Teacher(s) Name: Mrs. Norman
School: MS – Wilder
Grade Level(s): Grade 8
Content Area(s): English
Lesson Summary
Image a world where information was never updated. Picture this, Britney Spears is still dating Justin Timberlake in flashy jean outfits, Oregon Trail is the hottest technology for kids, and the all time best Olympic swimmer is Mark Spitz! Our world has changed; records have been smashed, trends have faded and celebrities have grown up. In the midst of these changes though our books have struggled to keep up with the changes. It’s time for a digital facelift!
In this lesson students work in small groups to research an individual and their recent accomplishments. They are challenged to create a project that will update information in the biography of the individual of their choosing. Their project and information should be eye catching, accurate, and reliable all while ensuring that future students can access the updates with ease.
TIPC Ratings
Research & Information Fluency
Rating:Ideal – Explanation: In this lesson students choose a person to research whose information is outdated in a biography in the library. They are challenged to construct their own guiding research questions and determine which aspects of the biography are most essential to update. As they researched they have to ensure that the resources they use are accurate while paraphrasing the information they found and citing their sources in a formal bibliography. Students have to evaluate the sources they found and determine the reliability of each source. The research that students find is then synthesized to create a digital project that addresses the updates and engages new and future readers.
Communication & Collaboration
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: This lesson is designed with communication and collaboration in mind. The goal is to create a product that will update biographies for future readers in a digital way. Students are challenged to ensure that the new content they provide in their project is accurate and current. They are also tasked with creating a project that can be accessible for the future students beyond the confines of the school building. While working on this project students are able to choose their own groups and create a shared work space in which members can contribute equally. They establish group norms and roles that they follow while working together to design a product that effectively reaches their target audience. Using digital tools such as Google slides, Trello boards, Google docs and more enables student groups to work anytime, anywhere. The final product is linked to the outdated biographies in the library through QR codes placed in the books. This ensures digital access for future readers.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Rating: Not observed – Explanation: This was not an area of focus for this project
Creativity & Innovation
Rating: Not observed – Explanation: This was not an area of focus for this project
Student Artifact
Lesson Materials
