Plan and Invitation Heather Coe

Topic: The effect of propaganda in World War II

Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 8th
Tentative Plan: I would implement this project after we had already learned about most of the
necessary points of the War, as well as the types of genres that they may want to incorporate
(poetry, interviews, drama, etc.). The project would take approximately three weeks and would
incorporate various mediums of production (ie hands-on, technology, etc.). Students are required
to produce at least one of their genres using a Web 2.0 tool. Students have the option of working
with ONE other student if they choose. Below is a tentative schedule for the project:
Day One: Students review key ideas, people, movements, events from the War. An
extensive discussion/activity regarding “propaganda” takes place. Together, we note uses
of propaganda in the 21st century.
Day Two: Introduce the project to the students. Show them examples of other
multigenre reports. Give them their project guide that has in it a timeline with checkpoints,
online/print resources, and rubric. Go over possible topics of interest and brainstorm more.
Students begin to decide on their ideas. Homework: Figure out what your topic will be.
Day Three: Provide students with concept maps that allow them to brainstorm their
chosen topic. What do they know? What do they want to know? How are they going to
find out? What genres are they considering for use?
Day Four: Review and edit concept maps with individual students, while the rest of the
class makes a plan for their library time (will they be using books, magazines, computer
lab, etc.) Checkpoint.
Day Five: Media Center/Computer Lab. With their concept maps and project guides, the
students begin their research with the help of me and the media center specialist.
Day Six: Teach/Implement the notecard/concept/picture idea so that they are just writing
down sentences verbatim without comprehension. Students write down
concepts/events/ideas/information that they gather with the source and represent the
information on the back with pictures.
Day Seven: Research Day. Checkpoint.
Day Eight: Research Day.
Day Nine: Research/Work on genres day.
Day Ten: Research/Work day. Checkpoint.
Day Eleven: Work on Genres.
Day Twelve: Workday (last day for computer lab)
Day Thirteen: Workday. Checkpoint.
Day Fourteen: Workday/Practice presentation
Day Fifteen: Present Projects. Final Checkpoint.
Plan and Invitation Heather Coe

Invitation to all Students from Ms. Grant:

You are invited to complete a “Propaganda in World War II” multigenre

project. This project follows our initial study of World War II (Causes, U.S.
Entry, Key Countries, Battles, Genocide, and basic propaganda). Now, you
will increase your knowledge of the War by examining how propaganda
affected people, places, and events during the War.

The following is a list of possible topics for you to explore:

In Germany:
Propaganda for the Nazi Cause
Hitler’s use of propaganda to get elected
Propaganda for the military
Propaganda against the United States/Allies
Propaganda against the Jews
Propaganda against the Gypsies
Propangada against the Disabled
Propaganda against people of color
Propaganda in Children’s Literature
Media/News propaganda in Germany
German Propaganda in Movies/Songs
Propaganda in art and on posters
In the U.S.:
United States propaganda in the media
U.S. propaganda in movies/music/television
U.S. propaganda in art
Propaganda used by Roosevelt

**Please note that some of these areas of research may overlap

Tentative Research Guide:

You will choose four different genres for your project. Listed below are suggested genres that
you may choose. A minimum of five facts will be presented in each selected genre. Make sure
the genres work best for the information you want to present. Your research project must flow
from one page to the next; making it an integrated project based on the topic you have chosen.
Genre Possibilities: 1) Newspaper feature story or newspaper obituary; 2) Interview of a main
character; 3) Narrative story, descriptive paragraph, or one-page essay; 4) Informational poem; 5)
Formal letter; 6) Trivia game; 7) Timeline; 8) Diary entry; 9) Song or a skit; 10) Birth
certificate/Death certificate; 11) Sales Receipt; 12) Map; 13)Video (Animoto/Movie Maker); 14)
Glog writing; 15)Blog Posting; 16) Profile (Facebook); 17)Voicethread; 18)Comic Strip;
19)Advertisements; 18)Twitter Conversation; or, 18) Any other teacher-approved genre that is
not on the list.

You may use various computer programs to assist you with the research and writing of the
project. Suggestions are: Microsoft Publisher to create a newsletter or poster, Microsoft Word to
 Plan and Invitation Heather Coe

write essays, diary entries, timeline etc., and paint software to create images. For online
productions, please look at all of the resources listed under our “Classroom Resources” link on
our Wikispace page. As you write the project, use the rubric to guide your work. It will be used
to determine your final grade. When putting your project together:

• Create a table of contents. List the title of each genre and the genre type.
• List the references you used. This would include Internet (URL’s) addresses, nonfiction
books, trade books, magazines, and first person interviews.
• Create a cover for your project with the title and illustrate it either by hand or using a
computer tool. Only student-generated art will be accepted. Don’t plagiarize! Artwork is another
type of genre (a picture is often worth a 1,000 words!)
• You MUST revise and edit your project. Your grade depends on how well you follow the
criteria listed in the rubric.
• You need to include a 1-2 page reflection in which you reflect on any part of the
assignment (what you learned; what surprised you; your favorite part; etc.)
• For each genre that you create, you need to create a “rationale card” that explains why you
chose the genre and how you plan to incorporate it. Look at my example bellow:

Example Rationale Card:

Rationale for Two Voice Poetry Selection as a Genre:
This genre allowed me to express two different points-of-view within one document
I had to thoroughly research these two people and their role in the War to properly make this
poem.
My primary resources were nonfiction books about the War and/or these people.
Within the poem, I have included lots of biographical information about these people.

There will be various checkpoints throughout the project. You need to be on

schedule or your grade will suffer. You will receive a quiz grade for each
checkpoint. The following is a tentative schedule for the project:
Plan and Invitation Heather Coe

Day One: We will review key ideas, people, movements, events from the War. An
extensive discussion/activity regarding “propaganda” takes place. Together, we note uses
of propaganda in the 21st century.
Day Two: I will introduce the project to you. We will look at examples of other
multigenre reports. I will pass out your project guide that has a timeline with checkpoints,
online/print resources, and rubric. We will discuss possible topics of interest that I listed
and brainstorm more. Today, you begin to decide on your idea. Homework: Figure out
what your topic will be.
Day Three: Use your concept maps to brainstorm your chosen topic. What do you
already know? What do you want to know? How are you going to find out? What genres
are you considering for use?
Day Four: I will review and edit your concept maps with you. When you’re not working
with me, you will be making a plan for your library time (you may use books, magazines,
computer lab, etc.) Checkpoint.
Day Five: Media Center/Computer Lab. With your concept maps and project guides, you
begin their research with the help of me and the media center specialist.
Day Six: You will learn a new way to do notecards. The notecard/concept/picture idea
allows you to write down concepts/events/ideas/information that you gather, along with the
source, and then you represent the information on the back with pictures.
Day Seven: Research Day. Checkpoint.
Day Eight: Research Day.
Day Nine: Research/Work on genres day.
Day Ten: Research/Work day. Checkpoint.
Day Eleven: Work on Genres.
Day Twelve: Workday (last day for computer lab)
Day Thirteen: Workday. Checkpoint.
Day Fourteen: Workday/Practice presentation
Day Fifteen: Present Projects. Final Checkpoint.

I based part of the information from my project guide from:

Painter, D. (2009). Providing Differentiated Learning Experiences through Multigenre Projects.
Intervention in School and Clinic, 44(5), 288-293. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Your multigenre paper is worth 150 total points. Below is the rubric for this
assignment.
Plan and Invitation Heather Coe

100 points points 50 points 25 points

Genres (25 You had at You had at You had at You had at
points each) least 4 genres least 3 genres least 2 genres least 1 genre
represented in that that that
your paper; represented represented represented
each genre and reflected and reflected and reflected
carefully your research your research your research
represented on the topic on the topic on the topic
and reflected
your research
on the topic

20 points 15 points 4-12 points 0 points

Table of You had a table You did a good You did not You did not
Contents of job including a include the include any of
contents;your table of items that I the three
Rationale Card reflection truly contents; Your asked you to,
reflects the reflection or if did, you
Reflection process you covered the did not put
went through basic forth 100 %
Overall during this information effort
presentation project; Your (enough to get
rationale cards the job done);
were done You
correctly; The presentation
presentation of was fine
your project
was excellent

10 points 8 points 6 points 4 points

References You used at You used at You used at You used at

least 4 sources least 3 sources least 2 sources least 1 source

20 points 15 points 10 points 5 points

Use of Genres You used at You used at You used at You used at
least 4 different least 3 different least 2 different least 1 genre
genres genres genres