The Power of Awareness

My project proposal is The Power of Awareness; a problem-based and technology integration

that focuses on the racial discrimination and injustices during the 1960s in the novel ​To Kill a

Mockingbird.​ Although students will be looking for certain references that portray racial

discrimination and injustices in the novel, they will also be researching sources that relate to the

topic and essential questions with the support of technology; throughout the project. The Power

of Awareness is a project that not only integrates English content but also includes aspects from

a Historical point of view. Nonetheless, the novel ​To Kill A Mockingbird ​is a novel written in the

1960s when racial discrimination and injustices were prevalent in society. Therefore, students

will be researching sources that further discuss the essential topics.

Applicant and School Narrative

My name is Jennifer Caro and I am a first-year High School English teacher at Glendale

High School. Ever since I was a young girl, I was always fond of reading and writing. I always

enjoyed reading books that would teach me lessons, speak to me on a profound level, or have an

impact on my life. As a ninth-grade teacher, I find myself wanting my ninth-grade students to

have the opportunity to read in my classroom the novel ​To Kill a Mockingbird ​by Harper Lee.

The moment I read the novel ​To Kill a Mockingbird​, I was fascinated by the characters, the

themes, and the feeling that the novel creates upon readers. As a teacher, I instantly knew that

my students had to have the chance to experience their very own journey with the novel and

discover their own interpretations of the novel in general. Therefore, I have revolved my project

to take a look at some of the important themes and aspects that the novel portrays. Throughout
the novel, there are various problems in the society that Harper Lee creates, however, the

problems in the book are a reflection of the time period during the 1960s.

My personal belief in problem-based learning projects is that it is a beneficial experience

for the student and the teacher. The students are able to solve an issue or problem in their school

or community and relate it to the content area. Specifically, students are able to acquire

problem-based learning skills, increase student engagement, communication, and participation

skills. Problem- based learning skills are important because students are able to identify a

problem and come up with solutions that can create change for an issue, and repeat the same

process for other occasions. The increase in student engagement is vital for these projects

because the more that students are interested and making connections, the more likely that

students are going to remember the information that they are learning. As for communication and

participation skills, these skills can establish throughout the project and pass over to other

activities since students are commonly working and discussing with their peers throughout the

project. Students can become confident in the classroom, which consequently, results in students

not being afraid to speak up about something and participate more during class.

In order to incorporate technology into this project, I will be having students view digital

images, research their own sources with Chromebooks, and have meaningful conversations with

their peers on Padlet and Jamboard. These applications will be helpful so that students can

express their thinking and expand on their background knowledge of racial discrimination and

injustices during the 1960s. Although racial discrimination and injustices were prevalent in the

1960s, students will also be connecting to how such issues are still occurring today. Thus, my

most recent technology integration within my classroom for lessons and projects has been
throughout the pandemic in which I try my best to create a balance of technology for online

classes.