Searching for Cultural Roots

The main purpose of this project is self-discovery. After the research,
students will have a better understanding of who they are and where
they came from. The skills students will acquire, learn, and/or enhance
are interviewing, writing, word-processing, creating a multimedia
presentation, taking digital pictures, importing text, graphics and
sound files, using search engines on the Internet, oral presentation,
and learning to work in a collaborative setting. This lesson is
appropriate for students in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.

Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.

Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.

Independent Learning

Standard 4: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and pursues information related to personal interests.

Standard 5: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and appreciates literature and other creative expressions of information.

Standard 6: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.

Social Responsibility

Standard 7: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and recognizes the importance of information to a democratic society.

Standard 8: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.

Standard 9: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.

Each component of this unit has lesson specific asssessments.
Lesson 1 of 4:
1. Drafting a Chart criteria : all columns completed with at least five
entries for each section. Most of the following areas are addressed:
music, people, places, art, poetry stories, historical facts.
2. Writing a rough draft essay criteria : Word processed. Sentences
are complete. Essay is at least two paragraphs. Each paragraph contains
content that has been extracted from the chart. More information may be
included in the essay.
3. Writing a final essay criteria: Word processed, free of spelling and
grammar errors, at least two paragraphs, content includes information
about a specific culture’s music, art, poetry, stories or legends,
famous people, historical facts.
4. Oral and Written Interview: Notes or audio tape of interview; word
processed essay.

Lesson 2 of 4:
1. Creating an Annotated List of Web Sites: In pairs, students create
an annotated list of web sites they hav visited and turn it in for
credit. Criteria: the list contains at least three sites with
accompanying comments about the content of each site.
2. Observing student work: Teacher observes students, class
participation, and collaborative group discussion. Criteria: Students
are in attendance and on task at all times; students work productively
together.

Lesson 3 of 4:
1. Writing a Short Essay of Discovery: Teams compare and contrast their
charts and the research they have gathered and write a short report of
comparison and contrast, explaining the information they found while
searching for items listed in the "Student Guide A." This report is
word processed and saved to their files for inclusion in the final
presentation stack.

2. Writing a Short Essay of Reflection: Teams write an essay of
reflection, making personal commentary about the value of their
discoveries and drawing a conclusion about their experiences during the
project. Criteria: The report and essay must be word processed. The
report contains specific details comparing what they knew about their
culture and what they discovered. Their findings may confirm or augment
their prior knowledge. The essay contains thoughtful conclusions about
the value of their research, and the importance of their heritage.

Lesson 4 of 4:
1. One ongoing progress check of stack.
2. Completed stack criteria: The stack is complete, neat, and contains
all the requirements listed in the Student Guide.
3. Presentation criteria: Presentation is rehearsed and not thrown
together; there is evidence of organization. Clip art, sounds, and how
pictures and sound are related to the project is explained.
Presentation is taken seriously, is entertaining and to the point; is
not drawn out or boring. Presenters speak clearly and can be heard,
presenters make eye contact with audience, are polite to the audience.

Lesson 1: There are seven sequential activities which students complete
in pairs dealing with brainstorming, charting, first draft writing,
peer review, revising, interviewing a family member about their
cultural roots, and transcribing or writing a few paragraphs from their
notes.

Lesson 2: There are three activities accompanied by a student guide.
Demonstrations on using web browsers and searching and gathering
materials through their searches are accomplished with the help of a
student guide. Students also create an annotated list of web sites from
their searches.

Lesson 3: There are two activities in this lesson which involve
comparing and contrasting information and reflection.

Lesson 4: The three activities in this final lesson involve creating
and presenting multimedia stacks using HyperStudio. Students use a
paper student guide as well as a "how-to" HyperStudio stack to complete
and present their projects.

Effective Communicator

Students communicate in English and other languages using information, concepts, prose, symbols, reports, audio and video recordings, speeches, graphic displays and computer-based programs.

Cooperative Workers

Students work cooperatively to successfully complete a project or activity

Culturally Sensitive Leader

Students appreciate their own culture and the cultures of others, understand the concerns and perspectives of members of other ethnic and gender groups reject the stereotype of themselves and others and seek out and utilize the views of persons from diverse ethnic, social, and educational backgrounds.