Lesson Plan Using Technology

Here's a lesson plan from my Walden class on integrating technology into the classroom. In the process of putting this lesson together, I learned how to embed the YouTube video into a blog. It's a fun video; you might want to watch it. (After you watch it, you might want to visit Kenya!) I refer to it in the lesson plan, where I've also included a link and the URL to make it easy to find.

This lesson is designed for a high school course in oral/interpersonal communications, but it could probably be easily adapted for a class that studies world cultures. (I have omitted the behavioral objectives from the standards for purposes of saving space. I also omitted the reflection questions at the end for space reasons.)

Title of Lesson: Public Speaking - Exploring and Explaining Culture

Subject Area and Grade Level: Communications, 11^th and 12^th Grades

Wisconsin 12th Grade English/Language Arts Standards

C.12.1 Prepare and deliver formal oral presentations appropriate to specific purposes and audiences

E.12.1 Use computers to acquire, organize, analyze, and communicate information.

E.12.3 Create media products appropriate to audience and purpose.

F.12.1 Conduct research and inquiry on self-selected or assigned topics, issues, or problems and use an appropriate form to communicate their findings.

Materials and Resources:

Computer lab with access to internet, class blog and wiki, and PowerPoint

IMC resources

Handouts with directions for students

Procedures:

1. Anticipatory Set:

Show video Welcome to Magical Kenya available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdY4Bfa5Lak. Discuss what students notice about Kenya from this promotional video. Ask what else they might want to know about Kenya if they were going to be spending several months in that country. List ideas.

2. Instructional Input

Directions to students:

You will be working in small groups to create a presentation about a country from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central America or South America. This presentation is to focus on the country as it is today, rather than its history.

First, choose a country and create a “before” podcast; discuss some of your group’s impressions of the country before your investigation and some things you would need to learn if you expected to work there for several weeks or months. This podcast should be approximately two minutes long.

Second, investigate the country in depth. As you learn, create a wiki to report in detail about the country. Areas to investigate include: population, official language, other important languages, majority and minority ethnic groups or races, major religions, literacy rate, educational system, capital and other important cities, type of government, major political parties, major industries, major crops, leading imports and exports, monetary unit, gross domestic product per capita and for the entire country (as compared to U.S. figures), transportation systems, physical geography, climate, important holidays, and interesting features of daily life. You may add others if appropriate. Divide these into several major categories and give each its own wiki section; for example: 1. people and culture; 2. economy, agriculture and trade; 3. geography and natural resources; 4. government and education. Your group may divide the information in some other logical way if you prefer. Create a unified bibliography of your group’s sources in MLA format and include it at the end of your wiki. See easybib.com or citationmachine.net for help.

Third, create a PowerPoint to present the most interesting aspects of the country. This is a good place for photos, maps, and charts. (Be sure to give credit for any graphics created by others.) Do not attempt to put every detail into the PowerPoint; choose what will be the most interesting to your audience. Include an attention-grabbing introduction and a memorable conclusion. Rehearse your presentation several times within your group. Each member of your group should speak for at least two minutes. Your public speaking techniques are important in this portion of the assignment.

Fourth, create an “after” podcast; discuss some particularly interesting findings, especially noting important similarities and differences compared to the U.S. Discuss how your impressions of the country have changed as a result of your research. This podcast should be about three minutes long.

Finally, add links to your wiki and to both podcasts to the class blog. You will be listening to the podcasts of several other groups and also visiting their wikis as part of this unit.

3. Modeling

Play “before” podcast, present PowerPoint, and play “after” podcast for Kenya. Give students location for sample wiki page.

4. Check for understanding

Listen to students’ “before” podcasts prior to uploading to podcast site. Periodically check progress on wiki.

5. Guided practice/activity

Meet with each group as they proceed through the activity. Observe each group’s rehearsal of PowerPoint presentation.

6. Independent practice/closure

Before hearing presentations, jigsaw groups to listen to “before” podcasts of other groups. While listening to another group’s podcast, each student should note three things the reporting group thinks they already know and three things they should learn. Students then return to their own original groups and share their notes from the podcasts.

All groups present their PowerPoints. Audience checks whether presentations address notes from podcast. If any questions are not answered, check the group’s wiki and “after” podcast.

Assessment Plan/Evaluation:

Students will receive several grades for this activity.

1. Podcasts – Entire group is graded on this activity. Exemplary podcasts will: discuss all topics listed in the directions; be the specified length (within 20 seconds either way); be clear enough for easy understanding; be completed before the deadline and linked from the class blog.

2. PowerPoint presentations – Students are graded individually on this activity according to the public speaking rubric, which they have already received for their previous speeches.

3. Wiki – Entire group is graded on this activity, and a rubric will be provided. Exemplary wikis will: be logically divided into multiple pages; include detailed information on the topics listed in the directions; cite multiple sources in correct MLA format; be attractive and uncluttered with consistent formatting; be completed before the deadline and linked from the class blog.

4. Participation – Students are graded individually on this element. Students with exemplary participation will be consistently on task, will collaborate with others in their group to complete all steps of the activity on schedule, will attempt to resolve difficulties within their group, and will notify the teacher promptly if their group cannot resolve difficulties.

5. Note sheet – Students are graded individually on this element. Note sheets should respond to the six items chosen from the “before” podcasts. Exemplary note sheets will be completed for three cultures other than the one the student’s own group researched.

Modifications for special populations:

Special needs will be accommodated partly by assigning students in mixed ability groups. Roles can be assigned within groups based on interest and ability; the only parts every student must do are the note sheet (which can be done in pairs or small groups) and a portion of the PowerPoint presentation.

To further accommodate special needs, PowerPoint presentations can be shorter with fewer and simpler visual aids and greater use of notes allowed.

Advanced students who complete their portion of the project early can be directed to research another element of their group’s country, such as fine arts, sports, or technology, or they may locate or create visual aids for the group to use in their PowerPoint.