Learning Experience/Unit
Using Spanish family and home vocabulary to create a Toondoo book.
Subject
English Language Arts (2005)
Grade Levels
Intermediate, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
Learning Context/ Introduction
8th grade students in their first year of language study are learning the verb "tener" with family and home vocabulary. In this learning experience students work with a partner to create a Toondoo book (www.toondoo.com) utilizing family and home vocabulary.
Essential Question
How do I discuss my family and my home?
Assessment
Students will be graded on a rubric that is similar to the rubric used in LOTE exams. It will be given to them at the beginning of the learning experience. In order to accurately assess the students, the instructor will observe the students throughout the creation of the Toondoo book.
Below is the rubric used in this learning experience.
toondoo rubric.docx
Student Work
Below are examples of distinguished, proficient, and developing student work for books designed using Toondoo along with their graded rubrics:
Distinguished:
distinguished toondoo
Proficient:
proficient
Developing:
developing
Procedure
This project should take approximately three 40 minute class periods in a computer lab setting and an additional 20 minutes to set up the project.
Day 1: 20 minutes
- Students are given the project explanation sheet toondoo proj.docx
- Students are shown a sample toondoo
- Students are assigned a partner
Day 2-4: 40 minutes each day
- Students work with partners in the computer lab to complete the toondoo book.,/li>
- students are reminded to use their vocabulary list vocab list.docx to monitor correct spelling
- Teacher monitors progress and assists with technical questions
Related Resource
toondoo proj.docx
vocab list.docx
Instructional/Environment Modifications
Special education students were paired together to allow the classroom aid to assist them easily. One student had to only include 5 words from each group of vocabulary. If computers are not available this activity could be done in writing, or verbally with a partner, or with students working alone.
Duration
This project should take approximately three 40 minute class periods in a computer lab setting and an additional 20 minutes to set up the project.
Reflections and Feedback
Most students seemed to be very engaged in this activity. They did need quite a bit of supervision, which might be a problem if there is a large group. (The classes I used only had 14 students, therefore, only 7 groups.) They tended to want to spend more time adding graphics than writing the story. I did not specify if students could use a word more than once and count that toward the 10 words. In the future I would not allow words to be repeated, even if that means lowering the required number of words.
