Presentation+to+Staff

__Project-Based Learning__ ** 1. Problem: Consistently, eighth grade students at Vermillion Middle School have scored lowest on Standard 8.R.4.1: "Students can compare and contrast literature from different time periods and cultures dealing with similar themes and conflicts. **

2. Question: How can we read and investigate the similar themes of (a) Education vs. Ignorance; (b ) Bravery vs. Cowardice; and (c) Prejudice/Racism vs. Tolerance in //To Kill a Mockingbird// and various fiction and non-fiction examples of Holocaust literature and historical fiction from the Civil War?

3. Lesson Plans (pre-cursors to the project)

a. Blog b. Webquest [|VMS 8th Grade English]

4. Project options

a. Readers' Theater--students chose areas from novels and created their own scripts. Students performed; one volunteer student recorded the play using the Flip camera.

b. Thematic CD--Students selected songs that applied to the themes, burned a CD, or created a playlist on an MP3, and shared that information with the class.

c. ABC's of ? Power Point--Using Power Point, students created individual slides for each letter of the alphabet. Each slide had to focus on an element of // To Kill a Mockingbird // or the Holocaust.