SEC 352: Lesson Plan # 4 “The Blue People”

Subject: English 1

Grades: 9th grade

Time: Three Days—Each class lasts 90 minutes

Number of students: 24

Diversity of students: 12 females: 5 African Americans, 5 Caucasian, 2 Hispanic

12 males: 5 Caucasian, 6 African Americans, 1 Hispanic

Diversity of Classroom/Special needs focus: The class needs to learn about other nationalities and ethnic groups outside of their neighborhoods. The students need to realize that diversity can be found in any shape, form, or color.

Content:

Core Content Used: RD-H-2.0.8 Use text features (illustrations, charts etc.) to enhance understanding of a passage. RD-H-2.0.13 Analyze the content as it applies to students’ lives and/or real world issues. RD-H-x0.6 Paraphrase important parts of a passage. SS-H-2.1.1

Philosophy, religion, values, technology, and behavior patterns help define culture. SS-H-2.3.1

Various human needs are met through interaction in social institutions (family, religion, education, government, economy).

Learning Goals and Academic Expectations: 6.3 Students expand their understanding of existing knowledge by making connections with new knowledge, skills, and experiences. 4.2 Students use productive team membership skills. 2.37 Students display skills and work habits that lead to success in future schooling and work. 2.6 Students understand how living and nonliving things change over time and the factors that influence changes. 1.12 Students speak using appropriate form, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.

New Teacher Standards: 2.1 Communicated with and challenges students in a positive and support manner. 9.9 Designs lessons that use technology to address diverse student needs. 9.14 Uses computers and other technology for individual, small group, and large group learning activities.

Objectives:

1.  Students will develop leadership skills through working in small groups.

2.  Students will exhibit respect for each other through participating in group work including homework and visual aids.

3.  Students will learn to navigate using the Internet to find information crucial to their group assignments.

4.  Students will discover an interesting group of people living in the Appalachian Mountains.

5.  Students will practice learn about geographic locations, what makes people blue, cultures, and genealogy of blue people.

6.  Students will communicate their research to peers through visual aids and good public speaking techniques.

7.  Students will display their responsibility through staying on task while working with their group and making sure the presentation is a success.

8.  Students will value class time to work on project.

9.  Students will gain respect for different cultures.

10.  Students will understand why people can be blue by listening or researching the rare disease that causes the discoloration.

11.  Students will learn about the geographic location of Troublesome Creek and Breathitt County, KY.

12.  Students will understand the importance of genealogy as a method of medical research and family history.

13.  Students will analyze the Blue People and use their critical thinking skills to tell the class why culture was and is important to the people. (Inbreeding, hermits, etc).

14.  Students will relate to the hardships people endure because they are different.

15.  Students will connect the lesson with other ethnic groups struggling with their race.

Rationale: This lesson is designed to encourage students to learn about diverse people. There are many in the world, even in the same state. Through cooperative learning, students will advance their technological skills through researching using the Internet to find out everything they can about the Blue People of Troublesome Creek. Then, the groups will present research on the topic they have been assigned by using visual aides and good speaking techniques.

Activity:

1.  Students will be divided into groups by drawing a color out of a hat. The blue team will research the Blue people and their culture. The red team will research the disease that made them blue and the solution to the problem. The green team will research Breathitt County and the Troublesome Creek area. The yellow team will research the genealogy of the Blue people and share interesting stories and pictures involving the people they have researched.

2.  Students will be given a rubric for their activities.

3.  Students will be instructed to use classroom computers during the class time for research; however, it is encouraged each student do extra research on their own time.

4.  Groups should make colorful copies of any pictures they print off the Internet unless the picture is intended to be black and white. Black and white pictures will be found when researching genealogy.

5.  Students should use display boards or poster boards to display information. Any form of visual aids will be sufficient as long as they benefit the class.

6.  Students will be encouraged to use www.google.com or www.yahoo.com because they contain the most material on the blue people.

7.  Students will gather information for 2 days. The third day will be used to present the information to the class.

Strategies:

1.  The teacher will make color-coded teams by allowing students to draw colors for group assignments.

2.  The teacher will monitor all activity on the Internet while students research their topics.

3.  The teacher will facilitate the groups, making sure everyone is on task.

4.  The teacher will offer help in finding certain information involving group projects.

5.  The teacher will provide students will poster board to display their pictures and research.

6.  The teacher will allow students to use or borrow any art supplies needed to improve the quality of the presentation.

7.  The teacher will challenge students to find all information possible on the Blue People of Troublesome Creek.

8.  The teacher will encourage students to discuss what they are going to present with other groups to make sure there is not a repetition of information.

9.  The teacher will encourage students to be creative by using original ideas for their visual aids and their presentations.

10.  The teacher will share any additional information with the class that they might have missed or could not find.

Resources and materials:

Art Supplies

Poster Board

Fully functioning Computers and printers

Colorful Cards for students to draw their groups

Anything the class needs to use visual aids (i.e. Overheads, projectors, etc).

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on the respect and responsibility they display for their group by staying on task or doing homework.

Students will be assessed on their ability to navigate the Internet and find information to present to the class.

Students will be assessed on their use of visual aids.

Students will be assessed on their communication skills.

Groups will be assessed according to the members’ awareness of cultural norms/expectations and is able to communicate effectively according to the topics.

Groups will be assessing according to their ability to judge the appropriateness/in appropriateness of their communication with different people in their lives.

Groups will be assessed on their ability to use appropriate conversation for the people and situation involved.

Group Activity on The Blue People

Name: ______
Date : ______/ Multiply each score by 5
Criteria / Points
1 / 2 / 3 / 4
RESPECT / Students within the group did not display respect for each other by doing homework, attending class, or staying on task. / Most members of the group did not respect their peers by not participating in group work, doing homework, or staying on task. / Students displayed respect most of the time. Occasionally, students forgot to help to do their homework, stay on task, or did not attend class. / Students displayed respect for their peers through sharing their research, doing group assignments, attending class, and staying on task. / ____
INTERNET RESEARCH / Students did not use appropriate or relevant information. Students did not use the Internet properly, seek help, or ask questions about the assignment. Websites were not cited. / Group did not use the internet for research most of the time. More information could have been found on the group's topic. The material found was relevant most of the time; however, not websites were cited. / Group used the internet effectively most of the time, asked questions about assignment, and found relevant information to the topic given. More information could have been found. Cited only a few websites used. / Students found relevant information to share with the class. Students stated the Website and search engine they used to find information. The information gave great detail about the topic given. / ____
PRESENTATION / Students did not use a visual aid. No smooth transitions between parts. Four of more members of the group did not speak. Poor body language, eye contact or diction. All members did not participate in presentation. / Students used a poor visual aid that did not show the creativity of the group. Few smooth transitions. Two or more students did not participate in presentation. Body language, eye contact, and diction could have been better. / Students presented a visual aid with beneficial information. Transitions were smooth most of the time. Some students used body language, eye contact, and appropriate diction while others did not. / Students presented a visual aid that was effective for the class. All members of the group share information with the class. Group had smooth transitions between parts. Excellent body language, eye contact, and diction. / ____
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60 pts. possible / Total----> / ____
Teacher Comments: