Kelly+Roth+Social8+-+Current+Events

Jason Schellenberg Edited This Wiki using red text You will need the following instructional package to teach this lesson: = Grade 8 Social Studies = 2- 50 minutes classes

= Current Event Guided Research and Blog Entry = Using the Internet as a means of learning about current events is a great way to fulfill both an essential part of the grade 8 social studies curriculum and at the same time covering practical ICT outcomes. The Internet provides students with the opportunity to research current events at a local, national, and international level with breaking news articles, news clips, and up to date podcasts, keeping students informed of what is taking place in their world.
 * Abstract: **

= Social outcomes = - analyze the validity of information based on context, bias, source, objectivity, evidence and reliability to broaden understanding of a topic or an issue - demonstrate the ability to analyze local and current affairs ** 8.S.4 demonstrate skills of decision making and problem solving: ** - use networks to brainstorm, plan and share ideas with group members ** 8.S.7 apply the research process: ** - draw conclusions based upon research and evidence - organize and synthesize researched information - practice the responsible and ethical use of information and technology - analyze and synthesize information to create a product - access and retrieve information through the electronic network ** 8.S.8 demonstrate skills of oral, written and visual literacy: ** - communicate in a persuasive and engaging manner through speeches, multimedia presentations and written and oral reports, taking particular audiences and purposes into consideration - offer reasoned comments related to a topic of discussion
 * 8.S.1 develop skills of critical thinking and creative thinking: **

= ICT Outcomes = ** C1 **** Students will access, use and communicate information from a variety of technologies ** ** C.3 - Students will critically assess information accessed through the use of a variety of technologies. **  3.1 ||  evaluate the authority and reliability of electronic sources || 3.2 ||  evaluate the relevance of electronically accessed information to a particular topic || 2.1 use a variety of technologies to organize and synthesize researched information 2.2 use selected presentation tools to demonstrate connections among various pieces of information ** F6 **** Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of the operating skills required in a variety of technologies. ** 1.1 perform basic computer operations, which may vary by environment, including powering up, inserting disks, moving the cursor, clicking on an icon, using pull-down menus, executing programs, saving files, retrieving files, printing, ejecting disks and powering down **F.3 - Students will demonstrate a moral and ethical approach to the use of technology.** 3.3 || understand the need for copyright legislation || 3.4 || cite sources when using copyright and/or public domain material ||
 * 2.1 ** access and retrieve appropriate information from the Internet by using a specific search path or from given uniform resource locations (URLs)
 * 2.2 ** organize information gathered from the Internet, or an electronic source, by selecting and recording the data in logical files or categories; and by communicating effectively, through appropriate forms, such as speeches, reports and multimedia presentations, applying information technologies that serve particular audience and purposes
 * C7 Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge and meaning. **

**P1 Students will compose, revise and edit text. ** 2.1 create and revise original text to communicate and demonstrate understanding of forms and techniques 2.2 edit and format text to clarify and enhance meaning, using such word processing features as the thesaurus, find/change, text alignment, font size and font style 3.1 communicate with a targeted audience, within a controlled environment, by using such communication technologies as email and web browsers Objectives: Students will: - identify a national, or international current event - demonstrate an understanding of the event - analyze how the current event affects his or her own worldview - apply appropriate computer literacy skills -create a blog entry and significant reply -students will demonstrate an ability to find reliable and credible internet sources -students will evaluate the credibility of internet sources by comparing mulitple sites Lesson One: 50 minutes
 * 2.3 convert digital text files by opening and saving them as different file types **
 * P6 Students will use technology for communication with others. **
 * Time || Procedure || Teacher Activity || Student Activity || Resources ||

5 minutes

5 minutes

30 –35 minutes

5 minutes

|| Written on the board prior to class -research -summarize -analyze -publish -comment

Introduction to the lesson

Pre-research

Research

Sponge : Summarize

Closure || 

- In today’s lesson you will be responsible for finding and researching a national, or international current event using the Internet - Once you have found an article that both affects your worldview and interests you, you will use Microsoft Word to type up one paragraph summarizing the article. - In a second paragraph you will discuss how the current event that you have chosen affects your worldview. - Students will also find another internet article written on the same subject but from another source. Students should briefly comment on whether this article further verifies information they found in the first article or if their is a contradiction of "facts". - Lastly, you will be responsible for copying and pasting your paragraphs on your class blog site so that each member of the class can be informed of the event, and add a comment on your report of the event. ** -  Are there any questions? **

- Before leaving for the computer lab, supply students with an assignment description package that contains the instructions for the assignment. Instructions will be given which guide students in their efforts to find reliable internet sources (e.g. "what does a reliable site look like", and "who is a reliable site written by") - Read through the Assignment Description - **Can anyone remind the class of the first thing you will need to do for this assignment? **

- **Can someone tell the class what you will do when you have found a current event of interest? **

- Proceed to the computer lab in an orderly fashion

- Walk around computer room monitoring progress and answering questions - If students desire to browse other internet sites for current events they must receive teacher approval

- Open a Word document and proceed summarizing current event article in one paragraph (6-10 sentences)

- Get Class attention/flicker lights - Announcements: o Bookmark your article by going to the top menu bar under **Favorites** and click on **Add Favorites** o Save any work you have done in Microsoft Word by saving it to your file o Log off of computer/push chairs in  o  Next class we will meet in the computer lab and you can continue your research and paragraphs.

|| - view agenda on the board

- listen carefully to agenda

- listen carefully for instructions

- look over websites

- listen

- search recommended websites for an article that affects our worldview and interests us. - summarize event in a paragraph - answer: How does this event affect my worldview?

- browse recommended Internet sites for current events of interest and relevance to their own worldviews

-write one paragraph summarizing the current event

-listen/pay attention || - white board - white board pen - a write up on assignment instructions and expectations complete with rubric - a list of recommended websites -computers with Internet access and Microsoft Word.

|| Lesson Two: 50 minutes


 * 5 minutes

30-40 minutes

|| Introduction

Research

Summarize Event

Analyze

Publish

Sponge

Closure || - Recap the assignment by briefly rereading the assignment outline - Take an inventory of how many students have current event articles from the websites to report on. (Record on class list those who have found an article)

- **Does anyone have any questions or concerns about the assignment? **

- If students desire to browse other internet sites for current events they must receive teacher approval - Walk around computer room monitoring progress and answering questions

- Open a Word document and proceed summarizing current event article in one paragraph (6-10 sentences)

- Answer the question: **How does the current event you chose affect your worldview?**

- Remind students: copy and paste your word document onto your class blog - Make sure that students have properly cited the sources they used. They should include a properly formated citation which references the article and website that they found.

- You can work on sprucing up your blog by adding appropriate pictures from Google images or editing your profile

- Get class attention/flicker lights - Take an inventory of progress o How many people have finished both paragraphs and published? o How many people are not finished the assignment? - The rest of the assignment is for homework so if you are not done you will need to email your Word document to your self in order to access it from your home computer. - Any questions? - Log out of computers/push in chairs/ tidy up station

For homework: - By the end of the week you must comment on your partner’s current event blog. - You can comment by: o Asking relevant questions that will stimulate possible discussion o You can make in sites on the event o You can compare the event to a previous event that you have encountered o You can make speculations about how the event will change your future. - Your comment should be at least 5-8 sentences in length. || - listen to recap and follow on assignment write up sheet - raise hand if completed research - ask relevant questions about assignment

- browse recommended Internet sites for current events of interest and relevance to their own worldviews

- summarize current event of choice in a paragraph

- analyze current event in a paragraph

- publish their work on their class blog

- listen carefully - answer questions

- take two minutes to email their work to themselves

-tidy up stations -log out of computer

|| - each student will need a blog site. www.blogger .com

- copies of assignment instructions

- computers with Internet access and Microsoft Word program -

|| **Assessment:**

Students will be evaluated on the following criteria: 1. Whether they were able to identify a national, or international current event 2. Their demonstration of a knowledge and understanding of the current event through their summary paragraph 3. Their analysis of how the current event affected his/her worldview 4. Their ability to properly post their information to the blog 5. The quality and significance of their reply 6. Proper citation of internet sources used