Detailed Learning Activities
Phase One: Pose Compelling Questions
Day 1: Students will compare two cultures.
- The teacher will show powerpoint presentation "A Day in the Life of Urpy Chaska" (made by 5 yr. old Urpy, of Peru).
- In partners students will identify one aspect of Urpy's life that is similar to their own and one aspect that is different.
- From exposure to this and the previous day's activities, students will participate in a graffiti exercise brainstorming answers to the driving questions of the unit.
Graffiti Activity:
Each of the 5 tables will have one piece of chart paper with one of the following questions written at the top-
-Teacher will hang all chart paper around the classroom, students will walk around in their same groups as a sort of "gallery crawl" to view their classmates responses to the questions. All will return to the carpet to discuss anything that stuck out to them about the activity. The final two questions are meant to begin exposing students to a cosmopolitan outlook, this wrap up discussion is valuable to gauge their reaction to or understanding of this concept.
Day 2: Students will identify at least one element that two cultures have in common. Students choose compelling questions.
- Teacher will present in a prezi different cultural aspects about her life in Guatemala, beginning with basic comparisons (food, clothing) and then aspects that lend themselves to evaluating values or habits (family life/structure and respect for elders, Holy Week festival v. Easter, 5 year old drinking black coffee before bed, not allowing the disposal of photographs for fear that the souls of those photographed would be harmed).
- Teacher will ask students to turn & talk with the following questions. While students respond to each other in partners, teacher will circulate for informal assessmen of responses.
Do these traditions remind you of something that you do or that you believe in?
Do they remind you of way of behaving that you consider important (respect for elders)?
What is one value you have in common with the Guatemalan culture?
- Students will volunteer answers to share with the whole class. Students will come up and write the common values on chart paper to be hung in the classroom for reference.
Students choose compelling questions
-Teacher will display map of Spanish speaking countries with which he or she has made contact (for Skype interview).
- Students choose one Spanish speaking country to study and develop 3 questions that they wonder about the people that live there.
- Teacher will model wondering whether a student in that country uses iPads or SMARTboards at school as we do, or whether someone in that country eats dinner at the same time we do, or what someone in that country does or wears on a Sunday morning, etc.
- Students will write questions on an index card, if they brainstorm more than 3 they must then narrow it down once the teacher has viewed the questions (for appropriateness).
- If students require guidance for developing the questions, teacher will help guide to questions of the following nature:
What is one thing (value) that is very important to you in your country? What is your favorite tradition? What is your school day like? (could also be about food, article of clothing, store, etc.)
- The teacher will show powerpoint presentation "A Day in the Life of Urpy Chaska" (made by 5 yr. old Urpy, of Peru).
- In partners students will identify one aspect of Urpy's life that is similar to their own and one aspect that is different.
- From exposure to this and the previous day's activities, students will participate in a graffiti exercise brainstorming answers to the driving questions of the unit.
Graffiti Activity:
Each of the 5 tables will have one piece of chart paper with one of the following questions written at the top-
- What makes all of us human beings (from Guatemala, Peru, or the United States) similar?
- What makes all of us human beings (from Guatemala, Peru, or the United States) different?
- Are the differences between us (from Guatemala, Peru, or the United States) important?
- What do all human beings (from Guatemala, Peru, or the United States) need?
- What do all human beings (from Guatemala, Peru, or the United States) deserve?
-Teacher will hang all chart paper around the classroom, students will walk around in their same groups as a sort of "gallery crawl" to view their classmates responses to the questions. All will return to the carpet to discuss anything that stuck out to them about the activity. The final two questions are meant to begin exposing students to a cosmopolitan outlook, this wrap up discussion is valuable to gauge their reaction to or understanding of this concept.
Day 2: Students will identify at least one element that two cultures have in common. Students choose compelling questions.
- Teacher will present in a prezi different cultural aspects about her life in Guatemala, beginning with basic comparisons (food, clothing) and then aspects that lend themselves to evaluating values or habits (family life/structure and respect for elders, Holy Week festival v. Easter, 5 year old drinking black coffee before bed, not allowing the disposal of photographs for fear that the souls of those photographed would be harmed).
- Teacher will ask students to turn & talk with the following questions. While students respond to each other in partners, teacher will circulate for informal assessmen of responses.
Do these traditions remind you of something that you do or that you believe in?
Do they remind you of way of behaving that you consider important (respect for elders)?
What is one value you have in common with the Guatemalan culture?
- Students will volunteer answers to share with the whole class. Students will come up and write the common values on chart paper to be hung in the classroom for reference.
Students choose compelling questions
-Teacher will display map of Spanish speaking countries with which he or she has made contact (for Skype interview).
- Students choose one Spanish speaking country to study and develop 3 questions that they wonder about the people that live there.
- Teacher will model wondering whether a student in that country uses iPads or SMARTboards at school as we do, or whether someone in that country eats dinner at the same time we do, or what someone in that country does or wears on a Sunday morning, etc.
- Students will write questions on an index card, if they brainstorm more than 3 they must then narrow it down once the teacher has viewed the questions (for appropriateness).
- If students require guidance for developing the questions, teacher will help guide to questions of the following nature:
What is one thing (value) that is very important to you in your country? What is your favorite tradition? What is your school day like? (could also be about food, article of clothing, store, etc.)
Phase Two: Gather and Analyze Information
Days 1-3: Student will gather information about his/her chosen country using internet search engines.
- Teacher models how to research important information about the culture on the internet to get a foundation for what the culture might be like.
- Teacher will make QR codes for each country that lead to a kid-friendly website for basic research. Teacher will model how to scan the QR code and maneuver the website.
- Teacher will introduce graphic organizer for students to find basic information about their chosen country. Teacher will model filling out each section of the graphic organizer (Name of country, map (drawing of the country), capital, history, nature, culture and two interesting facts - free choice) for Guatemala using the National Geographic Kids website.
- Students research information for each section of the graphic organizer to establish a basic understanding of the geography, history and culture of the country they have chosen.
Skype interview: Students will gather information about his/her chosen country by Skype interview.
- Teacher will share his/her 3 questions with the class and model writing each question on both sides of an index card. One side will contain notes from online research, teacher will explain that the other side is for notes from the Skype interview.
- Teacher will have previously arranged to interview an international student or teacher, and will conduct the interview in front of the class modeling appropriate language, voice level and behavior.
- Class will go to the tech lab in small groups of 5 to allow each student his or her own computer for the interview. Students not in the tech lab will continue research and work on the graphic organizer.
- Students will interview a peer via Skype using their 3 questions in order to gain insight into the culture, each student will be accompanied by an adult (teacher, assistant or parent volunteer) to help guide and monitor the process.
- Students write notes on the answers they receive with adult help if necessary. Parent and/or other teacher volunteers should be organized for help.
- Back in the classroom students will volunteer to share one successful experience about the interview or an answer they found interesting.
- Teacher models how to research important information about the culture on the internet to get a foundation for what the culture might be like.
- Teacher will make QR codes for each country that lead to a kid-friendly website for basic research. Teacher will model how to scan the QR code and maneuver the website.
- Teacher will introduce graphic organizer for students to find basic information about their chosen country. Teacher will model filling out each section of the graphic organizer (Name of country, map (drawing of the country), capital, history, nature, culture and two interesting facts - free choice) for Guatemala using the National Geographic Kids website.
- Students research information for each section of the graphic organizer to establish a basic understanding of the geography, history and culture of the country they have chosen.
Skype interview: Students will gather information about his/her chosen country by Skype interview.
- Teacher will share his/her 3 questions with the class and model writing each question on both sides of an index card. One side will contain notes from online research, teacher will explain that the other side is for notes from the Skype interview.
- Teacher will have previously arranged to interview an international student or teacher, and will conduct the interview in front of the class modeling appropriate language, voice level and behavior.
- Class will go to the tech lab in small groups of 5 to allow each student his or her own computer for the interview. Students not in the tech lab will continue research and work on the graphic organizer.
- Students will interview a peer via Skype using their 3 questions in order to gain insight into the culture, each student will be accompanied by an adult (teacher, assistant or parent volunteer) to help guide and monitor the process.
- Students write notes on the answers they receive with adult help if necessary. Parent and/or other teacher volunteers should be organized for help.
- Back in the classroom students will volunteer to share one successful experience about the interview or an answer they found interesting.
Phase Three: Creatively Synthesize Information
Days 1-2: Students will present what they have learned about the chosen culture and how that information has affected his/her perspective about the culture.
- Students will brainstorm how they would like to present what they have learned about the culture of their chosen country.
- Teacher will model using voicethread, voki, prezi, and storyjumper as options for presenting information. He/she will also model voice recording a conclusion that explains how this project affected his/her thinking or feeling about the country. - Teacher will display the rubric of necessary components of the project, which will include:
- If students choose not to pre-record and to present in person, they should write sentences to read or memorize for the oral presentation.
- Students will brainstorm how they would like to present what they have learned about the culture of their chosen country.
- Teacher will model using voicethread, voki, prezi, and storyjumper as options for presenting information. He/she will also model voice recording a conclusion that explains how this project affected his/her thinking or feeling about the country. - Teacher will display the rubric of necessary components of the project, which will include:
- Introduction explaining the 3 questions and why they were chosen.
- Summary of the information gained through online research and Skype interview (and short biography of the person they interviewed).
- Conclusion describing how this research has affected how they feel about the foreign country/culture now.
- Clear Speaking Voice (either recorded or spoken presentation)
- If students choose not to pre-record and to present in person, they should write sentences to read or memorize for the oral presentation.
Phase Four: Critically Evaluate & Revise
Day 1: Students will evaluate a peer's project.
- Teacher will assign students to evaluate each others' projects. Peers will be paired based on primary language - native English speaker with native Spanish speaker so that each can help the other with the language of presentation. While viewing they will rate the presentation using a rubric previously modeled by the teacher.
- Teacher will model how to appropriately rate a presentation by creating an example of a presentation that meets most rubric expectations, but not all (for example, introduces the three questions but not why they were chosen, summarizes online research and Skype interview, does not include a conclusion about how this research affected how they think about the country, and spoke in a clear voice in the recording).
- Students will put into practice the evaluation strategies modeled by the teacher while viewing each others' projects. If the student has not pre-recorded the oral presentation he or she must do so for the peer while they view the presentation.
Day 2: Students will revise their project based on peer review.
- Students will sit for ten minutes with the peer that evaluated their presentation and discuss the ratings and why each one was given.
- Students will then take the rubric used on their presentation and make necessary adjustments for their presentations in the tech lab.
- Students who finish early should view the presentation to ensure there are no mistakes or view it while practicing the oral monologue using the prewritten sentences.
- Teacher will assign students to evaluate each others' projects. Peers will be paired based on primary language - native English speaker with native Spanish speaker so that each can help the other with the language of presentation. While viewing they will rate the presentation using a rubric previously modeled by the teacher.
- Teacher will model how to appropriately rate a presentation by creating an example of a presentation that meets most rubric expectations, but not all (for example, introduces the three questions but not why they were chosen, summarizes online research and Skype interview, does not include a conclusion about how this research affected how they think about the country, and spoke in a clear voice in the recording).
- Students will put into practice the evaluation strategies modeled by the teacher while viewing each others' projects. If the student has not pre-recorded the oral presentation he or she must do so for the peer while they view the presentation.
Day 2: Students will revise their project based on peer review.
- Students will sit for ten minutes with the peer that evaluated their presentation and discuss the ratings and why each one was given.
- Students will then take the rubric used on their presentation and make necessary adjustments for their presentations in the tech lab.
- Students who finish early should view the presentation to ensure there are no mistakes or view it while practicing the oral monologue using the prewritten sentences.
Phase Five: Share Public Act
Day 1: Students will present what they have learned about the chosen culture and how that information has affected his/her perspective about the culture.
- Before Kindergarten students arrive, teacher will take volunteers to come up to the front and practice showing the presentation and giving the oral explanation if necessary. Teacher will focus on clear speaking voice and behavior expectations.
- When Kindergarten class arrives they will sit on the carpet, 1st grade students will sit in their assigned table seats.
- First graders will take turns presenting their initial 3 questions about the country of choice, a summary about the research responding to the questions, and how this has affected their thinking and feeling about the country. Students will allow for questions from the Kindergarteners (1 question per presentation).
- While students present, the rest of the first grade class will fill out the same rubric used for peer review. The teacher will also fill out the rubric, which will serve as the summative assessment for each student.
- Before Kindergarten students arrive, teacher will take volunteers to come up to the front and practice showing the presentation and giving the oral explanation if necessary. Teacher will focus on clear speaking voice and behavior expectations.
- When Kindergarten class arrives they will sit on the carpet, 1st grade students will sit in their assigned table seats.
- First graders will take turns presenting their initial 3 questions about the country of choice, a summary about the research responding to the questions, and how this has affected their thinking and feeling about the country. Students will allow for questions from the Kindergarteners (1 question per presentation).
- While students present, the rest of the first grade class will fill out the same rubric used for peer review. The teacher will also fill out the rubric, which will serve as the summative assessment for each student.