Unit Framework- Email the teacher
Title: Sullivan Newspaper
Subject and Level - Integrated / 4th Grade
Learner Description - Two 4th grade classrooms at Sullivan School, which is located in Prospect Heights, IL, a northwest suburb of Chicago will participate in this project. During the course of this unit, the students will join various committees to help with the completion of the paper.
Overview - Brief description of the unit
The students will be designing a newspaper, interviewing, writing articles, doing research, and using various technology.
What will be taught
Students will be taught the components of a newspaper, interviewing skills, editing, and how to use new technology. They will also experience graphic design, creatively displaying information and deadlines. A local reporter will be asked to visit to explain his job.
How will it be taught?
Students will have access to a variety of newspapers and other periodicals. They will be taught through a variety of strategies:
• direct instruction
• peer editing
• observation
• cooperative groups
• modeling
• experimentation
What will the students learn?
Students will examine various newspapers to determine the different components. Students will brainstorm a name for their newspaper and decide which features their newspaper will include. Students will sign up for a role in creating the newspaper based on their interests. They will work cooperatively in their groups to complete their section of the newspaper.
Rationale -
Why would we teach this unit?
Our school does not have a newspaper, and the newspaper is an important form of communication in our society. It will provide students with an opportunity to use various writing styles. (This is a practical application of the ISAT requirements.) Students will learn interviewing skills, writing skills, and skills involved with accessing and using information.
Engaged Learning Indicators
Vision of Learning:
*Responsible for learning
*Strategic
*Energized by learning
*Collaborative
Tasks -
*Authentic
*Challenging
*Multidisciplinary
Assessment -
* Performance-based
* Generative
* Seamless and ongoing
* Equitable
Instructional Model -
* Generative
* Interactive
Learning Context -
* Collaborative
* Knowledge building
* Empathetic
Grouping-
* Heterogeneous
* Equitable
* Flexible
Teacher Roles are:
* Facilitator
* Guide
* Co-learner/co-investigator
Student Roles
* Explorer
* Cognitive apprentice
* Teacher
* Producer
Why is technology an important component of this unit?
* Learn how to use the digital video camera and digital camera
* Use word processing for a purpose
* Use technology to enhance presentations.
Why is this project authentic / meaningful, and challenging for students?
The students will learn more about the people and events that make up Sullivan School, and feel a sense of pride in their school. They will be selecting topics for the newspaper that are meaningful and important to them. By learning about the components of newspapers, they will be challenged to create their own newspaper features.
Goals - Content, Cognitive and Social
What new knowledge do we expect the students to gain?
• Students will develop research skills using books and technology.
• Students will develop peer- and self assessment skills through the use of
debriefing at the end of group work time, and developing a class produced rubric.
• Students will learn about the sections and features in a newspaper.
• Students will learn to write for a specific audience.
• Students will learn the importance of reporting information correctly.
• Students will learn how to write a business letter.
• Students will learn to communicate through e-mail.
• Students will organize materials and put them together in a constructive format.
• Students will practice editing skills - on paper and video camera.
• Students will interact with peers.
• Students will use the telephone.
• Students will learn the importance of communication.
• Students will learn the importance of a deadline.
• Students will learn point of view, objectivity, and editorial perspectives.
What state standards does the unit address?
LANGUAGE ARTS
Goal 1 - Read with understanding and fluency
Goal 3 - Write to communicate for a variety of purposes
Goal 4 - Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations
Goal 5 - Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information
MATH
Goal 6 - Demonstrate and apply a knowledge and sense of numbers including numeration and operations, patterns, ratios and proportions.
SCIENCE
Goal 13 - Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH
Goal 24 - Promote and enhance health and well-being through the use of effective communication and decision making skills.
FINE ARTS
Goal 26 - Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.
Learning Activities
The activities will be determined by the direction the students will take with the project.
• The students will learn the parts of a newspaper by examining
• The students will brainstorm topics to be included in the newspaper.
• The students will use their literacy skills to write and construct a newspaper.
Student Assessment-
The newspaper will be the ultimate assessment.
• All the letters the students write, phone scripts, articles, etc. will be evaluated.
• As a group, students will formulate their own rubrics to assess their performance.
• We will use observations, portfolios, projects, paper and pencil activities, student self assessments and peer assessments.
• Students will create a writing rubric.
• There will be a review committee to decide what will go in the final edition of the newspaper.
Resources
We will need various newspapers for the students to examine.
We will use the Daily Herald and Pioneer Press as sources of information: reporters and printers.
We will use e-mail, phones, the copy machine, internet, the video camera, scanner, computers, various software, laminator, and Digital camera.
We will examine other schools that use newspapers.
We will use students, teachers, and administrators to help us.
Management
The students will divide themselves into groups. We will use the library for whole group instruction; the classrooms and computer lab for group work. The equipment will be kept in the proper storage location. They will work wherever there is available space and staff will be available to help. Through the TIP program, additional help will be provided.
What was effective?
What wasn't effective?
The students in our debriefing session said they found these things to be effective:
The students in our de-briefing session said that they found it difficult to stay on top of current news.
What would we do differently next time?