Morse From My Heart to Yours
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Summary
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Project Title: From My Heart To Yours Teacher(s): Oliver, Sellers, DuBose, Doan, Selman, Milburn School / Academy: Samuel F. B. Morse High School Grade Level(s): 9th-12th Grade Core Subject(s): English, History, Math, Child Development, Human Psych and Family Soc., Medical Assistant, Transition Skills Career Technical Education (CTE) Class(es): {{{classes}}} |
Contents |
Theme
"At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by, 'I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in'." Mother Theresa
This project explores these admired Character Traits that today's youth are expected to display.
Caring:
Kindness, Compassion, Generosity, Cheerfulness, Charity, Helpfulness
Citizenship:
Patriotism, Sportsmanship
Respect:
Self-Respect, Respect for Others
Content Standards
Identify the content standards that students will learn in this project (two to three per subject).
| Subject | Content Standard | Assessment |
| English | 2.2 Write responses to literature
2.3 Write expository compositions, including analytical essays and research reports 2.4 Write persuasive compositions | See criteria below for: Student poetry, role play, persuasive letters |
| Child Development | A8.3 Observe children, document observations in a factual and anecdotal format, tying observations to developmental milestones
A7.5 Use appropriate teaching techniques and interaction styles for working with children of varying ages, learning styles, and cultural backgrounds | Documented observations, essay, lesson plan, video |
| Family Sociology | D6.0 Understand and apply principles promoting health and well being through the life span
D8.0 Understand and apply interpersonal skills to interact effectively with individuals and families | Chart comparing costs and nutritional value of food, role play positive interactions |
| Medical Assistant | B2.1 Understand the process for analyzing information to assess health status of patients and clients
3.2 Understand scope of career opportunities and know the requirements for education, training, and licensure 6.1 Know policies, procedures, regulations, regarding health and safety in the workplace | Chart for documentation, written test, observations, short essay |
Begin with the End in Mind
- A. What is being produced?
- Donation gift boxes/bags (personal necessities: personal hygiene, educational toys, etc.) to a local homeless shelter(s).
- B. How is that being assessed?
- Ongoing video (that could become a documentary), photographs, self-assessments, shelter feedback.
- C. What is the individual student producing?
- Students will produce: business, persuasive, thank you letters, reflective essays, calendars, research report, essays, graphs/charts to show survey results.
- D. How is that being assessed?
- Rubrics will be developed for each task, task analysis sheets, self-assessments, journal writing.
- E. What is the group producing?
- Groups will produce: donation gift boxes/bags, public service announcements (PSA's), needs assessment(s), posters and flyers to advertise needs, PowerPoint presentations, on-going video.
- F. How is that being assessed?
- Videos, rubrics (Group Process, Group Task/Time Management, and Project Grading Worksheet), surveys, communication logs.
SCANS Skills
Identify key SCANS skills students will demonstrate in this project.
| SCANS Skill | Assessment |
| Identify, organize, plan and allocate resources | Generated list of agencies to contact |
| Work with others | Log of community contacts, interviews, rubric |
| Acquire and use information | Needs assessments surveys, interpret statistical data |
| Use a variety of technologies | Video, public service announcement, presentations, E-mail |
Driving Question
Why do people choose to live on the streets?
Significant Question
Who are the homeless?
What would I need, if suddenly I had nothing?
Plan the Assessment
Step 1
(Define the products and artifacts for the project)
Early in the Project:
Students will work interdisciplinarly in Math, English, Medical Assistant, Developmental Psychology, and Family Sociology classes to produce projects which will combine as culminating “Gift Box” presentations to the homeless shelters in December. Products in the early months (September and October) will include: letters, survey/questionnaire on the needs, sample gift box, poster, research reports, discussions and autobiographies. Students will start scrap booking, taking still pictures, and videotaping for a documentary. Artifacts will include journal entries, telephone logs, E-mail records, library search records, notes, prototypes plans, and models. Early assessments will include rubrics, checklists, task analysis charts, self-assessments, teacher evaluations and critical friends.
During the Project:
In October and November, students will continue to work interdisciplinarly in the production of the culminating “Gift Box” presentations. They will collect donated items from students, staff, community members, and businesses. Students will conduct opinion polls on “Who are the Homeless,” analysis, interpret and display their data, conduct research and be involved in debates, skits, panel discussions, and dramatic reenactments. They will begin to document their work with paintings, collages, and multimedia presentations. Assessments at this time will include rubrics, checklists, self-assessments, teacher evaluations, task analysis charts, and critical friends.
End of the Project:
In the final months of the semester (December and January), students will exhibit and present their gifts to the shelters, reflect, evaluate and plan the next steps. To this end they will produce reports, booklets, brochures/pamphlets, chart survey results, make oral reports, propose new projects, write poems and reflective essays, and produce public service announcements. Final assessments in January will include feedback from the shelters, rubrics, self-assessments, teacher evaluations, critical friends.
Step 2
State the criteria for exemplary performance for each product
Product: Booklet or Brochure
Criteria:
- All of your information is accurate and relevant; the work conveys all necessary information and includes supporting details.
- Components are organized with transitions, the work is clear, easy to follow, sequence is logical.
- Your own thinking is the focus of the work; creativity is evident.
- More than four sources are used, including more than one type of source: more than one source is of high quality, and the sources are referenced.
- All good writing convention requirements are met.
- Design shows skillful use of design principles, such as color, line, space, shape, and texture.
- Writing is free from errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and keyboarding.
- Work is creative, compelling, and eye-catching.
Product: Chart
Criteria:
- Information in the chart is correct, and important points are included; information is useful to the audience.
- Information is presented in a labeled, chart format; arrangement is logical and creative.
- Copy contains no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and keyboarding.
- Graphics are skillfully executed and handled creatively; they add clarity and contribute to visual appeal.
- Chart is very clean and legible; alignment is correct; lines separate columns and rows neatly.
- Chart enables the audience to see, understand, and analyze information immediately; and it creates interest in the data presented.
Product: Poster
Criteria:
- Theme is appropriate, clear, and well developed; shows original thought.
- All the information presented is accurate, useful, and relevant to the theme; the poster conveys all the necessary information; information covered may include research.
- Copy contains no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and keyboarding.
- Design shows creative use of most or all design principles, including color, line, space, shape, and texture.
- Graphics enhance clarity, are well done, and serve a strong purpose in the poster.
- Poster is unique; conveys the theme with an analogy, symbolism, or other creative technique.
- Poster shows strong attention to visual detail and presentation; immaculate.
Product: Research Report
Criteria:
- Thesis statement clearly defines the topic.
- Introduction does all of the following effectively: explains the purpose of the paper, provides a context for the report, and gives an overview.
- Paragraphs are logically ordered with effective transitions. Topics and subtopics are identified with headers.
- Narrative develops the thesis well; stated in your own words; demonstrates comprehension as well as application, analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation.
- Conclusion summarizes the main points and draws inferences from them.
- More than five sources are used, including more than one type of source; more than one source is of high quality, and the sources are referenced.
- All good writing convention requirements are met.
- Report contains no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and keyboarding.
- Report is exceptionally neat and presentable; no significant flaws.
Product: Skit/Video
Criteria:
- Skit has a clear theme and remains focused on that theme.
- All information presented is accurate, useful, and relevant to the topic; the skit conveys information thoroughly.
- Dialogue is relevant to the topic, understood by the audience, is realistic, and well executed.
- All speakers can be heard and understood by everyone in the audience.
- Skit remains focused on the topic at all times; presentation is smooth; flows without rough spots; indicates careful preparation.
- All characters are well played throughout; theatrical skills are apparent; portrayals are believable; interaction is creative.
- Props have strong design and show creativity; they are effectively chosen and used.
- Action is clearly visible to audience members; blocking is used effectively without awkward motions.
- Skit consistently holds the audience's attention; the intended message reaches the audience and creates a response.
Product: Written Assignments
Criteria:
- Purpose for the writing is clear; the theme is carried out effectively; the consultant has skillfully interpreted the assignment.
- Paragraphs are short and follow a logical sequence; good transitions used; paper has an effective beginning and ending.
- Ideas are presented in a unique way, incorporates special techniques, such as element of surprise, analogy, metaphor, dialogue, etc.
- Writing is clear and interesting to read; varied sentence styles make writing flow smoothly.
- All writing conventions requirements are met.
- Writing contains no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and keyboarding.
- Paper is immaculate.
Product: Conversation/Discussion
Criteria:
- Participate in the discussion voluntarily.
- Information presented contributes to an in-depth discussion of the topic; text information is accurately presented; supplies useful information from other sources.
- You can be heard and understood by everyone in the audience.
- Listen carefully to others; demonstrate attentive listening with good eye contact and other appropriate body language.
- Offer feedback frequently and provide it when needed the most; help keep the discussion going and on track.
- Make others feel good; build self-esteem of others: try to involve others.
- Apply, interpret, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate to produce ideas.
Product: Self-Assessment
Criteria:
- Participate fully in your work.
- Take on a leadership role and handle it diplomatically; take an active role in seeing that assignments are made and carried out.
- Listen carefully to others without interruption; use eye contact and other body language to show your attention.
- Offer constructive feedback frequently; provided when needed the most; help keep the team working and on track.
- Build self-esteem in others and try to involve others in discussions and activities.
- Work efficiently within team; share the responsibilities and assist others as needed.
- Skillfully lead others to conflict resolution; demonstrate conflict-resolution skills.
- Use such thinking skills as reasoning, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation to help make decisions and solve problems; demonstrate knowledge of decision-making process.
Product: Team Work
Criteria:
- Everyone in the team participates fully in the team's work.
- Establish a leader and assign responsibilities.
- Listen to each other with few, if any, interruptions.
- Everyone offers strong feedback frequently; provides it when needed the most; helps keep the team working and on track.
- Work efficiently together; all share in work and assist each other as needed.
- If conflicts occur, resolve them quickly and skillfully.
- Use reasoning, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation skills as you work together to make decisions and solve problems.
Map the Project
| Look at one major product for the project and analyze the tasks necessary to produce a high-quality product. What do students need to know and be able to do to complete the tasks successfully? How and when will they learn the necessary knowledge and skills? | |||
| Product: Gifts and Necessities for the Homeless | |||
| Knowledge and skills needed | Already have learned | Taught before the project | Taught during the project |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter Writing | X | X | |
| Phone Etiquette | X | X | |
| E-mail Skills | X | X | |
| Interview Skills | X | ||
| Creating and Implementing a Survey | X | X | |
| Field Trip Etiquette | X | X | |
| Working in Teams | X | X | X |
| Time Management | X | X | |
| Operating Digital Camera | X | X | |
| Operating Video Camera | X | X | |
| Power Point | X | X | |
| Public Service Announcement | X | X | |
What project tools will you use?
Computers, telephones, calendar, forms, surveys, digital camera, video camera
Project Timeline
Media:From My Heart to Yours Timeline.doc
What challenges or problems might arise in the project?
Funding, availability of transportation, attendance, master schedule issues, confidentiality issues
Manage the Process
The following preparations and accommodations may be used to address needs for differentiated instruction for EL students, special-needs students, or students with diverse learning styles:
- Collaboration with case managers
- Co-teaching
- Working in small groups
- Information presented in a variety of ways
- Task analysis
- Books on tape
- Graphic organizers
- Outlines
- Study guides and study sheets
- Help with organization and note-taking skills
- Peer tutoring
- Calculators
- Use of notes on tests
How will you and your students reflect on and evaluate the project?
- Keep a journal throughout process (daily)
- Get feedback from shelters (clients)
- Critical friends
- Reflection essay
1st Quarter Update
Hi Heidi, 1. Puppet project began Oct 1 and ended October 31, 2007.
2. Challenges were reluctance of new students to try something new and then share with a group before doing puppet plays with children. Now the students will be challenged to do puppet plays and book reading with Homeless children.
3. Patience, listening, and modeling how much fun puppets are were the ingredients of all students making fun, great puppets.(There were the same ingredients in video taping the students in reading their stories to children)
4. Individually and as a group, we have keep the same leading questions and supplementary questions. We are just beginning our homeless reports, so we will observe how the students respond to the questions and are interested in writing the reports.
5. So far the students have been really interested in making the boxes for the homeless, reading stories and making puppets for interacting with homeless children. They are also interested to find out how different people and families end up on the street and want to help. We received the 21st Century after school grant today and we will have the opportunity to see students from the different classes working on the boxes next Tuesday, Nov 13th. Also, our field trip to the shelter is approved and we will deliver the boxes after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. The students in all the classes are really excited about this. Morse Future Educators of America club will visit Mesa College for a FEA meeting and tour and many our students are attending this as well.
2nd Quarter Update (1 February 2008)
1. What have you, as a team, learned from this project experience? We learned that working as a group is a challenge to our concepts and knowledge base. We learned from each other and the homeless in going to visit the Rescue Mission and Cortez Hill Family Shelter. Not only are we individuals, but each person who finds himself or herself in the position of being homeless is unique and has a story to tell. We all had to work hard to find time to work together, especially after school.
2. What surprises have you, as a team, encountered during this project? The students and teachers had a lot of sterotypes about homelessness shattered and began to take an interest in delving into different reasons for being homesless. We were surprised that the students were so affected, that they cried, by the mom's sleeping on mats at the Rescue Mission
3. What have you, as a team, done to address the diverse needs of a diverse classroom of students? Making the homeless boxes involved all level of skills: sorting clothes, shoes, toys,jewelry and even stamping tissue paper with Christmas trees by the least skilled. Over one hundred students visited both shelters and had many different perceptions according to their own experience. In the different classrooms, we approached homeless in different projects. Some put together power points, others wrote reports and others made
4. What do students say has been the most difficult part of this project? For the students, actually interviewing and finding the time to go to the streets and find the homeless. Also, at first, they were relectant to visit the homeless shelters. The students keep saying "oh, I can't do this. It's too hard!" They also cried when they saw the parking lot playground and the mats on which the moms and babies slept on.
5. What do students say has been the most valuable part of this project? The students were very impressed with all the reasons that people find themselves in a homeless situation and that so many people are actually housed in the Rescue Mission and Cortez Hill Family Shelter. We learned both housed over 500 people and there are many other shelters and many people still can not find a temporary shelter in very cold and rainy weather. Many of the students commented that they are very fortunate and have lots when they saw how a child would have to wait for a pair of shoes of the right size to be donated.
The following four photos were taken during the second quarter.
3rd Quarter Update (11 April 2008)
1. How has this project changed the way you each teach your respective subjects? We all became more involved with our students through making the homeless boxes and delivery of boxes. Stacy Williams project of making peanut butter jelly sandwiches to the homeless. Some students
2. What kind of attention has this project created on your campus? Quite a few other students joined us in going on the fieldtrip. Also there was a week of world consciousness about homelessnes, violence and hunger. WE participated and asked for speakers to come to our classroom. By participating in Century XXII after school, 16 went to the Museum of Tolerance and greatly expressed how much this meant to them. Others teachers and students contributed with food, clothing, toys to make the homeless boxes.
3. A. If you are producing a product for a client (on site or in the community), what kind of feedback/response have you received from your client regarding the process and the product?
OR
B. If you are not producing a product for a client, how could this project be redesigned to include a beyond-the-classroom, authentic assessment? We could work more closely with the Rescue Mission and Cortez Hill and a homeless school to create an interaction with students by showing our powerpoints and discussing what causes someone to choose living on the street. We would also investigate increasing empathy by designing a questionnaire.
4. What comments have you received from the parents of the students involved in the project and teachers on your campus who are not involved in the project? Parents donated clothing, jewlry, toys, food for the homeless boxes. Teachers also participated in donations and making the boxes. We made a presentation to our principal, Mr. Todd Irving, and he stated that this is the direction that he would like for more projects to take to increase awareness in our community of how Morse High School is involved and increasing involvement.
5. Photos.
