The following is an outline of a project that gives purpose to writing for my grade 4/5 class.
Learning Goals:
-Demonstrate an ability to summarize non-fiction writing using key words, and then re-write the summaries using your own words.
-Demonstrate an ability to read a non-fiction passage fluently and with sufficient volume.
-Demonstrate video editing skills.
-Demonstrate research skills.
-Demonstrate project management skills.
Outline:
For this project, you will be putting your key-word notetaking and information summarizing into practice. Your finished project will be a four story television news cast featuring local news from a town or region of British Columbia.
This is a partner project, and you will equally share responsibility for researching and writing the stories. Completing your project will follow these steps:
- Assigned partners, and choose a region in British Columbia. (1 period)
- Locate and decide on recent news stories from that area. You will need to choose two each). (1 period)
- Take notes using key words, and rewrite the stories in your own words. Practice reading your stories until you are fluent. (3 periods)
- Find at least one picture that relates to the story and that adds interest. (1 period)
- Dress for the part, and record yourselves reading the news stories in front of a green screen, role-playing as news anchors. Recorded stories must be clearly audible. (Sign up for green screen time)
- Edit your video using iMovie to add pictures at appropriate times, and a news channel intro, including music. (2 periods)
Students will be responsible for researching and writing summaries for two stories. The total news cast should be four stories. Group members will be collectively responsible for editing the video to add in music and the introduction splash.
Rubric:
| Criteria | Emerging | Developing | Proficient | Extending |
| 2 interesting stories found from one location and time in B.C. | 1 story found or location of stories is not clear. | 2 simple stories found, may be from different times or places | 2 interesting stories found from one location and time in B.C. | 2 advanced stories found from one location and time in B.C. |
| Key word summaries are written and accompany the written articles. | Key words summaries may not match the stories clearly | Key word summaries include words the student does not understand | Key word summaries are clear and detailed | Key word summaries are clear and detailed. Additional sources were utilized. |
| 2 news articles are written in the student’s own words | News articles include phrases that may be copied, or are not clearly written
-Random order |
News articles are written with a reasonably clear beginning, middle and end.
-Attempt at order |
News articles attempt to capture the reader’s attention. Clear organization.
-Effective order |
News articles are very clearly written, and capture the reader’s attention.
-Effective order |
| Conventions | There may be missing punctuation or improper spelling that makes reading difficult to understand | Some missing punctuation or incorrect spelling, but most writing is easy to understand. | A few errors in punctuation or spelling, but meaning is not affected. | Very few or no errors in punctuation or spelling. |
| Presentation | ||||
| Voice | -Volume of voice makes understanding difficult.
-Reading may be slow or halting, with misreading and many self corrections.
-No effort is made at enunciation. |
Volume of voice occasionally makes understanding difficult.
Reading may sometimes slow, and some self corrections may occur
-Some effort is made to enunciate. |
Volume of voice is clear throughout the entire presentation.
Reading is at a steady pace with no errors.
-Enunciation matches the story presented. |
Volume of voice is clear and strong throughout the entire presentation.
Reading is at a comfortable pace with no errors.
-Enunciation is clear and matches the story presented. |
| Appearance | -Little to no eye contact with camera.
-Little to no preparation in dress or props |
-Occasional brief eye contact with camera.
-Some preparation in dress and/or props. -Some changes in facial expression |
-Eye contact with the camera occurs much of the time.
-Dressed similarly to news anchors. -Facial features match the story. |
-Eye contact with the camera is natural.
-Well dressed as news anchors, props may be used. -Facial features very well match the story. |
| Video & Audio | ||||
| Intro & Outro | -May contain name of news station and town. Sizing or colour may be difficult to read
-May contain intro and outro music, but volume does not match the rest of the presentation, or is too long or short. |
-Contains name of news station and town. Sizing or colour may be difficult to read
-Contains intro and outro music, but volume does not match the rest of the presentation. |
-Contains name of news station and town. Sizing and colour are effective.
-Contains intro and outro music. volume matches the rest of the presentation. |
Contains effective name of news station and town. May contain additional animations.
-Contains intro and outro music. volume is effective. |
| Editing | -No cuts or crops in the video | -Attempts have been made to improve the video with cuts and crops | -Cutting and cropping have been used to make the presentation more effective | -Cutting and cropping have been used to make the presentation more effective. There may be additional footage or on scene photography. |
chermiston
February 25, 2022 — 7:12 pm
Thanks Geoff! What a fun idea you have here! I think this medium would be really engaging for learners, and I see potential for an interdisciplinary approach to learning. The obvious disciplines being English and Social Studies, but depending on the news story, other disciplines could be integrated as well. I love projects that incorporate current events!
A couple things I notice:
I would consider more emphasis on a specific media tool. You mention I Movie, but it is unclear if this is used through the whole process. Is there media that has a green screen, for example?
In your learning outcomes, I believe there is supposed to be a repeating phrase before each goal. Something like “At the end of this project, students will be able to”.
Corey
Tiernan McIntyre
February 27, 2022 — 9:12 pm
Hi Geoff,
This project sounds fantastic, and I especially like that your students will be researching the news from local towns and regions around British Columbia, not just their local community.
Do you expect your students to write several drafts of their stories? Are they encouraged to review their work or do it with their partner?
The role-playing and dressing for the part are great – I picture lots of suit jackets and stern faces. Do you have a green screen in your classroom, or is it a whole-school resource?
Are the period blocks over a day, a couple of days, a week or longer?
All the best,
Tiernan
Keith Webster
March 5, 2022 — 3:36 am
Hi Geoff,
This outline looks pretty good. It’s an interesting project and will likely need more detail as you roll it out. In your rubric I would look at descriptions of differing levels of achievement for some rubric criteria to see if they are really making a distinction. I think that many rubric elements are best evaluated with fewere than the total number of options.