Melissa+McManus

//__TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION FOR MEANINGFUL CLASSROOM USE__// //Problem-Based Learning for Eighth Grade Language Arts// __Daily Lesson GAME Plan__ Problem Based Learning: Reusing, Recycling, & Reinventing || Related Lessons: Appropriate Use of Technology How to Persuade your Audience Persuasion: The Art of Advertising Digital Storytelling || Grade 8; Language Arts || Unit: Persuasive Writing Global Awareness Environmental Education ||
 * Lesson Title:
 * Grade Level & Subject Area:

Overarching Idea: Students read, comprehend and respond in individual, literal, critical and evaluative ways to literary, informational and persuasive texts in multimedia formats. ** 1.1 ** Students use appropriate strategies before, during and after reading in order to construct meaning. ** 1.2 ** Students interpret, analyze and evaluate text in order to extend understanding and appreciation. ** 1.3 ** Students select and apply strategies to facilitate word recognition and develop vocabulary in order to comprehend text. ** 1.4 ** Students communicate with others to create interpretations of written, oral and visual texts. || = Overarching Idea: Students produce written, oral and visual texts to express, = = develop and substantiate ideas and experiences. = ** 3.1 ** Students use descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive and poetic modes. ** 3.2 ** Students prepare, publish and/or present work appropriate to audience, purpose and task. || Overarching Idea: Students apply the conventions of standard English in oral, written and visual communication. ** 4.1 ** Students speak and write using standard language structures and diction appropriate to audience and task. ** 4.2 ** Students use standard English for composing and revising written text. ||
 * GOALS ||
 * __Content Standards:__ ||
 * Connecticut State Standards for 8th Grade Language Arts ||
 * = __ Standard 1: Reading and Responding __ =
 * __ Standard 3: Communicating with Others __
 * = __ Standard 4: Applying English Language Conventions __ =

ü Creativity and innovation ü Communication and collaboration ü Research and information fluency || ü Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making ü Digital citizenship ü Technology operations and concepts || 10 min
 * ISTE NETS-S
 * Instructional objectives(s): ||
 * ACTION ||
 * //Before-class preparation//
 * The teacher must compile a list of reliable websites regarding garbage accumulation, recycling and reusing materials, global warming, and creating new materials and resources with recycled goods for a project web quest that can assist students in need.
 * Reserve intermediate loan kit in advance from the CRRA for hands-on activities, videos, and text resources
 * The teacher must investigate the possibility of real field trips to the Hartford Garbage Museum and/or the Stratford Garbage Museum or virtual field trips to other recycling plants.
 * The teacher must reserve the computer lab so that students have access to internet search engines, school email accounts, and blog accounts. Blog membership invitations should be sent to students prior to the start of the lesson through Kidblog.
 * The teacher must group students accordingly.
 * Students will begin by completing the K column of a KWHL organizer about recycling. ||
 * //__During class__// ||
 * Time || Instructional Activities || Materials & Resources ||
 * __Day 1__

10 min

15 min

10 min __Day 2__ 25 min

15 min

5 min __Days__ __3-6__ Total of 4 full periods

__Day 7__ 25 min

15 min

__Days__ __8-10__ 3 full periods

__Days__ __11-12__ 2 full periods

__Day 13__ 45 min || Activate student prior knowledge by asking students to list anything they can recall about recycling in their computerized (or hard-copy if preferred) KWHL chart*.


 * Provide sentence starters for students who require extra guidance.

Introduce the problem over the Smart Board to show a recycling digital story. Initial images should illustrates the amount of garbage created in one day by one person, in the cafeteria each day, in the town of Portland (or your school town) each week, and by the world in a year. Then, images of landfills and how the environment is positively affected by recycling over time should follow. The digital story should close with innovative ideas for recycled goods and materials, and different materials that can be reused and recycled. With the final image of a teenager, students should be asked to consider this community issue and identify why each person at Portland Middle School and within the Portland community should recycle. How can individuals recycle and reuse materials? Why is it important to recycle?

Present the problem: Should individuals recycle? How can students convince the community to recycle? What item/ material is most important for members of Portland Middle School and the community at large to recycle and reuse? Students will need to persuade their peers, the Board of Education members, and community members of their position and to follow their recycling project recommendation.

Working independently and reviewing their “K” column, students should consider the problem and begin developing the “W’ column of their KWHL chart to determine areas concerning recycling that they would like to investigate further. Students should email their KWHL charts to the teacher, so that he/she can group students according to topics of interest.

Students should collaborate with their designated group members to share their areas of interest and the specific questions they would like answered in order to determine the concepts they will need to investigate. Next, students will need to identify the “H” column of their chart by indentifying methods they can use to gather resources and information. -As a whole class, students should volunteer methods of gathering information with their peers and add any resources they may have originally overlooked (books, video clips, DVDs, articles, websites, interviews with community members, parents, and peers, etc.) Students should report to their group page via the class blog and post one copy of their completed KWH responses online for informal assessment. Students should work in groups to gather information, take notes on Google Docs, document ideas, bookmark sites used, and to create their works cited page. Students should organize themselves into teams to locate and collect information where each team member is fulfilling a specific group role and all are contributing toward their overall goal. Students should also complete a self-evaluation and a group-evaluation monitoring their progress, successes, questions, and frustrations. If students elect to complete interviews, they will need to submit the questions for review prior to the actual interviews. Students’ notes, blog posts, emails, interview questions, and works cited page should be used to assess student learning.

During this time, group members must collaborate to determine the format of their final product. Options of persuasive products include the creation of a brochure using Web Publisher, a digital story, a recorded (video) skit, a pod cast integrating interviews, or the design and advertisement of student-created recycled products via commercials. If students would like to create a different product and project, they will need to approach the teacher and submit their proposed idea in writing. Groups will need to post to their blog the project proposal and an outline of the information and persuasive techniques they plan to use to convince the Board of Education and community of their position. This blog entry must be completed by Day 5 of the project. Group members collaborate to synthesize the information they have gathered and determine two solutions for what items are most important for their peers and community members to recycle, as well as the best way they can reuse recycled materials.

Groups discuss their solutions and choose their strongest solution for the intended audience.

Students begin using the necessary technology to create their final product and practice their skits, interviews, audio recordings, brochure design, or videos as necessary. Students will follow the project rubric to ensure that they have formulated a solution to the recycling dilemma by persuading their audience that recycling is (or is not) important, which materials are most important to be recycled, and ways in which these materials can be reused.

Groups present their persuasive products to the school and fellow community members. Learners take notes on key points using organizer provided and rate persuasiveness according to CT state rubric. Students must also jot down notes regarding students’ oral presentation skills (areas of strength and areas in need of improvement with specific examples). Links to group videos, classroom blogs, and web products will be posted in the school newsletter and on the class blog website for parents and fellow students to view. Similarly, they must write their reflections of their own progress, work, and learning over the course of this project, as well as the overall group performance and success.
 * For homework, students must post one comment for each of the presenters and either one strength they showed during the presentation, or one area in which they can improve further during the next oral presentation supported by specific details and/or reasoning.

Students share persuasive scores with groups and provide feedback regarding their presentation and products. Accuracy in scoring demonstrates acquired content knowledge, as does students’ reflection regarding learning. Students should complete the ‘L’ column of their KWHL chart and share their overall observations with the class as a whole. || -Computer access for each student with KWHL graphic organizer -Hard copies of KWHL organizers (student preference)

-Smart Board with speakers for sound -Digital story about recycling-http://whoknew.news.yahoo.com/?nc&vid=22530921

-Concept Map with the overriding problem in the center, and with space for student focus and questions listed (organizer should also have space available for two solutions for the problem to be recorded during lesson 6)

-Computer access to organizer -Computer access to organizer -KWHL chart returned to students (if hard copy was submitted rather than emailed version) -Smart Board (or white board) to record student contributions. -Computer access for blog posts

-Computer access for Internet searches, notes, emails, and blog posts -Web quest address to aid students in the research process (if necessary) -Organize notes on Google Docs- separated according to question and/or topic of investigation. -Social book-marking service that students can use to show sites where information was located -//Works Cited// handout so that students can document their sources -Student reflection of individual and group progress, as well as areas of concern -Completed Concept Map (From day 1) with students’ synthesis of information and the two ways they believe their fellow classmates and community members should recycle (solutions) and the best way to reuse materials.

-Computer and Internet access to digital storytelling software, Web Publisher program, camera equipment, photos (found online or uploaded by students), microphones, recording program for audio material, costumes and proper’s for student skits if needed.

-Microphone, auditorium, CT persuasive rubric for writing, oral presentation rubric, graphic organizer for students to record notes.

-Access to computers to post commentary

-Student personal reflection and group reflection after presentation -Persuasive Scores -Student reflections -Access to KWHL chart ||

Students’ progress and learning will be examined at various points throughout the learning activity. Specifically, the collection and examination of students’ notes, blog responses, works cited pages, teacher-group conferences, reflections and self-reflections, emails, student comments (on blog pages), KWHL charts, and final presentations will all provide evidence of student learning and growth. Students will be asked to articulate their learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010) throughout and at the culmination of this PBL, and will have their work and progress checked daily by the teacher. Final product evaluation will be based on the group’s ability to persuade his/her audience, to effectively present their product and ideas orally to the audience, and to reflect on his/her learning experience. ||  || Students with special needs will need to be provided with scaffolding and have the project broken down into smaller and more-manageable components. Students will need to have each task clearly defined, and would benefit from a web quest that outlines sources of information. Likewise, these students may need to use assistive technology such as voice recognition software for notes and recordings, audio resources, and text organization tools. Extension Activities: A field trip to the Hartford Garbage Museum would benefit students as they can see ‘where their garbage goes’ and see just how much garbage is produced daily. Additionally, students can see ways in which goods and materials can be recycled and reused. Students could investigate further the implication and effect of consumption on the earth over time. Alternately, students could research ways that other cultures recycle and reuse materials and to evaluate why such methods would or would not be appropriate for United States citizens. Lastly, students could approach the community inside the school by acting on their proposals and making their plan come to fruition, and could work in a community-outreach program to clean up the town areas and present their findings, knowledge, and arguments supporting recycling to the community at large (including elementary level students). ||  || Students can utilize text resources, videos, newspaper articles, and manipulatives to explore types of recycling, the need for recycling, and how our current society can recycle various items. By utilizing forms of ‘garbage’ or ‘waste’ that others no longer find useful, students can think creatively and innovatively by creating new products and uses for materials. Students can also interview members of the community and take pictures of areas in need of recycling, recycling innovations, and create posters, plays, brochures, and presentations in traditional formats and from which their peers can learn. ||  || __Lesson Reflections and Notes:__ As Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer (2009) state, “While student engagement can be high during multimedia projects, efforts should be made to continually emphasize the content and purpose of the activity” (p. 243). Constantly restate that students are working to investigate recycling and to convince their community members and Board of Education that they should recycle particular items or reuse materials in a particular way. Review persuasive techniques with the class as a whole prior to lesson 7. Also, be sure that groups are organized effectively, with no more than three or four students per group. Lastly, manage student checkpoints by using a checklist for each component of the project and/or evidence of student learning. Forming a web quest will enable you to monitor the appropriate levels and content of websites that students can access. ||  || __References & Useful Websites__ Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority. (2010). Website retrieved October 10, 2010 from []. Connecticut State Department of Education. (February 2010). PreK-8 English Language Arts Curriculum Standards-DOC. Framework retrieved October 10th, 2010 from []. Environmental Graffiti (n.d.) Article and images retrieved October 10, 2010 from []. Scot Haney’s Trip to the Garbage Museum: []. The Trashosaurus dinosaur: [] Innovative Ways of Recycling: []
 * MONITOR ||   ||
 * __Ongoing Assessments:__
 * __Accommodations and Extensions:__
 * __Back-up Plan:__
 * __EVALUATION__