Brad Baum CI 403 E Professor Willis Unit Plan Lesson Plans 15 December 2011 Week 8 Day 1 Introducing the

e Final Project Time: 50 minutes Setting: Our classroom is made up of a diverse and unique group of students. This unit and lesson is being prepared for an eleventh grade English class at Centennial High School. There are twenty-five students in the class, fifteen females and ten males. The class is very racially diverse as well, with a good balance between each ethnic background. There are eight students who are white, eleven students who are black, four students who are Latino and two students who are Asian. There are two English Language Learners in the class: one, a female student who is bilingual (Spanish/English) and has high fluency and literacy, and a male student whose primary language is Spanish, and has medium fluency and literacy in English. There is one male student in the class that has ADHD, and one male student with a mild form of Aspergers Syndrome. Theory Into Practice: This theory into practice is to be applied to the final two weeks of the unit and, as such, encompasses all of the lessons, activities, assignments and projects that fall within that final two-week period. For the end of the unit, much of the focus is placed on the final project, and the research and presentations that are conducted in relation to that final project. As such, much of the theory included deals with digital literacy, overarching unit projects, conducting research while in the classroom and giving presentations to ones peers in the classroom. One thing that we focused on with this unit, particularly with the major projects that we have assigned, is the inclusion of choice within our projects. I find that it is incredibly important to allow the student to have a say in what is being done in the classroom. This way, you can be sure that the assignments and activities that you go over will be met with at least some enthusiasm and interest. Burke lists a number of ways that negotiation could be used in the classroom, including providing students with choices on what they will be studying in class, in the way that they will be assessed, as well as choosing to complete assignments in different mediums (19). With this unit in particular, we tried to focus on providing students opportunities to complete assignments in different mediums, and to assess students in very different ways. In looking at the assignment sheet for the final project, you can see that the students are given a wide variety of options, and are allowed to attack the assignment from many different mediums. Really, it allows the student to focus on their strengths; they are no longer forced into a specific medium that is restrictive. And while it is important to have students become literate in a variety of mediums, what I am concerned about, in this case, is their understanding of the content and their ability to illustrate their knowledge about that content. How exactly they

get to that point, while important and is a concern, was not the most significant aspect for us for the final project. In his article on literary circles, Daniels also illustrates the importance of student choice by stating that the teacher serves as a facilitator, not a group member or instructor (18). While this doesnt apply exactly, the idea behind it does. As a teacher, I should allow the student to take charge of the group, or in this instance their final projects. I take the role of the facilitator, and help where I see fit and when a student is in need, but do not force any medium on to the students. Another important aspect of the end of this unit is the research component. Burke talked at length in chapters twelve and thirteen about technology in the classroom and media literacy. It is media literacy in particular that is important here, as students need to know what they can use for a source and those websites that just arent reliable. In this day and age, one in which students basically live on the computer, it is important to illustrate the importance of being literate online and knowing which sources can be used with educational projects and assignments and those that cannot. He talks at length how to read documents, and how to teach students how to discern between what is reliable and what is not. In asking how we teach students to read these types of documents, Burke answers that, one might point, first of all, to the variety of other sources worth consulting to see whether his argument holds up. This requires teaching kids how to use various informational resources print, electronic, digital to gather information. It also requires teachers to teach, at every step of the way, how to measure truth, how to assess the value of the resources we find along the information superhighway (344). Here, Burke clearly illustrates the importance of teaching about sources throughout the research process, and making sure that students know the difference between the truth and all of the other information that they find out there on the world wide web. As a small supporting source, I would say that Redd and Webb offered a great quote and some research that works with my idea of placing an importance on perspective, and how it can change once you learn more about a particular subject. As stated in Redd and Webbs text, whether you realize it or not, your personal theories about the world guide your teaching (1). And while this quote applies particularly to teaching, I think that we can expand it out and illustrate to our students that their assignments are going to guide their learning and their schoolwork. The preconceptions and ideas that they have about the world are certainly going to influence they way that they think and the work that they complete. This is something that we must be thinking of throughout the unit and while we are teaching. Another large focus of our unit as a whole is project based learning, and, in particular, those that have a direct connection to how our classroom can serve as a vehicle for social change. The Heifer International Project focuses on this at length, and shows our students how what we do in the classroom can have an influence on the outside world. Burke completes a similar project in his own classrooms, calling them social problems projects, and stating that, confronted with this sharp contrast between home and work, I feel obligated to develop in my sophomores and awareness of those social problems common to our society (354). Ultimately, Burke ends his chapter with a statement of the self as the project. I think that this idea truly fits with this unit, as we are trying to get our students to create projects that are truly representative of their abilities, projects that illustrate their knowledge on the topic, and also projects that illustrate how they themselves (unlike anyone else in the class) have tackled this project.

Chapter eight of Burke focuses on teaching speaking and listening, and the overall verbal curriculum that is used in schools. The last week of our unit deals with students giving oral presentations to the class to present their projects, so the verbal curriculum is something that is very important to our overall unit. One of the most important sections for me was the sections on the rules of the game, and how you can get students to deal with anxiety. In all, Burke details them as rules of the game, and I think that this would be a beneficial way to approach presentations, as all students need to be treated with respect while they are in the front of the room. It is stressful enough, add on heckling from the crowd and it gets to be very near impossible. In all, Burke illustrates that the verbal curriculum is extremely important, as we need to prepare our students for what lies ahead in their education and in the workplace. Ultimately, they are going to have to communicate with others and share their ideas verbally for the rest of their lives. Thus, it is extremely important to prepare our students, and be sure that they are able to speak in public. Background: Throughout the unit, students will have been reading Amy Tans The Hundred Secret Senses, a novel about the relationship between two Chinese half-sisters, and their travels back to where they grew up in China. In the previous week, the students finished the book, and completed a variety of activities to go along with the reading, including a day that was provided to reflect on the text as a whole. While reading, we spent a lot of time talking about Changmian and the other Chinese cities that Olivia and Kwan visit throughout the novel. Since there is so much talk about travel, as well as the differences in culture (Kwan being Chinese and Olivia being Chinese American), we thought that we would incorporate these ideals into the final project as a means to provide a final that allowed for different methods of creation (poster, video, brochure, speech, essay, etc.) as well as a means to bring different cultures into the classroom. Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to pull historical information from the novel that they have read in class, and connect it to the brochures that they will be making. Students will be able to recognize the differences between a creditable versus an unreliable source Students will be able to reflect on a text through a writing exercise.

Materials: 26 handouts of the final project assignment sheet Paper and pen/pencil if needed by students for quick write Computer lab/class laptop case Dry erase board and markers Copies of Tans The Hundred Secret Senses

Preparation:

I will have to create the assignment sheet for the final project, being sure to detail the various options that the students have for the assignment, as well as the presentation guidelines for the assignment. The day before, or that morning, I will have to print out the copies of the assignment handout, and be sure to bring them to class. I will also have to be sure to sign up my class for lab time/a laptop case well in advance to ensure that all of the students have an adequate amount of time to complete the research for their projects. Procedure: Introduction: After students take their seats and the class become settled, they will be asked to complete a quick write on the following topic: describe one of the cities that Olivia and Kwan visit in The Hundred Secret Senses. Why would you want to visit there? Students will be given five minutes to write. After all students have finished, we will have a large discussion as a class, focusing on the elements of a town or city that make people want to visit. I will list these up on the board and refer to them later on in the lesson. (15 minutes) Introduce the final project. Pass out the assignment sheet with all of the different options on it (assignment sheet attached). Explain the project in detail, going over each step and providing opportunities for questions from students. Refer back to the list that was made on the board earlier about what aspects of a city/town/village draw people to that particular spot. (15 minutes) Students will be given the remainder of the time to conduct research on a city or town that they want to create a tourism guide/project for. By the end of the class period, students will have to provide me with their top three city choices, as well as an exit slip detailing some of their ideas on how these cities will translate to their final projects. (20 minutes)

Discussion Ideas: What aspects of tourism are present in Tans novel? How do Simon and Olivias jobs relate to the tourism project? What types of sources are reliable? Which ones shouldnt be used in academic research? What aspects of town/city/village make it appealing? Why would an individual want to travel to, say, Changmian?

Bilingual/ESL and Englishes Accommodations: To start, I would be sure to provide my students in ESL with a daily and weekly schedule well before we actually start the work in class. This way, the student can come prepared, and work out some of the language issues with their ESL teacher if necessary, or ask their parents or myself for help with any issue that they are struggling with. Frontloading information is the key here, so that the student isnt unprepared, or unable to complete the assignment, during class when the activity is announced to the entire class. Ultimately, providing students with a general outline of your schedule would be good for

all of the individuals in the classroom; generally, accommodations are going to assist all of the students in your classroom in some way or, at least, this should be the goal. Another thing to think about would be to pair the student who is at medium proficiency in English with the student that is in high proficiency, is bilingual, and can speak both languages comfortably. Ultimately, I must remember that I am the teacher, and that I will have to be sure not to hold another student responsible for the learning of another. This strategy, however, could be very helpful for these students, especially the student who is at a medium proficiency in English, as he will be able to work with the other student in both Spanish and English as a means to gain the best possible understanding of the material. If possible, I would provide the students with translations of the text in the assignments, handouts, activities or assessments beforehand so that they could understand the text on a content level, and then work towards English comprehension and understanding when reading or completing activities in class. I would also provide translations and definitions of any difficult words that crop up in the text. Oftentimes there arent direct translations between languages, so it will be beneficial to provide clear definitions as a means to provide the student with a better understanding of the text as a whole. As I would for any student, I would also suggest that any individual having trouble with comprehension, especially due to a language barrier, should come in before and after school, during a study hall or during a lunch hour if possible. This way, I can have some one on one time with the student and really help with his or her comprehension and overall reading, writing and speaking ability. Special Education Accommodations: As stated with the ESL students, I would provide each student with an advanced schedule so that they could have the material read before class if their reading speed is slow or the student has trouble with comprehension. This way, the student can go over the work with their special education teacher, if they have one, or any other individuals who offer them support with their academics. Providing the student with advanced information is key, as you will then not waste any time with comprehension during the lesson, as the student will be aware of the expectations and content for that day of class. For the student with ADHD, it will be beneficial to be sure to make the schedule for the day very clear, and to announce transitions well before they actually occur. Because it is difficult for this student to stay on task, and he often loses his attention easily, providing them with clear directions for the day, and telling the student when you are going to move on to the next activity will be key in keeping him on task and moving on to the next part of the lesson. It is also beneficial to break up your lesson into the smallest chunks possible. This will alleviate any problems with attention span, as the student is continuously moving on to a new activity or assignment, and not spending more than twenty minutes on one particular activity. Also, if time is spent in the computer lab, it would be beneficial to allow the student to have two different seats (which he can switch back and forth between), or allow him to take a break and walk around the room for about thirty seconds every time he has completed a designated amount of work. Because work is being completed on computers, I will have to be

especially attentive to this student, as technology offers much more distractions than activities without any technological aspects connected to them. One thing to remember with students with Aspergers is that structure is very important. As such, it is extremely important to establish regular routines, and to give the student advanced warnings if that routine is going to change. A good way to do this would be to talk with the special education teacher and give them your plans for each day, and have the student meet with him or her before school. This way, the student will be told of any changes in the daily routine before they enter the classroom, and they will be aware of the expectations for that particular day. As with the student with ADHD, transitions are important. Be sure to establish the same routine, and let the student know when you will be moving on to the next activity. It will also be important to pay special attention to social situations, as students with Aspergers are often unaware of many social cues that are obvious to the majority of the students in the classroom. Assessment: For this lesson, students will be assessed both informally and formally. One of the main things that I will use will be the exit slip and the quick write, which will be turned in at the end of class. I will check this for both completion and content, making sure that the student has completed a sufficient amount of work, but also understands the concepts and objectives of the particular lesson and activity. I will also be assessing informally by checking for work ethic and participation, which will be marked down on a piece of paper or in my grade book. The final project assignment handout will be attached at the bottom, which will contain the rubric and detail the assessment in depth. Extension Ideas: I suppose in general, an extension idea that is actually taking place would be to take the research about the cities and make it into some type of project or presentation, which the students are doing. I think that one area where delving deeper may be more beneficial would be to really understand the context of tourism, and Olivia and Simons assignment, in the book. This will certainly be an option for the final project, but an interesting assignment would be to have the students create a magazine or newspaper article on the city of Changmian, just as Simon and Olivia would have. This way, the students would be making direct connections between their own work and the text that they are reading throughout the unit. It would also be great if I could incorporate American Born Chinese, our other novel, into the lesson somehow, by possibly talking about one of the cities visited in the graphic novel. Source of Activity: I would like to thank Amy Tan for writing her novel, and providing the inspiration for the overall final project. Her description of the landscapes of Changmian really resonated with the group, which brought about the idea to create a travel guide, just as Simon and Olivia planned on doing. I would also like to thank many of my teachers

for placing a focus on multimodal projects and offering a variety of options; giving the students a choice is such an important aspect to being successful in the classroom. Resources and References: Burke, Jim. The English Teacher's Companion. Third ed. Portsmouth: Heinemann, NH. Print. Daniels, Harvey. Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups. Redd, T. M. & Webb, K. S. (2005). A teachers introduction to African American English: What a writing teacher should know. Tan, Amy. The Hundred Secret Senses. 1995. New York: Vintage Books, 1998. Print. Illinois State English Language Arts Goals: Literature: 2.A.5d Evaluate the influence of historical context on form, style and point of view for a variety of literary works. This standard goes with my first objective for the lesson, and ties in with the need for the students to understand the historical context of the city, both in Tans novel and for their projects. One portion of their final project will be historical based, so they will have to be sure to be able to establish connections between their work and the context. Research: 5.B.5a Evaluate the usefulness of information, synthesize information to support a thesis, and present information in a logical manner in oral and written forms. This standard connects with the second objective, and deals with students ability to identify credible and reliable sources for their projects.

Welcome to _______ , We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay Tourism Guide Final Project
Congratulations! You have made it to the end of the unit. While doing so, you have traveled throughout China with Olivia, Kwan and Simon, visiting the remote town of Changmian, nestled in the Chinese countryside. In Tans novel, The Hundred Secret Senses, Olivia and Simons trip, while sentimental, is ultimately made as a way to write an article on life in China, focusing on the culture, the people, the customs, the food, and all things that are representative of the Chinese lifestyle. For your final project, you will be imitating Simon and Olivias reason behind their trip by creating a tourism guide on the city/town/village of your choice, from anywhere in the world! The Research During our first day of research (today) you will explore the Internet in search of a city that you want to create a tourism guide for. By the end of the period, you will list your top three choices on a slip of paper, and will find out which city you will be researching in depth on Tuesday. (Chicago is off limits, and I highly suggest you try to find a city outside of the United States. Broaden your horizons!) You will be given the rest of the week to complete your research, though you should try to have all of your research done by the end of the period Wednesday. You will have to include a works cited page when you submit your project with four different and reliable sources. Refer to the handout and class discussion on Tuesday for information on how to find reliable and credible sources.

And what will we use this research for, you may ask: The Guide The bulk of this assignment will relate to the tourism guide that you will be creating based on the research that you have completed. Throughout the week, we will go over specific aspects that that are often included in many tourism guides. It is ultimately your decision what to put in to the guide and what to leave out. Remember, however, that you are trying to get an individual interested in your city, and to ultimately visit your city. Be thinking of how you can persuade the class to come to your city. For this assignment, you are free to choose any style and medium for the project that you would like. With that said, you must first get your project idea approved by me before you start. You should also consider the fact that you will be offering a five-minute presentation to the class on the city that you have chosen. Here are some formats that you might consider: o Brochure o PowerPoint o Essay/Speech o Poster/Glogster

o Video/commercial Requirements: Your guide must include at least four distinct sections that help describe your city in detail. Again, the sections that you choose are entirely up to you, but must be approved by me. Try to think of the elements of the culture and lifestyle that are going to be most appealing to a visitor. Below are some ideas that you may consider: o Culture and Customs o Geography o Food o Music o People o Government o Tourist Activities: things to see (why you should come here) Grading: see attached rubric for details on grading.

The Presentation For this project, you will be required to complete a five-minute presentation to the class, in which you inform us of the aspects of your city that you have found most appealing and will make someone want to travel there. Your presentation will rely heavily on the format that you choose. Even if you have a video, you must still talk with the class for a portion of your presentation. Attached is the grading rubric for the presentation. We will go over presentations in depth during Thursdays class.

CATEGORY Content

4
Covers topic indepth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent. Source information collected for all graphics, facts and quotes. All

3
Includes essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good. Source information collected for all graphics, facts and quotes. Most

2
Includes essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors. Source information collected for graphics, facts and quotes, but not

1
Content is minimal OR there are several factual errors. Very little or no source information was collected.

Research

Sections

documented in desired format. All requirements are met and exceeded, includes four detailed sections. Makes excellent use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance the presentation.

documented in desired format. All requirements are met. Includes three detailed sections or four that are partially complete.

Aesthetics

Organization

Originality

Content is well organized using headings or bulleted lists to group related material. Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive.

documented in desired format. One requirement was not completely met. Includes two to three completed sections, some are partially complete. Makes good use of Makes use of font, font, color, graphics, color, graphics, effects, etc. to effects, etc. but enhance to occasionally these presentation. detract from the presentation content. Uses headings or Content is logically bulleted lists to organized for the organize, but the most part. overall organization of topics appears flawed. Product shows Uses other some original people\'s ideas thought. Work (giving them credit), shows new ideas but there is little and insights. evidence of original thinking.

More than one requirement was not completely met. Does not have any clear sections to follow. Use of font, color, graphics, effects etc. but these often distract from the presentation content. There was no clear or logical organizational structure, just lots of facts. Uses other people\'s ideas, but does not give them credit.

Final Project Rubric

Final Project Presentation Rubric

CATEGORY Clarity

4 Speaks clearly and distinctly all (10095%) the time, and mispronounces no words. Stands up straight, looks relaxed and confident. Establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. Shows a full understanding of the topic. Presentation is 4-5 minutes long. Stays on topic all (100%) of the time. Fills out peer evaluation completely and always gives scores based on the presentation rather than other factors.

3 Speaks clearly and distinctly all (10095%) the time, but but is difficult to understand in some places.

Posture and Eye Contact

2 Speaks clearly and distinctly most ( 9485%) of the time. Difficult to understand for a good deal of the presentation. Stands up straight and Sometimes stands up establishes eye straight and contact with everyone establishes eye in the room during contact. the presentation. Shows a good understanding of the topic. Presentation is 3-4 minutes long. Stays on topic most (99-90%) of the time. Fills out almost all of the peer evaluation and always gives scores based on the presentation rather than other factors. Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic. Presentation is 2-3 minutes long. Stays on topic some (89%-75%) of the time. Fills out most of the peer evaluation and always gives scores based on the presentation rather than other factors.

1 Often mumbles or can not be understood OR mispronounces more than one word.

Slouches and/or does not look at people during the presentation.

Content Time-Limit Stays on Topic

Evaluates Peers

Does not seem to understand the topic very well. Presentation is less than 2 minutes OR more than 6 minutes. Was off topic for a good deal of the presentation and went off on many tangents. Doesn't fill out comment sheets or scoring appears to be biased.