MODULE LESSONS OVERVIEW

Day of the Dead: Cross-Cultural Connections Designer: Ivana Nazar-Olaciregui Weeks 1-3 Lesson Plans
This first set of lessons will provide students with the technology tools and content knowledge they need to embark in this particular the global project. Lesson 1 (2 blocks) Review of Halloween (your country holiday). History, significance, elements. Lesson 2 (3 blocks) Festivals of the Dead Around the world. Lesson 3 (1 Session) Introduction to the global project What the project is about Objectives Final product Expectations and assessment Procedure Lesson 4 (3 blocks) Computer Lab: Voice Thread using http://voicethread.com, and email practice Lesson 5 (3 blocks) Computer Lab: Videoconferencing practice Individually students will complete a KWL that will then be discussed as a group to create one group KWLA of their death celebration or holiday (Halloween in the case of USA). To prompt the What you know section, I will ask questions such as: Do you know the origins of this holiday? What are its elements? Does it have any important meaning?, why wearing customes? Etc. Students will get a checklist including all activities to complete and products to create. I will have my own copy to track down and continuously assess performance. Students will also use the e-mail I set up for them to communicate with me. There will also be a 10-15 minutes warp up session after each lesson for discussions, questions/ answers, and concerns, and individual orientation It is also important to maintain communication with the other teachers involved in the process. Students will complete their KWL individual chart. Students will create a digital presentation of their choice on the Festivals of the Dead assigned. Students will create a voice thread. This will be used in the following stage of the unit. The students will be provided rubrics to be evaluated. Students will also get a grade for their performance in the video-conference for which they will also have rubrics.

Summary of Lesson Plans

Starting Activity

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

MODULE LESSONS OVERVIEW The e-mail communications will also add up to their grade.

Description of two major assignments

1. Voice Thread: Using the information provided and information obtained through own research students will create a voice thread about Halloween (or the students country festival of dead) in Spanish and English. http://voicethread.com also provides them with a tool to illustrate their voice thread. 2. After conducting the research and communicating with students from Mexico or Guatemala, the different group of students will create a Day of the Dead Altar to display for school. During the visits, students will explain what the significance of the altar and its elements is for the Mexican a Guatemalan Culture. They will also share their experience communicating with students of another culture. The students will have access to the presentations and I will also provide a handout with the content of the presentations. The students will be provided a CD or a thumb drive where they will save their work for the teacher to check for completion and accuracy. I will stay after school a couple of days a week to help students with their content and technology needs. I will enroll the help of the technology or computer teacher to help with the technology. I also have the help of the special education teachers who will assist me in the classroom through co-teaching. Week 4-6 Lesson Plans

Differentiated Instruction: How will you make sure everyone is learning?

Summary of Lesson Plans

During this second stage of the project, students will develop the project by communicating with other students around the world utilizing computer mediating communication, collaboration, and demonstrating their school community what they learn about the Day of the Dead Celebration, and finally by reflecting on their learning process. Lesson 6 (2 blocks) - Introduction to content, group forming, procedures, resources. Lesson 7 (10 blocks) - Global Project Development For the starting activity students will form group and will start working collaborative. They will be introduced to what it means to be a global student and will have the opportunity to discuss their expectations and concerns. Students will also have the opportunity to communicate with students in other countries and will communicate in the both their mother tongue and the language they are learning. Students will get a checklist including all activities to complete and products to create. I will have my own copy to track down and continuously assess performance. Students will also use the e-mail I set up for them to communicate with me. There will also be a 10-15 minutes wrap up session after each lesson or lab session for discussions, questions/ answers, and concerns, and individual orientation It is also important to maintain communication with the other teachers involved in the process.

Starting Activity

Formative Assessment

MODULE LESSONS OVERVIEW

Summative Assessment

Each students checklist and the festival presentations. Students will also provide a final reflection of the learning process that includes a reflection about what they learn about being respectful and aware of other cultures, the benefits of communicating with kids in other countries, and what they like the most about the project and how it can be improved. 1. Video-Conference: Students will have the opportunity to communicate with students from Mexico or Guatemala to discuss and ask questions about the Day of the Dead and Halloween (Or the festival of the dead of the respective country) 2. In groups students will put together an altar. In coordination with other Study Teachers, other groups of students will come to the classroom to see the displays and learn about the Day of the Dead from the students who create the altars. Students will have access to digital as well as in paper technology tutorials as reference. I will stay after school a couple of days a week to help students with their content and technology needs. I will enroll the help of the technology or computer teacher to help with the technology. I also have the help of the special education teachers who will assist me in the classroom through co-teaching.

Description of two major assignments

Differentiated Instruction: How will you make sure everyone is learning?

Summer 2011