Teach21 Project Based Learning
Hit the Road, Jack
English Language Arts Eighth Grade
View

Print/PDF        Back
Title Hit the Road, Jack
Creator: Dantrassy, Katie kcarney@access.k12.wv.us
Source: TLI 2010 PBL Plans
Project Idea:

The students will synthesize the impact of socio-economic migration on the individual by comparing census data to major economic and social events in a specific area.

Entry Event:

To activate prior knowledge, the teacher should build interest by taking polls on birth place, previous out-of-state-residents, and locations of family origins, using a Survey. The teacher will contact and arrange for a member from the census bureau to come and explain the most current census report and how the specific population changes have fluctuated in the area in which the students live.

                                                         

Once students have the basic knowledge base of population changes, and the speaker has answered individual group questions, the groups should be brought back together to be presented with the following scenario prompt by the census representative:

 

Because you are now aware of the population trend in your area, you have been hired by the County Commission and Chamber of Commerce to give a media presentation. Your team will need to find a single cause of population change to analyze. You may seek these causes by asking neighbors, family members, or friends in face-to-face interviews as well as finding primary and secondary sources. Your team will present their findings to the Commission and Chamber of Commerce in a presentation that highlights a reason for population change and provide recommendations to improve this local trend. Your recommendations will be evaluated by the members of these organizations for implementation.

Content Standards & Objectives:
Objectives Directly Taught or Learned Through Discovery Identified Learning Target Evidence of Success in Achieving Identified Learning Target
RLA.O.8.1.6

determine and interpret the elements of literature to construct meaning and recognize author’s purpose and/or reader’s purpose:

  • theme
  • character
  • setting
  • internal conflict
  • rising and falling action
  • point of view
  • antagonist
  • protagonist
  • hero

Students will analyze the theme of movement in their society and in their lives.

 

Students will research literary and periodical texts that expand on the theme of movement and exploration to build background and enhance the theme of movement.

Students will create a Commonplace Book evaluated by a Creative Project Rubric.

 

Students will compile research on local population statistics and create a list of sources and notes.

 

Group discussions and anecdotes will be formatively monitored for relevancy through the use of a Survey.

 

Students will discuss researched texts and the theme of exploration and movement.

RLA.O.8.1.8

recognize connections among ideas in literary and informational text (e.g.  text to self, text-to-text, text to world connection) and recognize that global awareness promotes understanding, tolerance, and acceptance of ethnic, cultural, religious and personal differences.

Students will synthesize and interpret data collected on human population changes to analyze socio-economic trends in society.

 

Students will use researched literary and periodical texts to make global or text connections with the trend they are analyzing.

Students will identify a trend to research by drawing conclusions on why people moved to or from an area. This trend should be written in the research notebook (see RLA.O.8.2.1 Evidence).

 

Group Discussions will show evidence of collaboration and individual research roles to be evaluated using a Collaboration Rubric.

 

Students will make connections between the texts and the trend they are going to analyze.

RLA.O.8.2.1

use notes to create an outline  for developing a written and/or oral presentation noting the inclusion of computer graphics.
Students will research first-person, primary, and secondary sources to create notes for a media presentation.

Students will create a research notebook to hold all materials, notes, interviews and citations that they locate on their topic that meets teacher expectations.

RLA.O.8.3.7
plan, create, organize, and present an age-appropriate media product that demonstrates format, purpose, and audience.
Students will create a multi-media presentation to showcase one trend in population changes to present to the Chamber of Commerce and County Commission. Students create a multi-media presentation that uses a variety of technology tools to give an informative speech that presents a trend in population change and a proposition to promote population growth to be evaluated using a Performance Rubric.
21st Century Skills Learning Skills & Technology Tools Teaching Strategies Culminating Activity Evidence of Success
Information and Communication Skills: 21C.O.5-8.1.LS1 - Student, when presented with a problem, identifies the information needed, uses text, people, online databases and search engines to filter relevant information efficiently, analyzes information for biases, synthesizes information gathered and creates an effective and efficient response to the problem.



21C.O.5-8.1.TT4 - Student uses audio, video, pictures, clip art, moviemaker programs, webpage design software, electronic documents, and other files to create and publish electronic products to communicate with various audiences inside and outside the classroom.



The teacher will encourage partner sharing for peer review of research materials.

 

 

 

The teacher will organize students into collaborative groups.

 

Students will identify reliable research sources for their topic by using the Student Research Checklist for sources.

 

 

Students will work together in a meaningful way according to the Collaboration Rubric.

 

Thinking and Reasoning Skills: 21C.O.5-8.2.LS2 - Student draws conclusions from a variety of data sources to analyze and interpret systems.



21C.O.5-8.2.TT2 - Student collaborates with peers, experts, and others using telecommunications and collaborative tools to investigate curriculum-related problems, issues, and information, and to develop solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.



The teacher will promote Individual research and reading.

 

 

 

 

The teacher will use the Collaborative Rubric to observe students interacting in the group setting.

Students will glean a population trend from the data collected for a topic of a presentation and include this information in their notebooks.

 

 

 

Students will present a multimedia product that solves a problem using a Performance Rubric to community representatives.

Personal and Workplace Skills: 21C.O.5-8.3.LS6 - Student maintains focus on larger project goal, frames appropriate questions, reflects on possible courses of action and their likely consequences, develops and initiates a plan of action with appropriate smaller objectives and benchmarks, and submits the completed project when due.



21C.O.5-8.3.TT2 - Student conducts online research and evaluates the accuracy, relevance, and appropriateness of electronic information sources.



The teacher will monitor student constructed task assignments for the group.

 

 

 

The teacher will assist students in creating a checklist for reliable sources.

Students will create a chart for assigned group and individual tasks.  Example of Task Manager Worksheet.

 

 

Students will use a student checklist to evaluate resources. Example checklist under Student Research Checklist.

 

Performance Objectives: Know
How to use first-person interviews as research sources
How to cite primary and secondary sources in a presentation
How to organize notes to create a presentation
How to draw conclusions between data and social/economic trends
How to analyze cause and effect relationships
How to work as a team with student-driven tasks and deadlines
How to apply global information to a personal situation
How to use a variety of media to create an age-appropriate media product

Do
Conduct peer reviews with meaningful constructive criticism.
Collaborate with a group to create a media
Research using census and government data
Organize a research notebook
Research using a variety of sources
Make connections of global ideas to individual situations through personal exploration
Create a task assigned group chart
Create a checklist for evaluating the reliability of sources

Driving Question: Why is population change important in your past and future?  
Assessment Plan:
Major Group Products Multi-media presentation
Major Individual Projects

Commonplace Book

Research notebook
Assessment and Reflection:
Rubric(s) I Will Use: Collaboration Rubric  X Written Communication  
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving   Content Knowledge  
Oral Communication
Performance Rubric
 X  Other
Creative Project Rubric
Other Classroom Assessments For Learning: Quizzes/Tests   Practice Presentations  
Self-Evaluation
Project Flowchart
 X  Notes  
Peer Evaluation   Checklists/Observations
Student Checklist
Online Tests and Exams   Concept Maps  
Reflections: Survey  X Focus Group  
Discussion   Task Management Chart
Task Manager Worksheet
Journal Writing/Learning Log  

Other

 
Map The Product:
Knowledge and Skills Needed Already Have Learned Taught Before the Project Taught During the Project
1.  Collaboration Interaction Skills   X
2.  Internet Research Skills      X 
3.  Multimedia Software  X    
4.  Citation Skills    
5.  Organized Speaking Techniques    
6.  Knowledge of Migration    
7.  Note-taking skills  X  
8.  Knowledge of Audience, Format, and Purpose    
9.  Five Step Writing Process  X    
Resources: School-based Individuals:
Social Studies Teacher 
Language Arts Teacher
Technology Coordinator
Library Media Specialist

Technology:
Computers
Flip Cameras
MovieMaker, PowerPoint, or Inspiration
SmartBoard or Data Projector

Community:
Chamber of Commerce
County Commission
Census Bureau

Materials:
Notebooks
Citation Websites or handbooks
Markers, pens, pencils, and highlighters
Computer
Camera
Poster
Internet
Printer
Survey
Task Manager Worksheet 
Collaboration Rubric 
Performance Rubric 
Creative Project Rubric 
Student Checklist 
Commonplace Book 
Fishbowl Activity 
Project Flowchart  

Internet Resources:
http://www.census.gov/
http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/people/a_popchange.html
http://www.overpopulation.org/USpopulation.html
http://www.npg.org/popfacts.htm
http://www.prb.org/Educators/LessonPlans/2000/MappingPopulationChangeintheUnitedStates.aspx

Manage the Process:

Grouping:

The teacher will group students after the initial speech given by the census representative. The groups should be randomly selected by the teacher with no more than four students per group and no fewer than three. The groups should remain throughout the project for discussion, presentation, and product creation.

 

Classroom Management:

Students will track their individual progress through recording sources, information, and data in a notebook for research. Teachers will conference with groups to help them manage the process of collecting and synthesizing data. The students will create a Task Manager Worksheet to conduct team meetings on deadlines, collaboration, and participation.

 

            Background Knowledge and Skills:

            Students will need a general familiarity with collaboration.

            Students will need a background in note-taking and organization.

            Students will need to be familiar with computer usage and media technology software.

            Students will need to be familiar with Internet research.

            Students will need to have general knowledge of the census.

           

Differentiation Opportunities:

Differentiation will be available to students in the focus of the socio-economic trend with which they select to create a project. Also, they have the choice of software media to utilize for the creation of the project. In the individual projects, students can insert personal creativity and choice of familial research as a method of differentiation.

 

Planning:

           

Early in the Project:

After listening to the speaker report on the local and national statistics, the students will be divided into discussion groups to analyze the information presented in a way that is relevant to them. As a student discussion group, students should be encouraged to generate a series of questions that they have about the data or population trends to present and ask the speaker. Students should think of personal examples of population movement to share in group discussion. This is the initial opportunity for first-person research students have on their topic.

 

Once students have the basic knowledge base of population changes, and the speaker has answered individual group questions, the groups should be brought back together to be presented with the following scenario prompt by the census representative:

 

Because you are now aware of the population trend in your area, you have been selected by the County Commission and Chamber of Commerce to give a media presentation. Your team will need to find a single cause of population change to analyze. You may seek these causes by asking neighbors, family members, or friends in face-to-face interviews as well as finding primary and secondary sources. Your team will present their findings to the Commission and Chamber of Commerce in a presentation that highlights a reason for population change and provide recommendations to improve this local trend. Your recommendations will be evaluated by the members of these organizations for implementation.

 

Student grouping should take place at this point, and students should begin the process of collaborating with their groups to synthesize data and draw conclusions about socio-economic trends. The group will select a trend to research that is applicable to the local area to create an age-appropriate media presentation. The students should review the rubrics with each other in order to fully understand expectations and performance standards. Before beginning research, the group should fill out the Task Manager Worksheet to assign roles and deadlines to individuals. The individual project should begin at this point where the individual student will review what a Commonplace Book is and how to create one for the past migration of their family. Students will use the Project Flowchart to guide them through the several processes in completing their project and to encourage them to self-evaluate.

 

Students should begin researching first-person, primary, and secondary sources about the population trends in their area using the Internet, interviews, books, and maps after conducting a Student Research Checklist on reliable sources. Students should also research literary and periodical sources in order to build background and make connections. Each student will have to create an individual research notebook to keep all of his or her contributions to the group project. This could be notes, sources, or ideas.

 

During the Project:

Students will seek out their sources and compile information about social and economic events and trends in their area to analyze population changes. The research notebook will keep all information recorded from sources as well as any citations. Citations can be completed in either MLA or APA format, depending on teacher preference. Team meetings will be organized in order to collaborate and share information to focus the project. The team can decide how the information fits together and what will be used in the final project. At this point, students should select an appropriate medium for their final presentation of their project. Overall, they will begin collaborating collaborate to create the media presentation using their research, sources, and knowledge on their trend. Research could take three to four days alone.

 

Students should take the trend that they have analyzed and offer a solution to population loss or to the trials that come from over-population. Students should check rubrics as a team and individually to make sure that the project progression complies; the teacher should monitor notebooks and progression at this point.

 

Students will continue to work on polishing their Commonplace Books through using maps, creativity, and art to tell their personal story of human migration. They should be interviewing parents, grandparents, and other relatives to shape the project. Students may even want to use a free website that helps with ancestry. The teacher should encourage students to look at city records and other local literature to analyze their ancestry.

 

End of the Project:           

The team will assemble to and provide constructive criticism of their project through feedback in discussion. The team will then edit and revise their project for logical fallacies, inaccurate information, and any grammatical or mechanical errors. Once the project is polished and a final copy has been created, the team will practice giving the presentation. The presentation will then be given to the Chamber of Commerce and the County Commission. If appropriate, students can present to a larger community forum.

 

Students will complete their individual Commonplace Books on human migration so that they may be displayed as an exhibition on personal histories of human migration at the school. This exhibition should be an opportunity for students to explain the project to the community as well as their fellow students. This should give students greater insight into how they got where they are and where they are going to go. The exhibition should be held after school hours as well as during.

 

The teacher will return both the individual project and the team multimedia project with rubrics attached so that students may review how they achieved in all sections. This project takes 4-5 weeks.

Project Evaluation: The teacher and students will use the Fishbowl Activity method of class discussion for reflection on both group projects and individual projects. The teacher should record comments on the board while students use the Fishbowl Activity worksheet.
Resource Files Uploaded
    Resource Files
  • UP3726WS2.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS2.doc)
  • UP3726WS3.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS3.doc)
  • UP3726WS4.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS4.doc)
  • UP3726WS5.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS5.doc)
  • UP3726WS6.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS6.doc)
  • UP3726WS7.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS7.doc)
  • UP3726WS8.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS8.doc)
  • UP3726WS9.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS9.doc)
  • UP3726WS10.doc
    (http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/CSO/Upload/UP3726WS10.doc)

Print/PDF        Back

Time Viewed - 1643
Since June 10, 2009