S.D. High Ed. Complex - School of Communication - Am. Lit., Chem., and Video Prod. (Grades 10-11) - 08-09
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Summary
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Project Title: A Nucleus For Change Teacher(s): Tracy Ebba, Chemistry; Ian McAvoy, American Literature; and Carlo Robledo, Video Production. School / Academy: SDHEC - School of Communication Grade Level(s): 11th and 10th grade Core Subject(s): American Literature (11), Chemistry (11), and Video Production (10) Career Technical Education (CTE) Class(es): {{{classes}}} |
Theme
Human behavior in the modern world is destructive to the environment, particularly water quality. In order to be proactive in causing a positive change, it is important for individuals to improve their own behavior. Only through an appreciation for nature Howeve but the next step is that they should convince others to join a collective effort.
At the School of Communication, students gain skills to help them to succeed in the modern world. One of these facets of learning is the process of conducting research. For video production, this is the "pre-production" stage that is an integral part of creating a final product. Another important component for production of any medium is to "know your audience," and appeal to them with the presentation of the product. As future players in the media industry, our students should gain effective research skills, and be able to create a public service announcement for a particular audience. In addition, the stages of video production is a collaborative process, full of communication between two parties who are at various stages of production. The 11th grade interaction with the 10th graders will replicate the real world interaction of the screenwriter and the production company.
In the end, the culminating product, a video, will not only reflect key learnings of the student, but will enable the student to make a positive change, or at the very least, give a valiant attempt to do so. Such an act should be particularly fulfilling, after a spring full of scathing criticism of general human behavior from the likes of Mark Twain, Luis Rodriguez, J.D. Salinger, and Ernesto Galarza.
Content Standards
Identify the content standards that students will learn in this project (two to three per subject).
| Subject | Content Standard | Assessment |
| English (11th grade) | Reading 2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials) 2.1 [Students] analyze both the features and the rhetorical devices of different types of public documents (e.g. policy statements, speeches, debates, platforms) and the way in which authors use those features and devices. | In class debate; Persuasive letter; Research essay |
| English (11th grade) | Writing 1.0 Writing Strategies - Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the writing process. | Research essay |
| English (11th grade) | Writing 2.3 Write reflective compositions
a. Explore the significance of personal experiences, events, conditions, or concerns by using rhetorical strategies (e.g. narration, description, exposition, persuasion) | Reflective compositions of on site research at Mission Trails; reflective compositions evaluating their skills in conducting research; reflective compositions evaluating their ability to be "collaborative workers," as mandated by the school's Expected Schoolwide Learning Results, in groups. |
| English (11) | Listening and Speaking: 1.0 Listening and Speaking Strategies - Students formulate adroit arguments about oral communication. They deliver focused and coherent presentations that convey clear and distinct perspectives and demonstrate solid reasoning. They use gestures, tone, and vocabulary tailored to the audience and purpose. | Evaluations of videos; presentation of videos to elementary students.
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| Chemistry | 6a. Students... |
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| Chemistry | 6a. Students... | |
| Chemistry | 6a. Students... |
Begin with the End in Mind
- A. What is being produced?
- A 30 second or one minute infomercial that persuades 4th graders to help save the environment.
- B. How is that being assessed?
- Media:McAvoy_Rubric_Video_Commercial_with_pitch.doc
- C. What is the individual student producing?
- 1) a research/problem solution essay 2) a trial run script for a commercial arguing for or against relocation of wolves 3) a script for the actual project that argues that kids should work to make a difference 4) A reflection of their research abilities 5) Reaching a larger audience with the video
- D. How is that being assessed?
- 1) Media:McAvoy Rubric for Research Essay.doc 2) script rubric for wolves article 3) Media:McAvoy_Rubric_Preproduction_Script_and_Storyboard.doc script rubric for the actual commercial script 4) a rubric that assesses the quality of their reflection 5) Media: Rubric_for_Video_Reaching_a_Larger_AudienceMcAvoy.doc
- E. What is the group producing?
- 1) 11th Grade Am Lit/Chem Students: a) A script and storyboard for a 30 second or one minute infomercial b) approximately 3 hours of raw footage of Mission Trails Regional Park, the San Diego Zoo, Surfrider Foundation, and other footage that might be necessary for the infomercial c) cover letters to production companies
- 2) 10th Grade Video Production Students: a 30 second or 1 minute infomercial, using the script and storyboard of the 11th graders.
- 3) 11th and 10th grade students: A reflection of how they worked together.
- F. How is that being assessed?
- 1) Script and storyboard presentation to 10th graders rubric
- 2) 10th Grade Video Rubric
- 3) Reflection rubric
SCAN Skills
Identify key SCAN skills students will demonstrate in this project.
| SCANS Skill | Assessment |
| Personal Qualities: Displays responsibility, self esteem, sociability, self-management, and integrity and honesty - Self management: Assesses self accurately, sets personal goals, and monitors programs. | Self reflections of research, self reflections of scripts, and reflections of video. |
| Speaking: Organizes ideas and communication orally. | Presentation of scripts to 10th graders and/or client |
| Information: Acquires and uses information Students will acquire and evaluate information gathered from the Water Trails. They will organize and maintain this information. Then, they will interpret and communicate this information through their research paper. Then, they will synthesize this information into a 1 minute Public Service Announcement. | Research paper |
Driving Question
What's the big deal about pollution?
Significant Question
Is pollution really a major problem in San Diego, or is it just a lot of hype? <Have you posed an authentic problem or significant question that engages students and requires core subject knowledge to solve or answer> lake jennings cuyamaca
Plan the Assessment
Authenticity
Where in the real world outside the classroom might an adult tackle the problem or question addressed by the project? Should a student vote for a political candidate, he or she will consider environmental policies of the candidate. As future "leaders in the communication world," students will need to be able to work in groups to create an effective end product.
How do you know the problem or question has meaning to your students? Last year's students showed an excitement for nature in their work at Mission Trails Regional Park, where they saw the beauty of nature.
As students at the School of Communication, they have a particular interest in honing their skills in media.
Who might be an appropriate real world outside the classroom audience for the students’ work? KPBS, Channel 39, and/or online web video channels.
Academic Rigor
What is the central problem or question addressed by the project? What's the big deal with the environment?
What knowledge areas and enduring understandings will it address? Effective persuasion strategies and media can help make the world a better place.
What habits of mind will students develop? (Refer to Project Based Learning Handbook, pp. 30, 31) Students will strive for accuracy and precision, which is one of the habits of the mind. For if their script is substandard, the 10th graders will make them rewrite it. In addition, the habit of the mind of "Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations" will be prevalent in this project. Students will learn from the experience of writing a commercial in the more isolated Wolves commercial script. Then, the stakes will rise, and they will write a script that will actually be produced. In the spring, little scaffolding will be provided when they need to take this experience and apply it to a video interview of Mark Twain, Holden Caulfield, or J.D. Salinger.
Applied Learning
What will the students do to apply the knowledge they are learning to a complex problem? (Are they designing a product, improving a system, organizing and event?) The students will create a product, a video (30-1:30 infomercial), that persuades a 4th grade audience.
Which of the competencies expected in college and high-performance work organizations does the project provide opportunities to develop? (Refer to Project Based Learning Handbook, p. 25) The project provides for development in problem solving and critical thinking. For the students will need to brainstorm, use search/research strategies, seek and give comprehensive explanations. <answer>
Which self-management skills does the project require students to use? (Refer to Project Based Learning Handbook, p. 25) The students must constantly self reflect, particularly with their scripts. They will need to constantly question the quality of the script, considering not only the ultimate audience (4th graders), but the more immediate audience/readers of the script, the 10th grade video production class. [edit]
Active Exploration
What outside the classroom field-based activities does the project require students to conduct? 1) Mission Trails regional park field trip #1: take a tour of the trails, paying particular attention to the relationship between Native Americans and nature 2) Mission Trails regional park field trip #2: take water samples from south of the damn 3) Mission Trails regional park field trip #3: take water samples from north of the river 4) Field Trip to San Diego Zoo to study the negative behavior of humans towards the environment 5) Field Trip to SDSU to conduct online research
Which methods and sources of information are students expected to use in their investigations? (e.g., interviewing & observing, gathering & reviewing information, collecting data, model-building, on-line services) Students will use their skill in writing Cornell Notes to gather information from field trip sites and research from Proquest.
Adult Connections
Will students have access to at least one outside the classroom adult with expertise and experience relevant to their project who will ask questions, provide feedback, and offer advice? Yes, the students will have a visitor to the classroom, Brent Altomare, executive producer at Groovy Like A Movie. Attempts are currently being made to secure an SDSU film student, either pursuing a master's degree, or perhaps even an undergraduate, who might be willing to provide feedback.
Students will conduct interviews outside of the classroom with an adult who is an expert in the field of their initiative. The purposes of the interview are: 1) the practice of making contact/setting up the appointment place and time; 2) proper conduct in preparing for/completing interview; and 3) gathering information for previously prepared questions relating to initiative.
Will the project offer students the opportunity to observe work alongside adults during at least one visit to a worksite with relevance to the project? No, not yet. :(
Will at least one outside the classroom adult help students develop a sense of the real-world, industry standards for this type of work/project?
The client, Surfrider, will provide students with the opportunity to have the real-world, industry standard. In addition, we will have graphic artists make visits to the classroom to provide real-world feedback. [edit]
Assessment Practices
Do students prepare a culminating exhibition or presentation for outside the classroom people that demonstrates their ability to apply the knowledge they have gained? Yes, the students will present their infomercials in a 4th grade classroom at Logan Elementary.
Will students receive timely feedback on their works-in-progress from teachers, mentors, and peers? Yes, the teachers will provide feedback on their work. Mr. Altomare will give advice to specific questions, and the 10th graders will give feedback to the 11th graders on their work, and vice-versa.
Are student involved in reviewing or helping establish the project criteria? Students will use the rubrics to help them in making a decision as to whether or not the script is acceptable (see below rubric for script). Likewise, the 11th graders will use the video rubric to evaluate the videos created by the 10th graders.
What are the criteria for measuring desired student outcomes? See below rubrics.
Step 1
The script for the Public Service Announcement
Early in the Project:
The students will learn persuasive strategies (statistics, rhetorical questions, ethos (including expert testimonial), pathos (appealing to the reader/viewer's emotion, logos (including fallacious reasoning activity).
Students will read an excerpt of the script of Al Gore's An Unconvenient Truth.
Students will write a commercial persuading viewers to encourage people to support or oppose wolves being brought in from Canada into Yellowstone Park [an article used in class to teach reading strategies (read the title, scan the pictures, read the headings, read the captions).
Students will read an excerpt of Aristotle's Poetics focusing on the concept of beginning, middle, and end of story.
Students will write a reflection of how they did on the commercial: what was difficult, how interesting they think their commercial is, how effective they think their commercial is, etc...
Mr. Altomare, Executive Producer at Groovy Like A Movie Productions, will speak to the class about production strategies (Robledo's class visits?).
Students will read an article about demographics.
During the Project:
- 11th grade groups brainstorm ideas for infomercials that will convince their audience (4th grade students) that it is important to treat the environment well, and that they can and should make a change. The groups will tell Mr. McAvoy 4 ideas for presentation to the 10th grade video production students of Mr. Robledo's class.
- Over the course of the week, the groups in Mr. McAvoy's class will leave Mr. McAvoy's class, pitch their ideas to the class of 10th graders, answer questions from the 10th graders and Mr. Robledo, and then return to Mr. McAvoy's class.
- Mr. Robledo's groups will select the pitches that they think show the most potential. The 16 pitches that show the most potential will be the projects for Mr. McAvoy's class to develop into a script and storyboard. Mr. McAvoy's class will work in pairs, so that each group of 4-5 has two scripts to give Mr. Robledo's class.
- 11th grade groups will work with one of the ideas to write a script and storyboard for the infomercial.
- Each 11th grade group of students (4-5 students) will present their two proposed scripts to a group of 10th grade video production students. The 10th grade students will provide feedback to the 11th graders. The 11th graders will then rewrite their script, incorporating the constructive criticism of the 10th graders.
- The 11th graders will then present their scripts to the 10th graders, if the 10th graders are satisfied, and can make a video that is effective and sticks to the script, then the 11th graders will hand the scripts to over to the 10th graders.
End of the Project:
- 11th and 10th grade students can present the video to KPBS for possible use, and at the very least, post on web for universal display.
Step 2
State the criteria for exemplary performance for each product
Product:
Scripts and Storyboards
Criteria:
Media:McAvoy_Rubric_Preproduction_Script_and_Storyboard.doc
Product:
Infomercials
Criteria:
Media:McAvoy_Rubric_Video_Commercial_with_pitch.doc
Product: Webviews Criteria:
Media: Rubric_for_Video_Reaching_a_Larger_AudienceMcAvoy.doc
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: Research Paper (Problem Solution Essay of Problems in the Environment) | |||
| Knowledge and skills needed | Already have learned | Taught before the project | Taught during the project |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proper Use of Scientific Equipment | X | ||
| Research skills | X | X | |
| Annotating/Critical Reading skills | X | ||
| Background information of animal species and watershed | X | X | |
| Working knowledge of key vocabulary/terms/roots necessary for the project | X | X | X |
| Develop a clear thesis statement that argues that there is a problem in the environment that needs to be addressed. | X | X | |
| Develop a script that makes a convincing argument to a 4th grade audience that change in the environment is necessary. | X | X | |
| Use systematic strategies to organize and record information (e.g. anecdotal scripting, annotated bibliographies) | X | X | |
| Analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced in contemporary literature, recent speeches, debates, and environmental propoganda. | X | X | |
| Analyze an author's implicit and explicit philosophical assumptions and beliefs about a subject (using political speeches, environmental propoganda, etc. | X | X | |
| <knowledge and skills needed> | |||
What project tools will you use?
Water quality kit (loaned by Mission Trails Regional Park), Proquest Database, Video Camera, Computers, Teachertube.com, and Digital Camera.
Project Timeline
<Outline the project timeline with activities, resources, timelines, and milestones.>
Step One: Building a Foundation for Reading, Writing, and Building An Appreciation of the Environment/
Step Two: Becoming an expert of pollution
Step Three: Final draft of script for client
I. Building a Foundation - Scaffolding: Reading Strategies
Week One-Two:
Day One:
Name tags: My name is Ian and I am a Lakers fan. True or False? How might you know?
a) SAT Reminder : register, study etc. http://nccsc.k12.in.us/hsmedia/hot_words_SAT.htm ; http://quizlet.com/set/16783/
b) Give Latin/Greek stem list
Day Two: KWL chart: Mercury Mercury article: the different meanings of the word Mercury Read model business letter from Mr. McAvoy to the class. Write a letter to Mr. McAvoy about yourself.
Day Three:
Mercury Article (An article that argues that there is a problem in ocean's water with mercury levels)
Mercury Article (a fiction story from Greek Mythology and You)
(Title, author, headings, pictures, captions, and type of article) What's the article about? How might you know?
While reading: clarifying questions, predicting, and main idea sentence.
Reading strategies: Arsenic article Focus: How is this writing vivid? What is the conflict of the article?
Give journals
Review reading strategies Wolfpack article
Day Three: Read a Functional Document: Writing a Commercial
Scaffolding: Persuasive Writing Techniques
Week Three: Am Lit: Begins Persuasive Essay Persuasive Techniques: Pathos, logos, statistics, etc.
Model script of a commercial In groups: develop two pitches for a commercial Pitch the ideas to the class Write a script of a commercial for or against bringing Wolves into Yellowstone Park.
Chemistry: Still pursues studies of Mercury and Arsenic
Week Four and Five: Day One: Opener (in groups) Elements of a persuasive essay puzzle (students are given an envelope of puzzle pieces stating elements of an essay: thesis statement, grabber, topic sentence, conclusion, supporting details, etc.
Thesis statement handout (AVID.org)
Introduction: Grabbers
Choose essay topic from three choices; prewrite
Day Two: Counterarguments Outline Homework: Write an introduction with a thesis statement Day Three: Draft and conference Day Four: Conference and draft Homework: Complete a second draft (typed or handwritten, and turn in both drafts at the beginning of next class).
Essay Prewriting: Persuasive essay Counter argument drafting of paragraph in class
Day Five: In class essay exam
Reading and writing: Response to Literature OR RESEARCH PROJECT
Read Iroquois Background fill out Native Americans of the Write Letters: "Write a letter to someone about something that's on your mind." Read several letters: What is the tone? Learn Situational Irony/mood/tone Key terms: con- : conflict, contended, content, convoy, contest de- devious, devoid, deceit, decline
Read “The World On the Turtle’s Back”
Review: Thesis Statement Introductions and Conclusions: overdeveloped, underdeveloped, etc.
Response to Literature Essay
Week Six: Response to Literature Essay: What values do the Native Americans seem to possess, based on their oral tale of "The World on the Turtle's Back"?
Week Seven: Annotating Skills Model Article – “Baywatch: North Carolina Students”
Guided Practice - Jigsaw five articles in class, including:
Title: Higher Learning Adapts to a Greening Attitude Source: Washington Post (Washington, DC) Publication Date: June 22, 2008 Model Annotating and Reading Rhetorically
John Dodge The Olympian, Olympia, Wash. "Ecology finds water violations." McClatchy - Tribune Business News. 09 Feb 2008. eLibrary. Proquest CSA. SAN DIEGO CITY SCHOOLS. 27 Jun 2008. <http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/curriculum>.
II. Becoming An Expert - Reading and writing: Research Project
Week Eight Through Eleven: Research problems in the environment using Proquest
Week Eight: Research using Proquest and notecards
Week Nine: Research Essay
Week Ten: Research Essay
III. Synthesizing all knowledge - Writing The Script for the Infomercial
Week Eleven: Storyboard and script in groups
Week Twelve: Present scripts to 10th graders
Week Thirteen: Revise Scripts and get approved by Mr. McAvoy who gives them to the 10th graders.
Week Fourteen: Read excerpt of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth
In class essay: Global Warming is/is not an urgent matter.
- What challenges or problems might arise in the project?
The students might write scripts that lack any sort of excitement that would make the public service announcement effective.
The 10th graders might be frustrated if they think the scripts they received are not as good as other groups. If they think they can write one better, perhaps that would be a good option
Manage the Process
<List preparations necessary to address needs for differentiated instruction for EL students, special-needs students, or students with diverse learning styles.>
To address the needs of our predominantly ELL students, a great deal of time will be devoted to scaffolding key terms, accessing prior knowledge, building background information, providing opportunities for group work, and assessing progress towards both content and language objectives.
In addition, the project will provide multiple opportunities for all types of learners:
1. For the kinesthetic learners, this activity will provide hands on work, where they will be forced to physically gather samples, walk and observe habitats around trails, and partake in labs. 
2. For the interpersonal learners, this project will require interaction with the sophomore video production students and communication within their groups in the preproduction process.
3. For the the visual learners, the readings will require charting texts with the function of specific paragraphs within the text.
4. The logical/mathematical learners will need to identify patterns in chemical statistics that indicate a cause and affect relationship.
5. The intrapersonal learner will have the opportunity to reflect upon his or her findings with the reflections of the activities.
6. The musical learners will identify the rhythm of Coleridge's "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner".
7. The naturalistic learners will have the opportunity to interact with nature in the field studies, including the work at Mission Trails Regional Park.
8. The linguistic learners will constantly need to articulate their findings through presentation, interviews, and interacting with elementary students.
How will you and your students reflect on and evaluate the project?
The major evaluation of the project will be whether the students are proud of their video(s) at its presentation in the 4th grade classroom at Logan Elementary, at the PBL showcase, on the web, and possibly to industry clients.
1st Quarter Update
1. What challenges did you encounter while trying to launch the project? If the project hasn’t begun: What challenges are you expecting to encounter as you prepare to launch the project? It has been challenging to keep communication between the faculty members and between the students. We no longer have a "PBL Class" of approximately 30 students who follow several different classes. We are now incorporating project based learning across the American Literature classes. However, not all of our juniors have Chemistry, so some of the students are serving as "chemistry experts" within their video teams. In addition, starting out with a research project in the fall has been more challenging than doing it in the spring, as the students are not quite as far along in their writing skills. More intense scaffolding has been necessary to accommodate this.
2. How did you overcome the challenges? If the project hasn’t begun: How do you expect to overcome the challenges? Constant communication between the teachers and students through conversation and email has, and will continue to be important. The American Lit. students have been corresponding with Mr. McAvoy via email. In addition, all students have access to Mr. Robledo's after school video production program, where they can edit their video, even if they are not fortunate enough to have his class.
3. What revisions have you made to the project since the Summer Institute? We decided to start out with research of problems with pollution in San Diego, rather than hold off until November. This has been a difficult unit as a starter, but the students seem to enjoy the choice and independence that online research provides.
4. Solo participants: How have you made any of your campus colleagues aware of the project? Yes, as a small school, our teachers are all aware of our junior PBL project through constant verbal communication. After inviting staff to Mr. Altomare's presentation via email, one of our counselors stopped by and was able to see some of the presentation. In addition, another teacher on our site is doing a similar PBL involving the environment, and we have kept in communication throughout the year.
5. Has the plan for the Culminating Event/Public Exhibition changed? If, yes, please explain. We are behind, but the plan remains intact.
6. What has been the students’ response to the project? They unfortunately were not as excited during the field trip to Mission Trails Regional Park, as it was an extremely hot that day. They did seem to learn a lot on the trip, and make connections between their Chemistry class and American Literature class.
Later in the quarter, they really seemed to enjoy a visit from Brent Altomare, a producer from Groovy Like a Movie Productions. Mr. Altomare gave a fascinating presentation that included video clips that illustrated key video concepts. Many students took pictures of his visit on their cell phones, and one student from Mr. Robledo's video production class video taped the presentation. The class signed a thank you card that showed a developing enthusiasm for this project and appreciation for the film industry.
