Etec 530 Lesson Plan

Page

Assignment #2 Tracey Best (18410068) University of British Columbia ETEC 530 Section 66B Diane Janes, Ph.D August 1, 2008

1

Page

2

Grade 6 Reading Lesson Plan Novel Study Background Information This lesson plan is a culminating activity after reading the novel Number the Stars written by Lois Lowry. The story is set in Denmark during World War II. The Danish Jews are being arrested and the Resistance groups are attempting to smuggle the Jewish people into the safe territory of Sweden. The novel is written from one of the characters, Annemarie’s point of view. Annemarie is best friends with Ellen who is Jewish. The story evolves around the events of Annemarie’s family and their attempts to help their fellow countrymen and their best friends to find safety. The novel gives a glimpse at what occurred in the past when the Nazi Armies invaded Denmark and gives a snapshot of one part of the larger concept of the Holocaust.

Materials • • • • •

Computers LCD projector Video Camera Digital Camera Class set of Number the Stars novels

Objectives • • • • • •

To develop oral presentation skills To work cooperatively to collaborate on a related projects To be able to read between and beyond the lines of text to interpret multiple perspectives of what is read Gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust Gain advanced computer skills to produce a multimedia presentation Use technology to develop multi-facets of writing and reading

Pre-requisites • Students would have completed reading the novel Number the Stars by Lois Lowry in class – participating in offline and online activities • Students would be familiar with basic computer technology tasks such as the ones being described in this lesson

Page

3

Teaching and Learning Activities Introduction Lesson plan for 30 students. The students would be put into small groups of three for Tasks 1 and 2. The final task will combine two groups to form groups of six. The teacher will: • discuss the student’s groupings for the first two tasks and the blending of groups for the third task • discuss the grading criteria and what is expected of each student and the groups • discuss objectives and goals of the lesson • discuss the roles each of the group members need to decide upon to allow for a positive collaborative experience • Cooperative Group Roles OR Cooperative Group Learning To launch the lesson and to engage the students the teacher will use a computer with an LCD projector to play Character Jeopardy. The students will be divided into two groups. The teacher will use the Number the Stars Character Jeopardy (TeacherVision, 2008) link to show the questions. Each team will assign a score keeper and a question reader. The teacher will determine a point value to each question and set the guidelines for the game. The teacher will monitor the alternating of questions being read between the two teams. After the game the teacher will lead a whole group discussion to collaboratively debate: • similarities and differences of physical and personality attributes of people in general and specifically the characters in the story • what clues are given in a story that tell about the character’s attributes – how those attributes relate to some of the themes of the story (i.e. friendship, bravery, citizenship) • how does an author develop a character – what techniques are used to create the character Students’ Task 1 The first task involves each group discussing and brainstorming face to face the main characters of the novel. The group members are to agree on one to three characters to analyze and describe the character’s physical and personality attributes.

Page

4

Using the computer the students create a concept map for each of the characters with the character’s name in the middle and the attributes in the outer strands of the concept map; creating a descriptive analysis of the character(s). The students are to reveal important and different aspects of the character(s) and are to include page citations that support the attributes being described. Each trio is responsible for deciding on collaborative roles to design and complete the concept map(s). Students can use Microsoft Word or CMap tools

Microsoft Word: Click Insert Click Diagram Build concept map; adding character attributes

Students’ Task 2 In this second task the students are to discuss and brainstorm face to face some big ideas or themes that emerged from the novel. Themes such as bravery, friendship, citizenship, war, peace, fear or sacrifice are a few ideas to consider. Using the computer the members of the group in this task are to agree on one to three themes that reflect the overall sense of the story. Each group is to develop one concept map for each theme similar to the attribute webs – no more than three themes are required – one theme is acceptable. The group is to write the theme in the middle of each web and discuss and add supportive explanations and page numbers from the text that illustrate and justify the ideas of the theme.

Students can use Microsoft Word or CMap tools Microsoft Word: Click Insert on tool bar Click Diagram

Page

5

Students’ Task 3 Two groups of three will combine to form groups of six for the final task. To begin, each of the small groups of three will share their character and theme concept maps with the other group of three. The newly formed group of six will choose one character and one theme from their concept maps to create a multimedia presentation that describes their understanding of the novel’s character and theme. For example the group of six could decide on depicting a scene from the story and represent that scene from their chosen character’s perspective based on the ideas from the concept maps. Since the book is originally written from the main character, Annemarie’s viewpoint, students are to predict and illustrate another character’s perspective. Some examples of other character perspectives and scenes are shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 Character Ellen’s point of view

Peter’s point of view

Uncle Henrik’s point of view

Scene/Theme Arrival of German soldiers in Johansen’s apartment when she was pretending to be Annemarie’s sister. Arrival of soldiers at Auntie Berte’s funeral when the coffin was stuffed with blankets, food and clothing to smuggle the Jewish people. When the soldiers and their dogs are searching the boats that have Jewish people in the secret compartment in Henrik’s fishing boat.

(Cornish, 2002) This final task is to be represented in a multimedia format - depicting a character’s perspective of the story and to also reflect a main theme that emerged. The final project is not restricted to a scene simulation. Other ideas: • news coverage that depicts the headlines and articles set in the World War II era based on the story and other researched facts • journalist interview of a character’s perspective of the Nazi invasion events

Page •

6

research presentation of what the group wanted to learn more about (i.e. Aldolf Hitler, concentration camps, other countries invaded etc.)

Multimedia Examples: • Slideshow • PowerPoint • Short movie using Windows Movie Maker, Canadian Content Freeware Downloads OR SnapFiles • Create a group Blog with Blogspot • Create a group Wiki with Free Wiki by Wet Paint Figure 2 represents some age appropriate Internet links for the students to gain knowledge and background information on the Holocaust for their multimedia presentation. Figure 2

The Holocaust: A Learning Site for Students Learning About The Holocaust Jewish Holocaust

Conclusion Each group of six will present their multimedia presentation to the whole class. Each group is expected to orally introduce and briefly discuss the character and theme of the story. In addition, the presentation needs to include a discussion about the scene, situation or event that is being portrayed in the presentation. The presentation is to connect each task according the group’s knowledge and interpretation of the story to create and offer their own inferences of the story.

Assessment and Evaluation The teacher uses the checklist rubric to evaluate each group’s presentation. The students use the self-evaluation rubric for individual reflections.

Page 4–A Exceeding Grade Level Expectations

Criteria Content clear evidence of understandingcomprehension of story accurate visuals that add to the understanding of the presentation clear concise supporting details of characters and themes concept and theme are clear in multi-media presentation Presentation avoided distracting mannerisms clear, concise and well articulated gained full attention of the audience showed knowledge of the project Multimedia appropriate choice of medium demonstrating ability to synthesize learning and understanding effective use of technology to capture the audience

3–B Fully Meeting Grade Level Expectations

2–C Minimally Meeting Grade Level Expectations Group Presentation Evaluation

4 Excellent

2.5 – C+ Meeting Grade Level Expectations

3 Very Good

2.5 Good

2 Average

7

1 – CNot Yet Meeting Grade Level Expectations

1 Poor

Page

Self-Evaluation Group Work Skills Name: _______________________ Date: ________________________ Criteria I worked toward the achievement of the group’s goals. I contributed to the group’s progress. I self-assessed and monitored my own behavior to stay on task. I communicated well with group members. I listened to other’s ideas. I participated in adding ideas with a positive attitude. I consistently reviewed the criteria of the final project to assist the group. I participated in helping to manage group work time effectively. I knew how to disagree with ideas, not people. I contributed well to the concept maps. I contributed technology skills for the multimedia presentation.

4 Excellent

3 Very Good

2.5 Good

2 Average

1 Poor

8

Page

9

Personal Reflections Introduction In the past I have used the novel Number the Stars by Lois Lowry in a face to face reading classroom. The tasks of past lesson plans have been taught in a more traditional model with whole class discussions, group brainstorming and individual writing response packages. This lesson plan could become the outline for a variety of Web based structures to deliver the content besides the traditional face to face format. By designing this outline into a Webquest or a Web project the World Wide Web becomes the management system not the teacher. This lesson plan takes on a new form of teaching skills in an elementary reading classroom. In this lesson the students are learning a multitude of skills such as (a) navigating the Internet (b) designing concept maps, (c) collaborating in groups and, (d) blending face to face interaction with technological creations. As the students work through the assigned tasks they are learning to organize and communicate their thinking while being immersed into a variety of technological environments. “The Internet, by its very nature can offset the more static nature of covering content from the textbook” (El-Hindi, 1999, p. 3). Constructivist Instructional Model (CIM) This lesson scaffolds from task to task, adding new dimensions to a traditional format of teaching. For example, the role of the students transforms from the teacher being the leader to the students giving direction to their learning, organizing information and discussing within their groups. The final multimedia presentation requires each member of the group to merge their thinking with the other members of the group to produce a unified project. The variety offered in the final task develops the students’ abilities to read, research and present their understanding of a story through a medium that suits their needs and interests. The above lesson plan incorporates constructivism; following the steps outlined by the model developed by Driver and Oldham cited in an article written by Michael Matthews. The jeopardy game engages the students; the final presentation follows the restructuring phase of constructivism with the students having to make inferences about the characters and themes in the story. “Students . . . can see that there are a variety of ways of [interpreting] phenomena or evidence” (Matthews, 1994, p. 143). The self-assessment rubric allows the students to reflect on their learning.

Page

10

Conceptual Change Model (CCM) The lesson plan provides opportunity for the students to develop a community of learning together in their groups; actively accessing what they know and applying that knowledge to create something new as in the multimedia presentation. Posner, Strike, Hewson and Gertzog describe this process as a Conceptual Change Model. They write, “ . . . inquiry and learning occur against the background of the learner’s current concepts [to] . . . rely on [their] current concepts to organize [their] investigation” (1982, ¶ 9). The students connect their ideas to form a bigger picture or an altered version of what lies between and beyond the lines of the text. Cey writes, “ . . . educators should design their instructional methods in ways that allow for multiple perspectives of targeted concepts to occur” (2001, p. 15). Prediction – Observation – Explanation (POE) The concept maps help the students organize what they have learned about certain characters and themes of the story and apply that knowledge to the multimedia presentation. The students make predictions from the story, observe those predictions through the design of their concept maps and explain their thinking in the final task of designing a multimedia presentation. White and Gunstone describe the POE model, “ . . . [learners] must predict the outcome of some event, and must justify their prediction; then they describe what they see happen; and finally they must reconcile any conflict between prediction and observation” (1992, p. 44). Technology and Constructivism Technology affords the ability for the students to guide their learning, review the criteria and to use the Internet in a meaningful way. Geraldine Lafoe concurs, “ . . . a shift in approaches to pedagogy is required by teachers as well as a way of supporting alternate frameworks for instruction within a web-based environment” (1998, p. 454). Final Thoughts This reading lesson differs greatly from my past teachings of this same topic. Having the lesson outline developed as a Web based structure permits a teacher to work more closely with the students in smaller groups. The Internet becomes the central wealth of information allowing the teacher to take a step back and watch the interaction and learning that occurs because the students manage their learning, not the teacher. This lesson includes many aspects of a constructivist and balanced literacy program; reading, writing, interacting and orally presenting knowledge both online and offline.

Page

11

Reference List Cey, T. (2001). Moving Towards constructivist classrooms. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/ceyt/ceyt .htm Cornish, J. (2002). The history behind the story in “Number the Stars”. Retrieved July 7, 2008, from http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/ns_viewpoint.pdf El-Hindi, E.A. (1999). Beyond classroom boundaries: Constructivist teaching with the internet. Retrieved May 23, 2008 from http://www.readinglonline.org/electronic/RT/constructivist.html Lafoe, G. (1998). Creating constructivist learning environments on the web: The challenge in higher education. Retrieved July 28, 2008, from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/wollongong98/asc98pdf/lefoe00162.pdf Matthews, M.R. (1994). Science teaching. The role of history and philosophy of science New York: Routledge, Chapter 7 Pearson Education. (2008). TeacherVision. Retrieved July 14, 2008, from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/reading/activity/2536.html

Page Posner, G.J. Strike, K.A. Hewson, P.W. & Gertzog, W.A. (1982). Accomodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change. Science Education. 66(2), 211-227. White, R. & Gunstone, R.F. (1992). Probing understanding. London: The Falmer Press, chapter 2 & 3.

12