"The Singer,the Band
orthe Musician
Whom I admire"
NBA Online Course
Instructor: Adele Raemer
Authors: Anat Bouskila
Mistana Hornung
Date Of Presentation: April 25 , 2006
Table of contents
Introduction……………………………………………….3
Template for Designing Project Work………………….5
A Learner's Description Of The Project Assignment..10
A letter to the students…………………………………..11
A letter to the parents……………………………………12
Sample activities:
Choosing a Topic…………………………………………13
The interview………………………………………………19
Resource Material on the Internet………………………20
Resource Page for Project Topic – for teacher's use....22
Self Reflection Page………………………………………23
Project Assessment……………………………………….25
Checklists:
Checklist at the start of the project work………………...27
Checklist for final written work…………………………….28
Teacher's checklist for planning project work……………29
Rubric for a Research Project……………………………..31
Final Project Checklist
for the online NBA Course 2005-6………………………...34
INTRODUCTION
The target population of our project is Grade Eleven C group. We chose Music as an umbrella topic since we wanted our students to read, write, research and work on a topic which takes an important part of their lives and makes them happy.
Since we deal with students whose English is not fluent nor easy to deal with, we thought it would be for the best to allow them a platform from which they would feel free to look for information they are interested in or think is important. Moreover, we felt this topic would assist them in the process of making independent decisions regarding content and form.
In the same time, we thought that working on an English project for the first time by looking into the world of a musician whom they admire, would increase their level of interest and eventually would assist us in the process of challenging them into an English work, motivating them into the process of learning English independently and involving them in all aspects of project writing.
Stage two: Describing the project work assignment
Description of the Project Work Assignment
Choose a topic that connects to MUSIC. Choose a band or a singer whose music you like and you want to learn more about. If you wish, you may focus on types of trends in music rather than a specific performer.
Stage three: Choosing tools for assessment
Type of Assessment / Who Assesses
* Rubric / * Self
* Checklist / Peer
Assessment List / * Teacher
Stage four: Mapping out prerequisite skills and knowledge
Targeted Benchmarks and/or Goals
(The list here should mirror the list from the column with the same name from above. Ex: redraft a presentation, using a variety of tools such as a spell checker) / Prerequisite Skills and Knowledge
(Be as specific as you can, including WHICH skills you need to teach/assure the learners control, according to the categories listed below. You may add other categories, if you wish. Ex: Computer skills: teach learner how to use the dictionary and spell checker in WORD ) / Activities
(Specify what activities you will include in the period leading up to the project, that will address the prerequisite skills and knowledge needed to do the project Ex: do activity “Using the Dictionary in WORD”)
S's search the internet to find appropriate information. / Computer / Internet skills: Searching for information on the web.
EFL skills: Skim and scan for information, summarize, record information, writing bibliography.
Enrich vocabulary / -Activities for surfing the net.
-Train session to skim and scan a passage and finally summarize.
-Activity to teach what a bibliography should look like.
Present information taken from different sources.
Design different means for collecting information. / Organizational skills: Use a graphic organizer.
Organize the material.
Putting together information into a finished product.
Plan a presentation
Plan group work ( give tasks to each member of group)
Presentation skills:Summarizing.
Writing a report.
Preparing a presentable product as written and orally.
Computer skills: Use of PowerPoint
Social skills:Working in groups / -Activity to summarize a passage
-Writing activities to practice writing skills.
-Short assignments for group work to teach them to divide into groups and learn how to work together.
-Practice PowerPoint
-Design a slide
Ask and answer questions about general topics. / Presentation skills: Interview skills
Research skills:How to ask a research question.
How to distinguish between useful and non-useful resources.
Brainstorm. / -Activity to create questions for an interview
-Activity to write a research question.
-Class discussion
A Learner's Description of the Project Work Assignment
* A musician (a singer or a band) whose music you love and enjoy listening to as well as want to learn and know more about.
* Group work – you may form groups of 2-3 students in a group.
* Your written presentation should include the following:
a. the musician background and past which have led him/her to his/her current success.
b. a research question which will enable you to "dig" into the musician's musical style and taste and in the same time will help you learn more about his/her character and personality.
* Write a fictitious interview with your star. Feel free to ask all the questions that you have always wanted to. Express your emotions via your questions and in the same time enjoy being "him/her" while giving answers.
* Prepare an oral presentation of your star. Use pictures, discs, video clips or anything else you feel would help you in presenting your star to others and helping them to get to know him/her better.
* Make sure your project includes a clear presentation of your sources – internet, books, discs etc
Dear Students,
Today we are starting to work on our first English Project. Our work will take 4 weeks and you will be asked to hand in your projects on May, 10th. In order to work on this project you will be asked to form a group (2-3 students in each group). As soon as you know who you will be working with, you need to decide who is the musician you want to write your project on (a singer or a band). Once you take your decision, you may start your project following these INSTRUVICE (This is a word which we invented and it combines instruction and some good advice):
Think of a research question which you want to find answers to. Use the activity to practice writing questions.
Use the different sources available at school (the computer room or/and library) to look for relevant information concerning your musician's background, history, personality, character and fame.
Be creative. Use this once in a life time opportunity to become your musician. Step into his/her shoes and implement your creativity into an interview in which you ask questions about whatever interests you concerning your musician. In the same way, let yourself "be" him/her and answer these questions in a fun and creative way.
While working on your project, monitor your progress according to its different components. For example, take a break and check and see if your questions have already been answered, if the information you have been looking for has been found and used, if the person you are writing about has become more real and known to you and your friends.
Do not forget to dress your project up with colorful pictures which will help bring out its beauty.
And most important – ENJOY.
Your English Teachers
Anat and Mistana
תאריך
לכבוד
הורי התלמיד/ה
שלום רב,
בשבוע הקרוב יחלו תלמידי כיתת יא" מב"ר בעבודתם על פרויקט חקר באנגלית. פרויקט זה מורכב משני חלקים, עבודה כתובה (80% ) והצגת העבודה בעל פה ( 20% ) . הפרויקט יתבצע לפי לוח זמנים הנקבע והמתואם עם התלמידים מראש וישתרע לאורך כל החודש הקרוב.
אנו מבקשות לעדכן אתכם בדבר פרטים הכרחיים אלה בכדי שתוכלו להביע התעניינות בתהליך העבודה ואף לסייע לבנכם/בתכם.
במהלך החודש הקרוב , התלמידים שהתחלקו לקבוצות על פי בחירתם האישית, יחלו בעבודתם על פרויקט בנושא מוסיקאי(זמר/זמרת או להקה) שהם מעריצים ואוהבים ורוצים ללמוד יותר על חייו ופועלו.
תהליך העבודה דורש איסוף חומר דרך אתרי האינטרנט, ספרים ודיסקים, ועיבוד החומר בהתאם לשאלות אותן כל קבוצה שואלת ומעוניינת למצוא תשובות.
אנו מבקשות להדגיש שאין בכוונתנו לבקש שתכתבו עבור ילדכם את העבודה, אלא, הביעו את תמיכתכם והתעניינותכם בתהליך, שאלו אותם למשל האים וכיצד מפנים ומיישם בנכם מיומנויות הנדרשות והנרכשות במהלך כתיבת עבודה , ומעל לכל עזרו לנו לתמוך בתהליך חינוכי ולימודי זה שעיקרו הנאה וחדווה שביצירה.
בברכה
ענת ומיסטנה
מורות לאנגלית
* Choosing a Topic
How to Choose Your Topic
Here's now:
You have been asked to prepare a project. The first thing you must do is choose a topic.
There are different ways to choose a topic for a project:
* You choose a topic that interests you. (Follow steps 1-4 below).
* The teacher or class decides on a general area of interest. You or your partner/group chooses a more specific topic within this area of interest. (Follow steps 2-4 below.)
* You choose a topic based on a subject discussed in class or from your course book.
Step 1: Choose an area of interest – make a list of as many areas of interest as you can think of. Choose one area that you would like to do a project on.
Step 2: Brainstorm – Write down as many words as you can think of that are related to the area of interest you have chosen. You can make a list or a mind-map.
Step 3: Narrow the topic – Circle the words you think you would like to focus on in your project. Use the words you have circled to choose a topic.
Step 4: Write questions – Write questions you would like answered about you project.
* Adapted from ECB Project Planner.
Step 1:Choose an area of interest
David and Ronny made a list of as many areas of interest as they could think of. They circled the areas they thought they would like to do a project on.
Animals History ScienceComputers Languages Sports
Dance Literature Television
Education Movies Theatre
Environment Music Travel
Geography People
Now you:
What are you interested in? Circle your areas of interest from the list above or make your own list.
Step 2: Brainstorm
David and Ronny looked at their list and decided to choose "music". They brainstormed and wrote down as many words as they could think of related to music. David made a list and Ronny made a map.
David's list
MUSICType of music
Teenagers
Dance
Fame
Get rich
Celebrities
Pressure
Concerts & performances
Lifestyle
Songs, discs & video clips
Ronny's map
Now you:
Choose your own area of interest. Brainstorm; in your notebook, write down as many words as you can think of related to your choice. Make either a list or a mind-map.
Step 3: Narrow the topic
David and Ronny marked the specific subjects they wanted to focus on for their project. Then they used these words to choose a topic: How does sleep influence teenagers' performance in school?
David's list
MUSICType of music
Teenagers
Dance
Fame
Get rich
Celebrities
Pressure
Concerts & performances
Lifestyle
Songs, discs & video clips
Ronny's map
Step 4: Write questions
David and Ronny wrote questions related to their topic. They will do research to find the answers to these questions:
* What is Madonna's background and biography?
* What is the type and style of Madonna's music?
* How did she change her music style?
* Who helped her get started?
* What do you know about Madonna's life today?
* Which songs are Madonna's most famous ones?
Now you:
Write questions related to your topic.
Sample Activity – The Interview
You are going to interview your musician, an opportunity that you have been waiting for and dreaming about. In this interview, since you get to be in the musician's shoes as well as the interviewer's, you will be able to ask all sorts of questions concerning the musician's personal life, career, background and future plans. In order to be fluent and coherent in your questions you need to remember that each question that you want to be asked should follow this grammatical structure:
Yes / No Question – If the answer to your question starts with yes or no than you need to use the Yes/No questions' structure, which is a question that starts with a helping verb according to its tense. For example you may ask: Do you have any hobbies? Does your husband like your music? Are you working on a new album? Did you sing when you were at school?
Now you: Write a few Yes / No questions that you would want to ask your musician. Please work according to the following structure: Helping verb, Subject, Verb, and Object.
!.______
2.______
3.______
WH Question – When you ask a question that starts with a WH , for example : When, Where, What and Why , or a question that starts with HOW, for example: How or How long , than you should write your questions according to the following structure:
WH, HELPING VERB, SUBJECT, VERB, OBJECT.
For example you may ask: When were you born? Why did you move to New York? How long have you been working on this disc?
Now you: Write a few WH questions that you would want answers to. Please work according to the grammatical structure.
1.______
2.______
3.______
Concerning the content of your questions: Please feel free to be as creative as possible. Use your imagination as well as love to your musician to come up with interesting questions that will make your work enjoyable and fun.
Resource Material on The Internet
While working on your project you will be using the internet in order to find relevant information concerning the musician you are writing about. On this page you will find some helpful sites, in which you can read and learn about your musician and at the same time use the information given within your project. The sites that will expose you to a vast amount of information concerning your musician are:
If you are looking for some more information you can try the following:
If you are still not happy with what you have read about in the different sites, go to the famous web browser Google and do the following:
1. Type in the address window:
2. Type the musician's name and click on "search".
3. Browse through the sites while looking for useful and usable information.
Please remember to keep a record on the following forms of all the sites that you have found useful and decided to use in some way in your project.
How to fill in the resource page:
Name of the site / You can usually find this on the home page of the website if it is not on the page you are accessing.Name of the article / You can also write the web page name here if there is no article name.
Author / Write the author OR contact name of the website OR contact email of the website.
Exact Internet address (URL) / It is recommended that you copy (ctrl + C) and paste (ctrl + V) the web address directly from your browser so as not to make mistakes while copying.
Date article was accessed / It is important to write down the exact date on which you accessed the site.
Short description of the site/article / Write down 2-3 sentences which describe the site you have just used.
Resource Page for Project Topic-For Teachers' use
Name of teacher/s:Targeted class and level:
Topic:
Name of the site
Name of the article
Author
Exact Internet address (URL)
Date article was accessed
Short description of the site/article
Additional Resources
Self Reflection Page
Each student should complete this page at the end of the process and include it in his/her written project.
1. Name______.
2. Name of project ______.
3. Did you enjoy working on your project?______.
4. What new information did you learn about your musician?______
5. What part of the project did you find most interesting?______
______
6. Which part of the project did you find most difficult to do?______
______
7. How has this project contributed to your knowledge of the English language?
______
8. How would you do this project differently if you did it again?
9. What were the advantages and disadvantages of working with your friends on the project?
Advantages______
Disadvantages______
10. Circle the areas in which you think your English has improved.
Reading Writing New Vocabulary Spelling Speaking
Grammar
11. Put a v beside the skill that you think has improved.
____ Being able to find words easily
____ Writing a summary based on written material
_____ Preparing a power point presentation
_____ Using my imagination to create something new
______Working together with other people
______Organizing my time and meeting deadlines
Project Assessment
Resource Material: 4-6 articles in English. All resource material must be handed in with the project.
All stages will be assessed for the following items:
Expression of content in your own words
Relevance of content
Organization
Vocabulary
Language usage (grammar: verb forms, agreement, word order, connectors, pronouns and prepositions)
Mechanics: punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing
.
The main body of the paper will be 3-4 typed pages. It must be clear and neat.
The following components must appear in your written presentation:
1)Cover Page – the title of the project, the names of the students presenting the project, the date and the teacher's name.
2)Table of contents
3)Introduction - Rationale for the choice of the topic – what is your interest in the topic?
4)Body – ( 3 – 4 typed pages) You will be graded on the content and organization
Biography
Research Question/s
An interview
Reflection
5) Bibliography
6) All checklists
7) Hand in the original resource material and also your written drafts with the project. .
8) Songs, pictures, charts are included
Oral Presentation
Your oral presentation is worth 20% of your final mark. Therefore, it is highly important for you to go over the following checklist and make sure you are prepared for it:
CONTENT:
- My notes are organized by an introduction, supporting facts and a conclusion.
- I am ready to answer questions.
PRESENTATION AIDS
- My presentation aids are in order, easy to see read or hear.
- My presentation aids do not have spelling or grammar mistakes.
PERSONAL EXPRESSION
- I have rehearsed my presentation more than once.
- I am proud and happy to present my final work to others.
CHECKLIST AT THE START OF THE PROJECT WORK
Yes / NoI/we have chosen our topic.
I/we have decided on a question to investigate.
We have decided on work responsibilities.
We have divided up the work.
We have started searching for material on our topic.
We are aware of the requirements for the project.
We have read and understand the instructions for doing the project.
We have gone over the rubrics for grading the project.
We are ready to start our project.
CHECKLIST FOR FINAL WRITTEN WORK