Discussion:1.The online format I used for this unit was a webpage. The page is multifacetedand serves many purposes. With this type of assignment there is a lot of work and thoughtthat goes into each component. With that being said, each individual page of my websiteis intended for a different audience. Beginning with the Unit Overview, I believe thatwhat is included on this page is intended for myself and for the administration of theschool. The information contained on this page is not necessary for the students to view.Throughout the course of the unit they’ll gather more of an understanding of what myoverall goals and objectives are, but initially, I believe that this information is for myself and for my administration. I also intended for the 3 daily lesson plans to work as an aidfor myself as I teach those individual class periods. I have taken the time to write out a brief dialogue for the individual days that will help refocus my thinking if I get ahead of myself while I’m teaching. Again, I do not feel the students need to be familiar with theindividual lesson plans, as they’re going to be experiencing what is on them, anyway.The aspects of my website that I do feel are student appropriate are the calendar and the final assignment page. The calendar, at the moment, has daily objectives and a brief rundown of what I have planned for the day. If I was to duplicate this for mystudents, I would simply remove the daily objectives and provide the students with thecalendar with the daily activities. This is something that I might post in the room to keepthe students and myself on track. Finally, the final assessment was written specifically asa handout for the students. It explicitly talks about what their assignment is, what Iexpect, and individual due dates. Anyone is free to look at this sheet, but the audience Ihad in mind when I wrote it, was my students.Finally, the last component of my website is this discussion section. While it’s anarea to reflect on my unit and look at all of the different elements, the information I provide here is specifically for you. I hope that I am able to express my ideas andthoughts behind what I did in a clear and concise fashion. The goal is for you tounderstand every thought that I had while I worked through this unit.2. This lesson focused on two different aspects of multiliteracies: multi-modes andmultiple intelligences. To be more specific, I’ll discuss the multi-modes first. Throughoutthe unit, I have asked the students to research someone of their choosing and begin theinitial research project by reading an autobiography. Once they have finished, they aregiven the freedom to research in whichever fashion they see fit based on F=A+P. I’minstilling in my students the responsibility to research in an appropriate fashion.Depending on who they have chosen to take a closer look at, they have the opportunity toconduct their research in an multi-mode fashion: through Internet articles, magazines, journals, TV, film, books, etc. The list is endless. It is up to the students to choosewhichever best fits their purposes of research.The second attempt at multiliteracies is through acknowledging the students’multiple intelligences. In the final assignment sheet the students are asked to compile theresearch that they have conducted over the course of the unit and display it in a fashion,that again, is appropriate for F=A+P. There are multiple ideas and examples given on thechart, where the students are asked to pick one article from each column. The threecolumns are entitled: Written, Visual and Technology. Based on what the students feel themost comfortable with and what they deem most appropriate for their research, they can
utilize their skills and produce a quality product while still expressing what they havelearned throughout the unit.3.For this unit, I am asking my students to research someone that they are interestedin, have been inspired by, or someone that has impacted their lives, whether positively or negatively. This is the inquiry aspect of the unit. From this point, the students conductresearch and produce three articles of research from the chart I have provided for them.One of the main concepts that I revisit numerous times throughout the unit isForm=Audience+Purpose. The research and final products that the students produce areall based on the students’ genuine understanding of this concept. It is approached at the beginning of the unit and revisited in grave detail as we progress through the research process. For myself, and for my students, this is the over-arching theme of the entire unit.Revisiting this concept for myself, personally, helps to ground my thinking and see wherethe students are at with this over-arching concept. I am able to reflect on how the studentscomprehend the different elements of the unit and what they are doing in the class andgage how I will approach the next day’s lessons.4. There are a number of activities that account for procedural knowledgethroughout this unit. Even though my context is based on an eleventh grade classroom,and the students
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have knowledge of how to write a research paper and thecomponents involved, I still spend a significant time revisiting these themes and ideas.The students are working independently throughout this unit on conducting their researchand learning the processes that I have presented and incorporated into the daily lessons.The students are being taught how to construct a thesis statement and how to properlycite their research based on MLA citation. Revisiting F=A+P, I hammer this concept intothe students time and again over the course of the unit. The students are able to, at leastwith F=A+P, go back and review the handout that I have given them and go through the process step-by-step when they are struggling or having issues with this idea.My overall goals are concise but loaded with a lot of important ideas andconcepts. Even though this is starting to sound a bit redundant, one of my overarching,main goals of the unit is: SWBATunderstand the purpose and function of F=A+P. This isaccomplished numerous times throughout the unit, but most specifically on day 11 of theunit. We spend a considerable amount of time breaking down each aspect of form,audience and purpose. In order to guide and scaffold the students and as an aid for myself, I have given the students a handout on rhetorical structures. This helps toreinforce the ideas that they have been exposed to. Another one of my overall goalsstates: SWBAT create multiple pieces of research that are suitable and appropriate for their topic and target audience. This idea is being built from the first day of the unit. Asthe students work through their research, keeping form, audience and purpose in mind,they are asked to choose one article of research from the three columns that I have provided on the final assignment sheet. The students are given multiple opportunities touse the classroom, school and local resources in order to guide and aid their research.5.This unit is interesting in regards to dialogic instruction. I have the students doingquite a bit of independent work including: deciding on a person to research, the research process, the compilation of research with the intent to create a final product, and finally,the Readers’ Theatre presentations are all completed independently. With that being said,I have the students working collaboratively as much as possible, as well. While the
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Multi-Genre Research - Discussion
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