Assessment
Assessment will be consistent and ongoing. Entrance tickets and exit tickets will assess individual independent skill-level. Social skills will be informally assessed as students work with peers in pairs and collaborative groups. Students will be asked to reflect on their own ability to work with peers in journal entries, surveys and using rubrics. Students will also peer evaluate. The final project grades will reflect process and product evaluation, using checklists and one teacher/student generated rubric.
Below is the checklist that will document whether a student successfully completed the ticket for each day of class. Each ticket will be graded using a checkpoint system (as homework):
No ticket or a blank ticket handed in for the day
Unsatisfactory ticket handed in
- May be late, only some questions/journal responses attempted, may show a lack of effort or understanding
Satisfactory ticket
- Attempt to complete entire ticket, effort and understanding apparent, completed on time
Exceptional ticket
- Work is complete and above and beyond satisfactory expectations, show significant effort, sophisticated understanding, completed on time
Learning Context/ Introduction
This lesson is one of a series of lessons that will “kick off” the year for my 8th grade students, many who have experienced limited success in an academic setting. It will serve as a motivational and instructional “framing” experience, encouraging students to see themselves as the hero of their own life and supplying them with one of the “super powers” that will aid them in their “quest” – the power of words. Because many of our students come from homes where literacy may not be encouraged, they fail to see the relevance of studying vocabulary. It is the intention of this lesson, and subsequent lessons, to empower students through the building of a strong vocabulary base.
Many students fail to realize the significance of “envisioning” their futures. This entire unit will culminate with their self-based hero successfully navigating middle and high school and embarking on the future of their dreams. The end product will be a story that will be displayed for parents and peers at “Fall Open House.”
Each lesson in this series involves the different facets of the “Hero’s Journey” (based on the work of Joseph Campbell) as an affective motivator. The lessons build on prior and personal experience, teacher modeling of concept mapping, cooperative and individual “hands on” experience with concept definition mapping and graphic organizers, review and practice of dictionary skills, and the identification and acquisition of vocabulary words. The lessons also incorporate guided reading and buddy reading of nonfiction articles, journals, legends, and poetry. In terms of expression, students will reflect in journals, relate prior experience and personal relevance in paragraph form, and ultimately create their own heroic personality and detail the events of their quest through high school and beyond.
Each lesson is technology based and includes video, audio, teacher and student use of SMART Board and computers.
A Hero Ain't nothing but a Sandwich ppt
Duration
Each single class period is 42 minutes in duration.
Each double class period is 84 minutes in duration.
Each lesson in the entire unit bridges at least two days each, until the latter stages of the unit when students will be writing/conferencing/revising their heroic journey paper.
Assessment will be consistent and ongoing. Entrance tickets and exit tickets will assess individual independent skill-level. Social skills will be informally assessed as students work with peers in pairs and collaborative groups. Students will be asked to reflect on their own ability to work with peers in journal entries, surveys and using a rubric. The final project grades will reflect process and product evaluation, using one teacher and one student rubric.
The entire unit will take four weeks.
Essential Questions
Who and what are heroes?
How can we be our own hero?
How does vocabulary empower us?
How will we write the story of our life?
Instructional/Environment Modifications
Students will be working in collaborative pair as selected by the teacher. The following criteria will be taken into consideration when selected:
1. Ability or “readiness”
High – high
High – medium
Medium – medium
Medium – Low
Low – Low
2. Learning Style
3. Interest
The classroom will be arranged in seating clusters of two desks each, with each desk affording a clear view of the SMART Board.
This lesson includes activities for the following learning styles:
Kinesthetic – physically using the SMART Board for mapping
Interpersonal – collaborative and pair-share
Intrapersonal – journal reflection
Mathematical-logical – completion of graphic organizers, concept mapping
Linguistic – paragraph writing, verbal discussion
Visual – video and graphics in PowerPoint
Musical – use of music and sound effects in PowerPoint and video
Students who are absent from class will be able to view the PowerPoint presentation for the day’s lesson at any computer workstation within the campus.
Procedure
Day 1: 42 minute single period class
In class -- Students will complete their ticket “HERO...more than just a sandwich:”
Journal on the quote: "Everyone has a story to tell…and we are all the hero of our own story."
Share and compare responses with a partner.
View a sample concept definition map (teacher constructed.)
Complete a concept definition map with their partner on the word "hero."
Volunteer to put their map on the SMART Board for class discussion.
With a partner, generate a definition for “hero” and share with class.
With a partner, look up the definition in a dictionary and write definition.
Students will hand in ticket as they exit room.
Day 2: 84 minute double period class
In class – Students will work on their ticket, “HEROES...People who make a difference:”
Collaboratively generate a list of heroes.
Journal on the following question: “What is the difference between a celebrity and a hero?”
Will share and compare responses with their partner and the class.
Using SMART Board technology, view a Superman film.
With their partner, identify the heroic qualities Superman exhibits.
With their partner, identify the villainous qualities of the mad professor.
Will complete two graphic organizers with their information.
Students will share and compare their responses.
Buddy read pages 1- 7 in Chapter One from The Hero’s Trail...A Guide to the Heroic Life by TA Barron.
Using SMART Board technology, will view two short films depicting two of the teacher’s heroes (Alice Paul and Martin Luther King.)
For homework due two days from now -- Using standard conventions, students will write a 5 paragraph essay describing someone
whom they believe meets the qualifications of a hero.
Day 3: 42 minute single period class
In class -- Students will continue to complete their “Day 2 Ticket: HEROES...People who make a difference!”
Will finish buddy-reading chapter one from The Hero’s Trail.
Will choose a word taken from a list of words taken from the reading and create a concept map.
With a partner, will create a definition for the word.
Will locate and record the dictionary definition.
Will share and compare responses on the SMART Board.
Will hand in completed Day 2 Ticket.
Day 4: 42 minute single period class
In class – Students will complete the daily ticket..”Shazaam! How vocabulary can empower you!”
Journal on the quote: “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
Share and compare responses.
Using the SMART Board and Kidspiration program, cooperatively map the following concept: “power.”
With a partner, define “power.”
With a partner, locate and record the dictionary definition of “power.”
With their partner, brainstorm a list of “powers” a hero could have.
Will compare and share responses with the class.
Using SMART Board technology, view short film, “Martin’s Big Words.”
Complete a graphic organizer on the words that empowered or weakened MLK.
Compare and share responses.
Hand in their ticket “Choose your weapon!”
For Homework – Students will revise their essays for resubmission.
Day 5: 84 minute double period class
In class – Students will complete the ticket, “When Opportunity Knocks.”
Journal on the quote: “I am grateful for the courage of youth.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Buddy-read chapter two: “Hero on the Spot.”
Write about a time they had to act without stopping to consider the consequences.
Share and compare responses with partner and class.
Using computer lab, type final drafts of their 5 paragraph essay.
Reflections and Feedback
I seriously enjoyed the opportunity to delve deeper into technology over the past summer. During the week of “re-boot camp,” I realized there was a wealth of resources available to teachers that most of us don’t even know exist. I was excited by the prospects of using these resources in my classroom to engage students using a wide variety of media – appealing to the entire spectrum of learning styles.
The problems I encountered were only when I returned to my classroom to put my plan in place. I had envisioned this project to be a catalyst for my entire year and planned on teaching it as soon as the technology was in place. However, there was an unavoidable delay in the installation of the technology in my room. This set me back awhile. Meanwhile, there were some glitches in my program that kept resurfacing – some links that broke, a program that expired, and some animation problems that refused to stay fixed! This pushed my date for using this particular learning experience back – too close to my 8th grade ELA exam. This meant I had to wait until at least January to begin the unit. Still, I struggled with technical “difficulties” until I finally had to go with what I had – or not teach it at all.
It has gone smoother than I thought it would – glitches and all – and has been warmly received by all my students. They love the embedded video and they get a kick out of the animation and song choices (“Hall of the Mountain King” appears to be their favorite...)
I just wish there were more hours in the day....The best thing about technology is that the kids love it. Even when I use the SMART Board for the simplest things, they do tend to “tune in” in greater numbers and with greater focus. However, to do a really great job of creating presentations that are educationally sound AND entertaining seems to be a full time job. I love the creative aspect of putting each slide together, but I believe I still need more classes in the technology so that I can accomplish more without “glitches.”
I have used the board for much more – I have shown movies to my classes, reviewed student exemplars (by scanning in student work,) and done brainstorming activities. I am including some copies of work I have scanned into my computer that students have been able to review together as a class.
One note: observing students using the SMART Board has really highlighted the need for student keyboarding classes at an early stage. It takes my students forever to type their responses into the computer – and writing directly on the board seemed to pose some problems as well.
Student Work
Student ticket samples:
sample1.pdfsample2.pdfsample3.pdf
Related Resource
Student resources or materials:
Notebook, pen/pencil, access to computer lab
Teacher resources or materials:
Text: The Hero’s Trail...A Guide to a Heroic Life
Poetry
Video and Audio
SMART Board with “Kidspiration” and “PowerPoint”
Daily Ticket sheets to be completed by students
Graphic organizers
Rubrics
Access to computer lab
Instructional support staff
