Life's Lessons & Affirmations Booklets

Subject:  Communication Arts:  Affirmation Booklets:   A creative booklet made out of a photo album about lessons from and about life using Microsoft Publisher, the Internet, cooperative learning, role playing, interviewing, note taking, and punctuation of dialogue and sources.                                                         

Grade Level:  9

Desired Results

Objectives/Goals

1.          The students will be able to correctly use quotation marks when punctuating spoken and unspoken words in sentences written from interviews.
2.          The students will be able to correctly punctuate quotes from internet sources.
3.          The students will be able to take notes in short interviews.
4.          The students will be able to construct a project using Microsoft Publisher.
5.          The students will conduct an interview of a variety of people ages 1-100.
6.          The students will research and critique affirmations by which they might choose to live their lives, selecting eight they deem the best.
7.          The students will give credit and source for quotes used in their project.
         
Essential Questions

1.          At different ages of life, what lessons do people learn that they feel are the most important?
2.          What behaviors in life do I feel are important for me to remember as I live my life?
3.          What would be a good method for applying these things to my life?


Students will produce an Affirmation Booklet using interviews, Microsoft Publisher, and Internet research.

Evaluation critera
Teacher observations
Interviewee feedbacks
Small group debriefings
Cooperative Learning Group Critiques

Lesson/Learning Activities

Student Prerequisites:  (What student needs to know before beginning):
1.          The students should be able to utilize rules of punctuation such as periods, question marks, exclamation marks, apostrophes, and commas.
2.          The students should be able to utilize general rules of capitalization.
3.          The students should be able to take notes.
4.          The students should be able to follow oral directions when guided through them.
5.          The students should be able to follow written directions.          Instructional Method:  (Steps to implement the lesson.)

1.          Large group instruction
2.          Cooperative Learning:  Jigsaw:  Teaching punctuation for spoken and unspoken words.
3.          Small groups for evaluation of booklet, brainstorming, and role playing.
4.          Modeling of how to conduct a survey correctly and politely.
5.          Guided instruction for using Microsoft  Publisher and Internet search engines.

Student Learning Activities::
1.          Students will use small groups to evaluate and critique several completed Affirmation Booklets.  Each group will then compile a list of guidelines they believe will be necessary to complete this assignment.
2.          Students will use small groups to analyze their guidelines in reference to the official guidelines.  Meeting back with whole class, each group will report their findings and evaluate
3.          Teacher will model the correct way to ask for interviewee’s life lessons.  Then, students will practice these skills in class in small group role playing exercises.
4.          Students will conduct interviews with 15 people of all ages.
5.          In the computer lab, students will be guided through Microsoft Publisher for this assignment and given time to practice.  A direction sheet for the steps they will need will be distributed for future reference. 
6.          Students will be taught how to utilize a search engine most effectively for this assignment.
7.          Students will execute the correct use of quotation marks, commas, and other necessary mechanics needed in punctuation of spoken and unspoken words as well as quoted material from research.

Materials/Resources
Computers
Printers
Microsoft Publisher
Internet
Colored paper
Glue
Felt markers, colored pencils, crayons
Scissors-plain and fancy edged
Construction paper
Card stock
Stamps and ink
Stickers
Paint
Paint brushes


Approximate number of days/lessons:  2-3 weeks

Accommodations:
After school tutoring and guided instruction.

Remediation:
Guided practice
Tutoring
Extensions
Students will share their booklets with friends and family at Author’s Night.

Reflections:  (After I taught this, how successful was the lesson?  What do I need to change or keep the same?)

            I have used this assignment for six years and have modified it several times.  Therefore, I feel it is finally in a form that I can keep using.  It aligns with the GLE’s and the students love completing the project.  It is a great opportunity to use our community as a resource in the classroom as well.  I will be happy to e-mail an interested teacher the Student guidelines, instructions,& interview sheets, Microsoft Publisher instructions along with the grading guide if they will contact me at [e-mail]