal writes provide those links.
Connection to Standards
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Essential Questions
How do journals tell stories?
How do journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group?
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving history from the present?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the present, present and future.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
Procedural
Students will be able to:
- create and maintain their own journals throughout the unit of study.
- plays an active role in Literature Circles.
- read a variety of genre that involves journal entries, diaries and more.
Instruction
The students will:
- maintain an ongoing journal for this unit of study.
- participate in Literature Circles to read a variety of genre pertaining to journals
of the present.
- use a cassette recorder to maintain Literature group discussions.
- use the Internet to search for more information on how journals have been used to
in the present.
- produce a mini presentation with the Literature Circle group pertaining to selection
read.
The teacher will:
- serve as a facilitator through this learning experience.
Time Required
Literature Circles should meet at least three times per week for two weeks to discuss ongoing reading assignments.
One class period for mini presentation pertaining to Literature Circle selection.
Resources
Cleary, Beverly. Dear Mr. Henshaw. NY:Dell Publishing, 1983.
Creech, Sharon. Absolutely Normal Chaos. NY:Harper-Collins, 1995.
Daniels, Harvey. Literature Circles, Voice and Choice in the Student-Centered Classroom. York,Maine:Stenhouse Publishers,1994.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey. NY:Simon & Schuster, 1996.
This is only part of a running bibliography.
Literature Response sheets and an ongoing journal will be used as assessment pieces.
Student Work
Reflection
Lesson Ten
Purpose or Focus of Experience
Link Journal Writing To Technology Usage
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
MST Standard 2:
Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using
appropriate technologies.
Essential Question
In what ways do journals serve as means of preserving the past, present and future?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as learning logs, day books, organizers,
agendas and more.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the present for future generations.
Students will be able to:
- use the computer as a writing tool as a way to preserve their own history, by using
word processing and presentation software.
Instruction:
The students will:
- use a word processing program to transfer their journal writes to another method
of preserving history.
- use presentation software to create another form of a historical document.
- use the software entitled “Diary Maker” to create a diary of their own.
Students will need to work on revisions during some of their own time.
Students will continue to complete the “What I Learned” section of the K-W-L worksheet.
Time Required
One to two, one hour class periods, if not longer.
Students will need an instructional class period on the software programs if they are not familiar with them.
Resources
Scholastic Software - Diary Maker
MS Word
MS PowerPoint
Assessment Plan
Ongoing journal and completed computer generated product will serve as assessment pieces.
Student Work
Lesson Eleven
Using Videos, Time Capsules, and More to Preserve Journals
for the Future (This lesson will take at least one week, if not more)
Purpose or Focus of Experience
Celebration of Our Learning Experiences
Connection to Standards
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
MST Standard 2:
Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using
appropriate technologies.
Essential Question
How can we use journals to preserve history for future generations?
Content Knowledge
Declarative
Students will know that:
- journals tell stories.
- journals are kept by a diverse group.
- journals are kept in a variety of ways such as day books, organizers, agendas and more.
- journals play a significant part in preserving the past., present and future.
- journals effectively communicate the life of a person or a group of people.
Students will be able to:
- preserve their own history using a time capsule, which will include a video
describing the unit of study, their own journal writes and a mini-autobiography.
Students will be able to:
- preserve their own history using a variety of technology.
- continue using the Scholastic software program, “Diary Maker.”
- continue using PowerPoint for their community presentation.
- use photographs and journal entries to create autobiographies to preserve
in a time capsule.
The teacher will:
- provide the student with the necessary modeling and guidance to understand how to
use the equipment needed to complete this lesson.
Time Required
Students will be working on this lesson while they are finishing up their own computer-generated products. This part of the unit of study will take the longest to complete.
Resources
Smith, Dona. 2000 and Beyond-A Time Capsule. Troll Communications, 1998.
Assessment Plan
Final assessment will be completed work through presentation.
Student Work
Reflection
Summative Assessment - Lesson Twelve
The final assignment for this unit of study will be to write a personal narrative
describing what you gained from this unit of study. You will need to use your own
journal entries to do so.
You should use the writing process: pre-writing, writing, revising and peer editing prior to submission. Your paper should be at least two to three pages in length.
CULMINATING PERFORMANCE
Include rubric(s)
As a culminating activity, the students will create a video in teams pertaining to what they have learned about using journals in the past, present, and future. The videos will serve as presentations on our school television station, WTIC for the entire community to view. A time capsule which will include the video, as well as autobiographies students have written will be saved for future generations.
Oral Presentation Rubric
4
Excellent preparation, excellent voice, excellent eye contact, excellent speed,
Excellent appearance
3
Good preparation, but could have used a little more practice
Voice was loud and clear most of the time
Good eye contact
Good speed, pace and length
Good presence and appearance
2
Little evidence of preparation or practice
Voice was loud, but not loud enough
Some eye contact, too dependent on cue cards
Speed needs varying, stumbled or paused in a few spots
Adequate appearance
1
Obviously not prepared and more practice required
Voice was not loud enough and speech was unclear
Little or no eye contact
Poor appearance, many nervous moments
0
Unacceptable oral speech
Grade______
Content Presentation Rubric
4
Excellent introduction of self and topic
Included more than enough information
High interest level and audience appeal
Excellent closing and conclusion
Knew subject and could respond to questions well
3
Good introduction of self and topic
Good information included; may have left out one important topic
Good interest level and audience appeal
Good closing and conclusion
Knew subject well enough to effectively answer most questions
2
Introduction needs to be clearer
Adequate information presented, some information omitted
Some interesting points and audience appeal, but need to raise interest level of audience
Adequate closing and conclusion
Knew some answers, but needed to be better prepared for questions
1
No introduction
Some information given, but many points omitted
Little interest shown by audience
Lacked a good concluding statement and closing
Knew few of the answers to questions asked
0
Unacceptable content
Grade______
Visual Project Rubric
4
Excellent creativity
Excellent quality (neat, complete, extra effort demonstrated)
Excellent use of interesting materials
3
Good creativity
Good quality (neat and complete, but could use more effort)
Good use of interesting materials
2
Some evidence of creativity
Quality is o.k. (Needs more effort on neatness and quality)
Some use of interesting materials
1
Little creativity shown
Lacked neatness and completeness (little effort shown)
Materials used were inappropriate or uninteresting
0
Unacceptable visual project
Grade___
Oral Presentation Grade _______
Content Grade_______
Visual Project Grade________
Average of all three_________
PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS
It would be helpful if the teacher had prior experience with all of the technology equipment and computer software needed for this unit. It would also be helpful if students had computer technology background of at least word processing and Internet Usage. If this unit is used with students working in teams, a better product would be able to be completed in this short period of time. Double period classes would be very helpful.
MODIFICATIONS
If it is not possible for students to visit the museum, it could be planned to borrow artifacts from the local museums or libraries. There is also a booklet available from New York Teacher Centers and Historical Societies of Northern New York entitled History to Go, where presenters offer classroom visits.
Instructional/Environmental Modifications
Students will have the opportunity to work with the remedial teacher and/or resource room teacher if they need extra help completing the assignment.
Modifications on the student’s IEP will be provided for.
UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN
This unit will take at least six to eight weeks to complete. Students will need to spend additional time after school hours on some of the learning experiences.
Microfiche and Microfilm the at the Watertown, Clayton and Cape Vincent Public Libraries
Audio and Video Usage-Camcorder, VCR, Television, possible Television Studio, Recorder, Cameras-both digital and 35mm