Summary
Boys at our school have consistently earned 6-10% lower scores on reading standardized tests. The staff, faculty and PTA would like to purchase books that interest boys, inorder to imporve test scores. Students will work in groups to survery 4th and 5th graders about their favorite genres to read. Students will create spreadsheets, graphs, and analye data collected. They will have the opportunity to make book selections and pitch their ideas to our school’s PTA. Their choices should be based on the survery resulte and a budget of $250.00. Groups will research and develop a list of book titles and create a spreadsheet of their spending. Finally they will discuss the most effective and persuasive way to present their findings to the PTA and crate a product. The most persuasive, organized product will be chosen to be presented to the PTA to aid them in purchasing books for the school’s library. Students will also blog, sharing their ideas, findings, and reflections about the process with the school and parents.
TIPC Ratings
Research was not a major component of this lesson.
Students communicated with all students in grades 4 and 5 from their school. They used a Google Form to gather information about favorite Genres in literature. Students blogged about their findings and why they thought things landed as most popular, and least popular.
Students were trying to make recommendations for future book purchases at their school based on information from students and parents at the 4th and 5th Grade level. The authentic problem involved boys’ reading scores and the genres they like the most.
Students were solving the authentic task of suggesting books to be purchased for their school. They could make their persuasive pitch using any form they wanted.
