Laura Van Dyk
Building Connections
Strengthening Relationships
Prefatory Statement
The Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships unit is one that combines the elements of reading, speaking, and writing. Students will be reading a novel of the choice, chosen from a book list, during this unit. They will be required to independently read and engage in a discussion with a parent or responsible adult. The parent/adult must provide a signature to verify involvement. Upon completion of the book students will be required to complete a project connected to their novel. The final project will then be presented to the class. The students will also be learning about the media and developing their critical literacy skills. This will take part as students develop a working knowledge about issues affecting the elderly. The unit will cover the interview process, from how to write open ended questions to what should be done if the interview does not go as planned. Students will then be interviewing a person sixty years of age or older. After this interview students will write one to five multi-genre pieces from information gathered during the interview (five quality pieces will be awarded full credit). All students will also write a formal paper. Student work will be combined to produce a publication. The unit will close with a celebration inviting all interview subjects and student family members in for refreshments and a reading of the publication.
The unit will provide students the opportunity to expand and improve on their reading, verbal, and written skills. Students will be able to choose a novel from a list that includes works with cross-generation relationships. This list will cover a wide variety of genres, authors, and skill levels. It is my hope that students will find a book that interests them and, in doing so, be more apt to read it. The students will have time for peer editing, small group and large group activities during class. During this time social skills will be refined as students give constructive criticism to their peers. Students will also be improving their verbal skills when speaking to elders. They will learn to speak differently during their interview than they would to their peers. They will adapt their mannerisms and dialogue to fit the situation with which they are presented. Students will also be required to present information to the class, both after task one of the web quest and after completing their novel. This unit covers a variety of writing tasks. Some of which include writing interview questions, formal writing, journal entries, and creative writing pieces. This variety gives students the opportunity to excel in at least one area of writing. For example, those who do not succeed in the formal writing may do very well with the journaling or creative writing.
This unit is important to students for so many reasons, no matter their age, race, ethnicity, gender or social standings. Students must be given the opportunity to feel accomplished. The wide variety offered in this unit will give students a greater chance to succeed in some area or another. Students will also become more refined in their reading, speaking, and written skills. They may feel less pressure in reading because they will not be tested on their comprehension in a formal test. Instead, students will conference with a parent/adult, conference with the teacher and complete a final project, which they will present to the class. They will then present this project to the class. By talking to a wide audience throughout the unit (peers, teacher, and interview subject) students will be better able to face the citizens of their community. They will be more aware of how their dialogue and actions look to those who are not of their generation. In this way, students will become better at addressing diverse groups. This will help them in the community, educational perimeters, work settings, and where ever their lives may take them. Many students strive for a mode of expression. However, school and work often ask for formal pieces of writing. This unit will allow students to write both formally and informally, allowing them to express themselves and develop the skills required in both school and work.
It is my belief that, above all, students will develop a stronger relationship with the individual they interview. They will learn that as people age they do not become “uncool,” but collect wonderful pieces of knowledge and gain experience. Too often the elderly in this country go unnoticed. Society forgets that these people have fought in wars, worked a variety of jobs, traveled to extensive regions, refined traditional skills, and have just plain lived and experienced all of what life offers. I want students to be able to see all these qualities. Students may learn a tradition or oral story that can be passed down. Students may see that the people they interview have experienced many of the same kind of events that their generation has. It is my hopes that all people will give the elderly the attention and respect they have earned. This unit may be one starting point for such a movement.
Class Specification
This unit is appropriate for seventh to eighth grade students. However, this unit may be easily adapted for all age groups. If used in the high school classroom, a more advance reading list should be offered. Students could also be required to turn in a higher number of multi genre pieces, as well as more refined work. The required written piece should also be more comprehensive for high school students. This unit could be used in all schools, whether they are set in rural or urban districts. It is important for all children, no matter their age, race, religious background or socioeconomic status, to be given the opportunity to spend time with, communicate, and learn from their elders.
Significant Assumptions
I believe students will be motivated to learn if they are interested in the topic they are learning about. I assume that most students will enjoy getting information from a primary source, rather than reading it in a book or online. Most students will know someone who is sixty years of age or older. If they do not, I will be able to find a willing participant for the student to speak with. I also assume that some students enjoy reading fiction more than nonfiction. That is why I am giving them the opportunity to read fictional novels depicting cross generation relationships. This unit requires much work. I believe students need class time to complete much of it. Some of them will not have access to a computer at home. That is why they will be given time in the computer lab and time in the classroom to read and complete their projects. I am assuming that students have proficient practice in both reading and writing. Public speaking may be quite new, but the speaking tasks required are not extensive. I assume students will have had exposure to multiple genres of writing. Although I will serve as a resource, I will request that students collectively come up with their own list of genres, as a class. Students must choose from these genres when writing their own multi-genre papers.
Students will write open ended questions.
Students will show flexibility during an interview.
Students will give constructive criticism during peer editing.
Students will experiment will a multitude of writing genres.
Students will be more comfortable speaking to a group.
Students will talk with their parents about reading.
Students will take notes while listening to a speaker.
Students will learn from their experienced interview subject.
• Determine misconceptions associated with the aging process.
• Critically examine written work to determine credibility and usefulness.
• Create open-ended questions to be used in an interview.
• Actively listen and comprehend messages and apply assessment criteria to self-evaluate oral presentations.
Possible Whole Class Activities
Class discussion
Gerontologist presentation
Class interview of guest
Critical literacy modeling
Thank you letters
End of unit celebration
Possible Small Group Activities
Role playing
Group discussions
Critical evaluation of printed material
Possible Individual Activities
Written work
Reading of novel
Web quest tasks
Presentation on web quest task one
Presentation on novel
Reading of personal written work
Journal entries (in-class and reading)
Ongoing Activities
In-class writing journal
Reading of novel
Multiple drafts of work
Student Resources
Novel of choice
Computers
Printers
Internet
Unit handouts
Interview participants
Organization of the Unit
Throughout the unit, students must conference with a parent or responsible adult on provided topics about their novel and obtain their parent's or other adult's signature.
Week Two
A thank you letter to week one's guest speaker will be required of all students. Class time at the beginning of week two may be used for this, if the unit is for a seventh to eighth grade class. High school students may complete this outside of the classroom. These letters do not have to follow a formal letter template. The thank you letters will be considered an informal piece of writing.
In the next week of the unit, the class will conduct an interview with a community member above 80 years old. As a class, they will formulate questions to ask this individual. The class will decide which questions are most important and which questions could use reworking. The most pertinent questions will be placed at the top of the list to ensure they will be answered. All questions will then be given to the interview subject in order to prepare he/she for the interview.
Critical literacy will also be discussed this week. Students will learn how to extract the main points of an article and how to decipher between fact and opinion. They will also learn about bias and slant. Modeling will be used to depict how to utilize critical literacy. Students will also be asked to evaluate articles in small groups. These articles will be taken from local newspapers. The articles must affect either the youth of the community or senior citizens.
Students will complete tasks one through three during this week. Class time must be given for these activities. Students will present the articles they summarized and critically examined for task one of the web quest. Task two must also be completed during this week, preferably during lab time. After the students complete task three, small groups will be formed for students to share interview questions. Students will use the Peer Assessment Guidelines handout in the group work. Students will also be given a chance to offer their favorite interview questions with the knowledge their peers may use this question during their interview.
Students must present their parent's signature as evidence of discussion of their novel to the teacher.
Week Three
The class will conduct an interview at the start of this week. This interview subject will have been given a list of questions. Students are only to ask from this list unless otherwise directed by the class guest. All students will again write thank you letters.
Students will be told at the beginning of the unit that they are to be reading on their own throughout the unit. A check on where students are in their novel should be done during week three. This can be done by checking their Independent Discussion forms or by conferencing with students.
Students should conduct their interview during the weekend prior to week three or at the beginning of week three. One to two days of work time could be given during this week. Students may complete the required piece of writing during this time. They may also read their novel. Conferences may be held during these days. These will serve as progress checks in both writing and reading areas.
Week Four
Week four will focus on exploring multi-genre papers. Students will be using creative writing skills to create pieces about their interview subject. The class will brainstorm genres, thus making their own list of genres to choose from for their assignment. The teacher will discuss and provide examples of poetry, dialogue, stream of consciousness and short stories throughout this week. After each mini-lesson, students will be given class time to begin pieces. Students must use their interview results as a basis for their multi-genre works. They may also find the results from task one and task two of the web quest helpful in their writing.
The last day of week four will be a peer editing day. Students may bring in their multi genre pieces or the required piece for revision assistance.
Over the weekend, students will be asked to contact the person they interviewed to ask any more questions that may have come up and to clarify anything that seemed unclear. These questions will most likely develop during peer editing. Students will also use this time to invite their interview partner in for the final day of the unit.
Week Five
Two pieces of writing are due on the last day of this week.
Week Six
The remaining writing pieces are due at the beginning of week six. All pieces, unless otherwise accompanied by a written requested, will go into a class publication. This publication will be completed by the end of the week.
Students will again write thank you letters. These letters will be addressed to the individual they interviewed. Students must bring in an addressed and stamped envelope upon the completion of their letter. The teacher will review and send these letters out.
Two days will be set aside for video viewing. The teacher chosen video must depict either the life of an elder or a cross-generation relationship. Students will journal and discuss the movie upon its completion. Journal topics may include: Does the senior character in the movie follow common misconceptions placed on the elderly? Explain your answer. How is this movie true to life? How is it not true?
The last day of the unit will be set aside for a celebration of the student work. They may invite the person they interviewed and other family members they wish to share their work with. Students and those they interviewed will all receive a copy of the publication. Refreshments will be served and students will have the chance to read aloud their work. They may do this in front of the whole group or in small groups, depending on their preference.
Supporting Material for Teachers Who Teach the Unit
Collins, Paul. Community Writing: Researching Social Issues Through Composition .
New Jersey : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2001.
Ideas for Teaching English in the Junior High and High School , ed. Candy Carter & Zora
Rashkis. Urbana , IL NCTE 1980
Increase Your Aging Awareness. 2002. University of Washington School of Social Work
Gerontology Enrichment Program. December 9, 2003 . <http://iucar.iu.edu/geninfo/ageiq.php3>.
Morgan, Wendy. "Critical Literacy." Reviewing English . Eds. Wayne Sawyer, Ken
Watson, Eva Gold. Sydney : St. Clair Press, 1998. 154-163.
Romano, Tom. Blending Genre, Altering Style: Writing Multigenre Papers . New
Hampshire: Boyton/Cook Publishers, 2000.
Scoring 6+1 Trait Writing. 2001. Regional Educational Laboratory. December 9, 2003
<http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/scoring.asp?odelay=3&d=1 >.
Handouts
Aging Awareness Quiz (http://iucar.iu.edu/geninfo/ageiq.php3)
Written Work Outline
Peer Assessment Guidelines
Novel Project Possibilities
Grading
Web Quest Task One Presentation Checklist
Web Quest Task Two Checklist
Multi-genre Rubric
Required Piece Rubric
Novel Project and Presentation Point System
Parent/Guardian Discussion Form and Point System
Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships Point System
Lesson Plan
1. Descriptive Data
Teacher: Laura Van Dyk Class: English 7 or 8
Unit: Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships
Lesson Topic: Anticipatory Set
Time Duration: 50-minute class period
2. Objectives
• Students will learn to overcome previous misconceptions they hold for the elderly.
• Students will learn to make a personal connection by determining whether or not these misconceptions hold true for the senior citizens they know.
3. Method
As students file into class, remain silent and keep them in suspense. Once you have gotten their attention, tell them there will be a pop quiz for the day. Pass out the “aging awareness” quiz. After they have completed the true/false quiz, have them hold on to it. Go over the quiz. Ask the students how they did. Why did they answer in the manner they did? Are there common misconceptions about the elderly? What are those misconceptions and why do they exist?
Activity Two: Making it Personal (5 minutes)
Have the students write in their journal: Who do I know that is over sixty years of age? Which one of these people do I know best? Do they follow the conceptions that many have for the elderly? Has this person taught me anything? If yes, what?
Activity Three: Small Group Discussion (5 minutes)
Have students share in groups of four or five what they have written in their journal.
Activity Four: Unit Explanation (20 minutes)
If any students would like to share their journal entries with the class they may do so. Then discuss the upcoming unit, the final product, written, verbal and reading aspects. Have then brainstorm a list of people they would like to interview.
Activity Five: Closing (5 minutes)
Hand out the overview of the unit. Ask for any questions the students may have at this time.
4. Materials and Equipment Needed
overhead projector, transparencies, markers, handouts
5. Assignments
Students must decide whom they would like to interview and contact that person within the week. They must also find out the birth year of their interview subject (this will be used for the web quest).
6. Assessment
Comparing original quiz answer from the “pop quiz” and ideas formulated during discussion can identify whether or not students are overcoming their previous misconceptions. Journals will also be handed in over the semester in order to evaluate student participation and the connections they are making with their senior citizen.
Reflective Thoughts about Lesson and Suggestions for Revision:
Lesson Plan
1. Descriptive Data
Teacher: Laura Van Dyk Class: English 7 or 8
Unit: Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships
Lesson Topic: What traits does a well written story possess?
Time Duration: 50 minute class period
2. Objectives
1. Students will learn to identify the qualities of a well written short story.
2. Students will learn to make comparisons between a two pieces of writing, identify positive mechanical and content aspects.
3. Students will learn to practice writing stories as a class.
3. Method:
Say to the students, “Today we will be discussing the traits that make stories interesting. We listen to or tell stories just about everyday of our lives. Some are better than others. Our goal is to become better story tellers by discussing what makes a story interesting.”
Activity Two: Movie Clip (5 minutes)
Tell students that a good story can be found anywhere, it does not have to be written down. Movies are a great examples of story telling. Show a clip from the movie Sandlot . Ask students to pay attention to the instruments the storyteller uses in his narration and jot down some notes on the qualities of a good story. Have students share with their neighbors the traits that make the movie's story interesting. The teacher will walk around class and check with students as they share traits.
Activity Three: Examples of Written Stories (8 minutes)
Say to students, “Many stories are not told verbally, as in the movie. Some are written down and come in all different forms (novels, short stories, movie scripts, newspapers, epic poems, etc). Today, we are going to focus on short stories.” Two examples will be passed out to each student. They will each be read out loud in class.
Activity Four: Class Brainstorming of Traits (5 minutes)
Say to students, “These two stories are very different from one another. Neither story is perfect, but I think we can find some positive traits for each.” Ask for a volunteer to write on the board. The list may include such things as detail, exaggeration, emotion, personal meaning, figurative language, flow, and original word choice. Tell students that they can write a short story for their multi-genre paper.
Activity Five: Group Story Instructions (5 minutes)
Say to the students, “Now, we are going to put to use these lists that we've made. I want you to take out a piece of blank paper and a pencil. What you will do is start writing a story using these traits that we have discussed. When you hear this sound (triangle, bell, clapping, etc) stop writing where you are and pass your paper one person to the left. It doesn't matter if you are in the middle of the sentence, just pass the paper. Read what has been written on the paper you receive and continue writing the story. Every time you hear the sound, start the process all over again. If you are having trouble starting a story, raise your hand and I will bring around a bowl of prompts to pick from.”
Activity Six: Writing (10 minutes)
The teacher will walk among the students to see if they are writing and if they need any help. Students continue writing until told to stop.
Activity Seven: Sharing (10 minutes)
Students will read the stories they have created together. If any students wish to read their stories out loud, they are free to do so. Have them hand the stories in on the way out of class. Type up the writings and create a class book of short stories to display in the class.
Activity Eight: Closure (5 minutes)
Briefly discuss the elements a story needs in order to make it interesting. Also, reinforce that stories are used everyday and being able to tell a good story will be beneficial in real life.
4. Assignments
If students choose to write a short story for one of their multigenre pieces, they must bring in a rough draft with detail, strong characterization and figurative language identified. They may then use peer editing to revise their work.
5. Materials and Equipment Needed
A television, VCR, clip of Sandlot , copies of the two stories, noise maker, story prompts, bowl, chalkboard, chalk, pencil and paper are all needed for the lesson. The teacher will also have to use a computer and printer to type and print out the class's book of short stories.
6. Assessment
Students will be assessed on their knowledge of short story traits based on class brainstorming. The group written stories will be shared, handed in, and reviewed. Well written stories will be discussed in class and displayed for others to read. The class brainstorming will serve as an assessment of the students' understanding of mechanics and content. Students who decide to submit a short story will be assessed on creativity, fluidity of individual piece, and mechanical correctness.
Reflective Thoughts about Lesson and Suggestions for Revision:
Lesson Plan
1. Descriptive Data
Teacher: Laura Van Dyk Class: English 7 or 8
Unit: Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships
Lesson Topic: Creating a smooth interview
Time Duration: 50 minute class period
2. Objectives
• Students will learn to identify events that may cause their interview to not go as planned.
• Students will learn to come up with solutions to these problems.
3. Method:
In their journals, have students write questions that they would like to ask of the teacher. Emphasize that these questions must be neither inappropriate nor embarrassing.
Activity Two: Teacher Role Playing (3 minutes)
Give students the opportunity to ask three to five questions of the teacher. The teacher must demonstrate some problematic answers or events that could possibly happen (the answer is too short, the answer does not answer the question, the interview subject ignores the answer, the interview subject reacts negatively, the interviewee answers a question with a question, etc.)
Activity Three: Discussion (2 minutes)
Ask the students, “What was I doing? What was I demonstrating? What was my point to acting this way?”
Activity Four: Class Brainstorming (7 minutes)
Have students brainstorm other events that may cause an interview be ineffective. Assign pairs one of these events. Tell them they must role play this event to the class. They must demonstrate both positive and negative reactions and explain why they choose the positive reactions they did. How did it solve the problem.
Activity Five: Preparation (8 minutes)
Give students five to ten minutes to prepare for the presentations. Float around the room and discuss with groups their problem and resolution.
Activity Six: Presentations (20 minutes)
Ask groups to present their role play to the class. Afterward, ask the class: Did the problem get resolved? Are there are ways to resolve this? If yes, what are they?
Activity Seven: Closure (5 minutes)
Ask students if they have any questions or comments on the previous lesson or their projects as a whole.
4. Assignments
Students must continue to read their novel outside of class.
5. Materials and Equipment Needed
overhead projector, transparencies, markers
6. Assessment
Brainstorming as a class will check whether or not students understand what may happen during the interview. Group presentations will serve as an assessment to whether or not the students are able to overcome problematic events that may arise. Students will write a journal topic at the end of the unit stating some whether or not some of these problems arose and what the outcome was.
Reflective Thoughts about Lesson and Suggestions for Revision:
Did the student provide an adequate summary to the article?
Did the student state the web address and home page where they found the
article?
Did the student clarify whether or not the article was based on facts or opinions?
Did the student state the author's purpose in writing
the article?
Did the student state whether or not the source/author/publication credible and
how
they knew?
Each task is worth two points.
Did the student address how the chosen event affected the lives of people in general?
Did the student address how this
event might have personally affected the life of their interview subject?
Did the student note any recent events that are similar to the past event they researched?
Did the student share with another classmate his/her findings?
Did
the student share with a second classmate his/her findings?
Each task is worth three points
Unit Guidelines
Today, we will begin our “Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships” unit. This unit will teach you things that can not be found in a textbook. The next six weeks will be centered on an interview you will conduct with an individual who is sixty years of age or older. It is my hopes that you develop a stronger relationship with this person and learn about the experiences he/she had while growing up. We will also be looking at the common misconceptions associated with aging.
During this unit every student must complete the following tasks:
-Read a novel from a provided book list.
-Discuss this novel with your parent or a responsible adult at least four times by week five of the unit
-Prepare a project that relates to your novel. Project ideas will be handed out at a later date.
-Present your project to the class and explain its relation to your novel
-Interview a person who is sixty years of age or older.
-Complete tasks one through three of the web quest before the interview.
-Develop at least eight open ended questions to address during the interview.
-Write a thank you to this person and invite him/her to the end of the unit celebration and booklet reading.
-Complete the required written work for this unit. These are outlined on task four of the web quest.
-Write at one to five pieces of writing, using a variety of genres. (Five quality pieces will be considered full credit.)
-Write one formal piece of writing.
-Journaling will be used throughout this unit. Please come prepared to every class.
This may seem like a lot to do; however, you will get time to work during class. If you stay on top of your assignments, you will have no trouble attaining success!
Peer Assessment Guidelines
Please carefully review your classmate's work. Make sure to examine detail, clarity, word choice, creativity and fluidity. Answer the following questions after review. If you have time also point out any mechanically error you find.
• Please list three examples you found in the writing that are especially well written. Why did you choose these three?
2. Please find three areas in the writing that need some revision. Why did you choose these three? How can these areas be improved?
Multi-Genre Rubric
A separate rubric will be used for each piece.
|
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Mechanical Correctness (When Applicable)
|
Work is Flawless, Above Expectations |
Some Minor Errors, Work Meets Expectations |
Errors Present, Attempt at Work |
Errors are Numerous, Limited Attempt at Work |
Errors Make the Work Highly Difficult to Read |
Creativity of Overall Work |
Highly Creative and Experimental |
Very Creative and Interesting |
Creative Element Present |
Lacking Creativity, but Still Interesting |
Very Limited Creativity in Pieces |
Fluidity of Work |
Piece is fluent in itself and seems to flow into other pieces |
Piece is mostly fluent and fits well with others |
Piece is relatively fluent and fits with other pieces |
Piece is choppy and there is little connection with other pieces |
Piece is difficult to read and doesn't seem to belong with other pieces |
Written Work Outline
Formal and Creative Pieces
The final product of this unit will be a class publication. Each student must contribute at least two pieces of writing. Use the information you obtained during your interview and from the web quest tasks one through three to complete your works. All written work is due by the sixth week of the unit.
All
students must write a formal composition. This piece must address all five bolded
questions listed below. However, you may choose from the non-bolded questions.
Please provide enough detail to thoroughly answer the bolded questions.
1. Who did you interview?
a. What is their name?
b. What is their approximate age?
c. How do you know this person?
2. What is their present life like?
a. Where do they live?
b. Where do they work? If they are retired, where did they work before retirement?
c. Who makes up their family?
d. What do they like to do?
e. Is their a craft or tradition that they explained to you or taught you.
3. What was their life like growing up?
a. Where were they born?
b. What was their family like growing up?
c. Where did they go to school?
d. What were holidays like?
e. What was their first job? How old were they?
f. What was a memorable trip or vacation for them?
g. What kinds of things were in the news when they were growing up?
h. What was in fashion?
i. Do they have a favorite memory that they shared with you?
4. Compare your life with your interview subject's life.
a. How are they alike?
b. How are they different?
5. What was the most interesting or surprising thing you learned from
your interview?
You are also given the opportunity to write creatively about your interview experience. This will be done in a variety of genres. Completing five quality pieces of writing will earn you full credit.
Possible genres to use include those listed below.
1.
stream of consciousness
2. news paper article
3. letter to the editor
4. advertisement
5. various forms of poetry
6. short story
7. dialogue
8. monologue
9. news interview
10. speech
11. resume
12. award
13. birth announcement
14. letter to a friend or relative
15. journal entry
These projects and more can be found in Ideas for Teaching English in the Junior High and High School , ed. Candy Carter & Zora Rashkis. Urbana , IL NCTE 1980.
• Design an advertisement promoting the book you read. This can be in the form of a poster, a radio or TV commercial, or a magazine or newspaper ad.
• Write a missing scene to your book. This is one that could have happened in the novel, but did not. Then write a paragraph describing how this scene would have affected the outcome of the novel.
• Create a board game based on the plot and characters in your book. The game should include: game board, directions for play, events and characters from the story on your game board or on cards.
• Make models of three objects that were important in your novel. Write at least one paragraph describing the significance of these objects.
• Complete a series of five drawings that show five of the most important events in the plot of your novel. Write captions for each describing what each drawing illustrates and its importance in the novel.
• Make up a test for the book you read. Include ten true/false questions, ten multiple choice, ten short answer questions and two essay questions. Provide an answer key to your test.
• List five of the main characters in the book. Give three examples of what each character did or did not learn in the book.
• Pretend that you are one of the characters in the book you read. Tape a monologue (one person talking) of that character telling of his or her experiences. Make sure to include a script.
• Retell the plot of the book you read as it might appear in a third-grade reading book. Be sure that the vocabulary you use is appropriate for that age group.
• Imagine that you have been given the task of conducting a tour of the area or town in which the book you read is set. Make a tape describing the homes of the character and the places where important events in the book took place.
Novel Project and Presentation Evaluation
Project
___/5 Creativity - The project is refreshing and original.
Comments:
___/5 Neatnes s - The project is clean and organized.
Comments:
___/5 Pertinence - There is a definite connection between the project and novel read.
Comments:
___/5 Overall Effort - A considerable amount of time and effort was took to complete this project.
Comments:
___/5 Timeliness - The project was completed and handed in on time.
Comments:
___/25 Total Project Score
Presentation
___/5 Organization - The presentation was presented in an organized manner and was easy to follow.
Comments:
_ __/5 Project Knowledge - The product and its relevance to the novel was clearly explained during the presentation.
Comments:
___/5 Novel Knowledge - It was clear the presenter knew the plot and characters of the novel.
Comments:
___/5 Voice Projection - The presenter's voice was clear and easy to hear.
Comments:
___/5 Nonverbal Communication - The presenter maintained good eye contact, posture and hand gestures.
Comments:
___/25 Total Presentation Score
___/50 Overall Project and Presentation
Independent Discussion Form
Throughout the unit you must discuss with a parent or adult (over 18 years of age) the novel you are reading. You must address the topics listed below, in any order, during these discussions. You will not have to address all seven topics. For full credit, you must address at least five topics. After each topic is discussed, your parent/adult must sign the form. They may also include any comments they feel appropriate.
Topic One
Explain the definition of point of view. Then identify what point of view is evident in the novel you are reading. How do you know this?
View point in your novel:
Signature:
Comments:
Topic Two
As you read, write down five words that you do not know the meaning of. Ask your parent for the definition or look it up in the dictionary. Talk about the definitions with your parent and use each word in a sentence.
Word 1 and definition:
Word 2 and definition:
Word 3 and definition:
Word 4 and definition:
Word 5 and definition:
Sentence 1:
Signature:
Comments:
Topic Three
Tell your parent about the plot of the book. Explain the conflict and whether it is man vs. man, man vs. nature, or man vs. self. Explain your reasoning for your decision.
Conflict:
Signature:
Comments:
Topic Four
Talk about your favorite character in the novel. List three characteristics that make this character likable. Give one example of something the character did to make you attribute the three characteristics to them.
Characteristic 1 and Action:
Characteristic 2 and Action:
Characteristic 3 and Action:
Signature:
Comments:
Topic Five
Choose one setting in the novel. Discuss whether or not the author gave you enough information about the setting. Find some examples of the description. Did the author make you feel like you were there? If not, what would you have liked to know about the setting to make it more real?
Setting:
Page Number:
Signature:
Comments:
Topic Six
Discuss the climax of the book. Provide your parent with a definition of climax and read part of the book where the climax takes place.
Climax of Novel:
Page Number:
Signature:
Comments:
Topic Seven
After you have finished reading your novel, discuss with your parent two themes found in the novel. Find a passage that illustrates each theme.
Theme 1 and Page Number:
Theme 2 and Page Number:
Signature:
Comments:
___/25 Overall Discussion Score
6-trait
Rubric for Formal Writing Assignment
All categories are worth 5 points (30 total points).
For each check, you have earned one point.
Ideas and Content
___
topic is narrow and manageable
___ details are relevant and give
information beyond obvious
___ accurate details support the
main idea
___ ideas are fresh and original
___ reader's questions are anticipated
and answered
___ contains insight (understanding
of life and what is significant)
Organization
___
includes an inviting introduction
and satisfying conclusion
___ thoughtful transitions connect
ideas
___ sequencing is logical and effective
___ pacing is controlled
___ organization flows smoothly
___ structure matches purpose and
audience
Voice
___
reader feels strong interaction with
the writer
___ writer takes risk
___ tone and texture are appropriate
to audience and purpose
___ narrative writing is honest,
personal - expository or persuasive writing
___ reflects strong commitment to
the topic
___ writing makes the reader think
Word Choice
___
words are specific and accurate
___ words and phrases create pictures
and linger in reader's mind
___ language is natural - not overdone
___ striking words catch the reader's
eye
___ lively verbs energize writing
___ precision is evident - the writing
is careful
Sentence Fluency
___
sentence structure enhances meaning
___ sentences vary in length and
structure
___ purposeful and varied sentence
beginnings add variety and energy
___ creative and appropriate connectives
are used between sentences
___ writing has cadence
Conventions
___
spelling is generally correct
___ punctuation is accurate
___ grammar and usage are correct
___ paragraphing is sound and organized
___ manipulation of conventions (if
used) are done right to add style
This
Rubric was adapted from Mrs. Jodie Donner's 6-trait rubric for written assignments,
found at
<http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/jdonner/webquest/writtenrubric.htm>
6-trait Rubric for Formal Writing Assignment
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5 shows control and skill in this trait; many strengths present |
4 on balance, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses; a small amount of revision is needed |
3 strengths and need for revisions are about equal; about half way home |
2 need for revision outweighs strengths; isolated moments hint at what the writer had in mind |
1 a bare beginning; writer not yet showing control in work |
Ideas |
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Organization |
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Voice |
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Word Choice |
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