Learning Experience/Unit
Los Paises Hispanohablantes by St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES
Course, Subject
Global History and Geography, Social Studies, Math, Science & Technology
Learning Context/ Introduction
You have decided to apply for a travel grant to a Spanish speaking country. This country will be assigned to you. In order to impress the grant board, you will need to research the country by doing a WebQuest and then create a PowerPoint presentation showing them how interested you are in the culture and lifestyles of the citizens of that country. Unfortunately most of the board does not speak Spanish, so your presentation will be completed in English. Have fun researching and good luck! I hope you all get to travel to your country.
This is a project given to first year 7th grade students after they have learned the names of Spanish speaking countries and their capital cities. The entire project will be completed in the computer room or at home. During the course of the project the students will be taught how to conduct a WebQuest to research, how to create a PowerPoint presentation, and how to cite resources.
Essential Question
What is it like living in a Spanish speaking country?
Procedure
Day 1:
- Introduce the project by handing out a hard copy of the assignment and reading through with the students.
- Students are assigned their country in random order. They will pick out of a hat.
- As a class we discuss the objectives of the WebQuest. See attached What will I be doing? document for objectives and the link Los Paises Hispanohablantes WebQuest for the WebQuest that was developed by Senorita Scanlan and modified by Senorita Emily Hawes.
- Demonstrate on the computer/projector how to find the WebQuest.
- Once into the WebQuest, students are shown the approved sites where they may begin their research. A folder has been set up by the librarian with these sites and additional ones. It is on all of the computers in the lab and is accessible to those who work at home.
- Show students how to electronically save their notes/pictures and copy and paste the web address in order to cite the website.
- Give students time to surf the web sites.
Days 2, 3, & 4:
- Students will spend the period in the computer lab to work on the WebQuest.
Day 5:
- Demonstrate how to use PowerPoint. Show an example PowerPoint and how to make one of your own.
- Give students a guideline of how their PowerPoint should look.
- Give students time to begin working on the PowerPoint.
Day 6, 7, & 8:
- Students will spend the period in the computer lab working on their PowerPoint presentation.
Day 9:
- The librarian will demonstrate to the students how to correctly cite their sources (information and pictures).
- Students will work on inputting the information needed to cite their sources.
- Each student will be finished today. Presentations will begin tomorrow and continue periodically throughout the next week.
Materials:
Duration
The WebQuest will take approximately 4 days and the PowerPoint work will take about 5 days.
Assessment
Students will be graded using a rubric designed to assess the student's
research time, Power Point, information, presentation, comparisons &
contrasts, and bibliography.
See attached Rubric.docx
Student Work
Low: Nicaragua.pptx
Middle: Paraguay.pptx
High: Columbia.pptx
Related Resource
Instructional/Environment Modifications
Talk to the resource teacher to modify lessons if needed. Use the aide in the classroom to help modify if resource teacher makes suggestions.
Reflections and Feedback
After completing this project I found it took more time than what I had expected. Students did not have the prior knowledge of researching, PowerPoint, or writing a citation. Also, I did not plan for absenteeism and how to catch the absent students up. I had to have additional days added in the computer lab to complete the project successfully.
