A Blog about the activities that occur in a middle school library in the Greater Toronto Area. We want to display the importance of a library in contributing to literacy, student research projects and student success at school. Visit our school website http://schools.peelschools.org/1473/Pages/default.aspx
I would like to display some of our finished projects from the grade 6 aboriginal peoples unit. Please see the blog entry entitled The Actual Assignment Pages to refresh your memory as to what the assignment entailed. Students were very enthusiastic about the assignment. They worked hard to complete the assignment and worked well together. Mrs. Camarda and myself worked hard to have to students conference with each other in order to ensure that each part of the assignment was completed. I have included samples of the students work below.
The Cree - this is a power point presentation which has been uploaded to a Google drive file.
The following images display the models of traditional aboriginal wigwams, teepees, longhouses, etc.
Wigwam
A Salish house
A Longhouse
A teepee
Salish Longhouse
A Wigwam
The whole collection
The following images show some of the display boards that students created for their presentations.
A Story board for an Iroquois Creation Story
A presentation board on the Blackfoot
All about the Iroquois
A drawing of a teepee that explains different parts of the structure
All about the Salish
Mrs. Camarda and I consider the project to have been quite successful. The students have learned a great deal. They were able to be creative and appeared to enjoy the work. They were enthusiastic and confident when they presented to their classmates. This is the first time that we have run this particular project with the students and Mrs. Camarda and I will discuss some things that we plan on changing in the future. This however is what teaching is all about. We learn just as much as the kids do each time we prepare and present a unit. Sometimes the manner in which a project is introduced is changed or the order in which the background information is changed. Each time a unit is taught there are always little changes or tweaks for the better. Teachers analyze and assess the effectiveness of a given unit and then work towards building it into something better each time it is taught.
I have recently begun collaborating with one of our grade 8 teachers on the unit design and culminating task for her novel study unit on the novel Shattered, by Eric Walters. Mrs. Naidu approached me a short while ago to discuss the design of her novel study. We discussed what she hoped to achieve with students as well as her main goals in using this particular novel. We worked on designing different comprehension activities for students to discuss and complete in class.
Here's the book trailer.
Mrs. Naidu wanted students to learn about social issues, to analyze a novel and discuss the themes presented within the novel. We found some graphic organizers that would assist the students in analyzing the novel and then we planned the culminating task.
A culminating task is an activity that wraps up the particular unit and requires students to utilize the skills they were taught as they read the novel. A culminating task should require students to think critically about themes and information and then display what they have learned for the teacher and their peers. Essentially, it is the grand finale of learning.
For the culminating task, we wanted to design a task where students had to think about social issues, charity organizations and then discuss these charities. We asked students to find and research a particular charity. They were asked to learn about the mission statement, volunteer opportunities and how the charity delivered its services to the public. Students were then asked to discuss and explain the charity utilizing the iPad Students could choose from a variety of apps including educreations and explain a website. They were to record their opinions and thoughts about their selected charity.
Students were able to complete their research of the charity in one class and are currently working on writing out their thoughts on the charity and developing a script before they begin recording, filming, etc. their final presentation on the iPad.
