Teacher(s) Name: Ms. Burriesci
School: Brookland MS
Grade Level(s): Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8
Content Area(s): English, Gifted
Lesson Summary
In this lesson students conduct research about an issue of importance affecting their local community and worked collaboratively in teams to create a PSA (Public Service Announcement.) Students studied what makes an effective PSA and planed out how to make a short video showcasing their issue and possible solutions. Students thought critically about the community members as an audience in need of information regarding the critical status of the issue, as well as their capacity to contribute in various ways to counteract the problems stemming from the issue, as determined through research and inquiry.
After gathering evidence, each student contributed their ideas and findings into a synthesized collaboration, composed of a storyboard planned with details of quality as defined when evaluating effective PSA’s. Then the students studied technological tools to produce their quality PSA in a video. Last, students aired their PSA’s for their first audience, their fellow classmates.
TIPC Ratings
Research & Information Fluency
Rating:Ideal – Explanation: Students had to research and refine their focus of inquiry throughout the process of seeking scientific information for their PSA’s. Aside from citing relevant and interesting facts from sources, they had to understand what data would be the most pertinent to include in their brief video for making the most impactful impression on the audience. There’s so much fascinating information on their topics, but tailoring their focus on specific facts means attributing value to the critical nature of the issue, something that cannot be assessed until a variety of relevant data has been sought, read, and understood. By fluently discussing their findings, they could better justify their reasoning on the important data to include and build on to make their message clear and impactful.
Communication & Collaboration
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students worked independently, in partners, and in small groups to meet their goals throughout the entire process. Students deduced conclusions based on research and exploration done on their own before meeting up with others to bring something to the table. While actively working in teams or even when sitting apart or in silence, students could communicate their ideas via shared documents utilizing the Google Drive through slides or documents. Students worked to ensure all group members’ ideas were considered as the group discussed what would be best to include in the PSA, thus steering the focus of the intended goal towards one clear vision shared amongst the group. Students had to continually discuss and decide what was still needed to be done and how to divvy the work up best.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students had to think critically to know how to begin research, weigh their options for inclusion, and decide how to showcase relevant data. Figuring out how to make a variety of ideas work as one clear message delivered in an impactful and memorable manner meant plenty more critical thinking and problem solving. Working within tight time parameters and having to review and then select wisely the best plan for the storyline and then the best options for selecting the best technological tools for the job. Executing the final product meant thinking critically about the value of a variety of digital tools and what could most efficiently get the job done in a quality way. Problem-Solving was a constant means of arriving at the best solution for complex tasks in using the chosen technology effectively and in editing and revising to achieve the desired quality and message in their PSA.
Creativity & Innovation
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students continually pushed their creative boundaries as they worked to create their plans and solve problems to meet their common goals. As the ideas were discussed and written, students kept innovating by thinking of ways to enhance the sensational experience for the audience of the PSA and thus improve the quality of the ultimate product. Having time to learn about and explore a wide variety of software, students were free to “play” with ideas to see how the tools worked within the open-slate each new chance provided. Even after exploration time gave way to time focused on specific options, the variety of ways to use the selected tools allowed for students to be creative and build on the skills they’d learned or seen modeled. Students build on their successes, innovating and perfecting ideas and efforts of their own, as well as those contrived by others, in order to create a unique and valued product in which all the group members can see their input portrayed.
Student Artifact
Lesson Materials
