Superheroes A to Z

Designer(s): Laura Wojciechowicz  02/27/2008 04:49:00 PM PST		 TaskStream - Advancing Educational Excellence

Basic Information
Summary:
Students will explore different Superheroes and characteristics of Superheroes in this lesson as they create a PowerPoint Slide. Each letter of the alphabet will reflect a Superhero or characteristic of a Superhero in their presentation. Students will form simple sentences incorporating each chosen word.
 
Grade/Level:
5-8
 
Time Frame:
Estimated time for this lesson is one week, with the students working on this project for approximately 60 minutes a day.
 
Subject(s):
ESL, Technology
 
Topic(s):
Superheroes
 
Notes:
This lesson was designed to capture and motivate my class which primarily consists of middle school boys. The students targeted in this lesson have all been in the United States for less than six months.
 
Standards and Key Concepts
Standards:
AZ- Arizona English Language Learner Proficiency Standards
• Strand : WRITING
• Proficiency Stage ELL II: Performance Conditions: Students at this stage of proficiency are able to express basic personal needs and compose passages on familiar, personally relevant topics. At this level, a focus is on writing personal narratives. Texts are short (one or two paragraphs). Student writing at this level consists of basic vocabulary and simple sentences and phrases. Errors in spelling and grammar are frequent and characteristic of language production at this stage.
• Area : Research
• Standard : The student will demonstrate research skills by using a variety of reference materials to complete a variety of writing tasks.
• Level : Early Intermediate
 Benchmark : Gather information from dictionaries and other basic reference materials needed to complete a class project.
• Area : Standard English Conventions
• Standard : The student will identify, describe, and apply conventions of standard English in his or her communications.
• Level : Intermediate
 Benchmark : Produce independent writing that uses basic English conventions outlined in the Advanced Level with some errors and difficulty in naturalness of expression.
 
Understandings:
Students will gain knowledge on how to navigate through the internet finding information. Students will learn how to summarize information they find to form simple sentences. Students will become proficient at finding and using images they find on the internet in their PowerPoint presentations.
 
Essential Questions:
When I am still not proficient in English, how can I focus in on a few key words of information to take out the main idea? How can I turn other people's words into my own?
 
Knowledge and Skills:
Students must have a basic knowledge of PowerPoint, Internet navigation, and limited English.
 
Performance Tasks and Assessment
Performance Task:

Create PowerPoint presentation about Supreheroes.

 
Performance Prompt:

Write sentences incorporating selected words that correlate with the Superhero theme.
 
Assessment/Rubrics:
Rubrics
  1. Superhero PowerPoint Rubric
 
Learning Experiences and Resources
Sequence of Activities:

Day 1

Teacher will ask students what they know about Superheroes? Teacher will jot a list of key words that students name. Teacher will chose one word listed and model the activity that is going to be completed by students.

Students are given a blank ABC Chart and a couple pages printed from the Internet about Superheroes. Students can begin to brainstorm different Superhero characters or characteristics for each letter in the alphabet. Students may use the Internet articles as resources. Students may work individually or in partners in completing this assignment.

Day 1 and 4

Students will begin to create their PowerPoint presentation once they have their ABC Chart completed and it has been approved by the teacher.

Each slide must contain the word for the letter in the alphabet in the top corner, a picture that goes along with the word, and a simple sentence using the word.

Students are to use the Internet to search for images and information about their selected words.

Day 5

Students will share their PowerPoint presentations with the class and talk about what the different slides.
 
Differentiated Instruction:

Students have the ability to work in pairs or individually depending on how comfortable they feel on the material and subject matter.

The teacher will be able to individually assist and help guide students as they work through there lesson.

The teacher will have some material already printed and some Internet sites selected for easy navigation and access to information for students who are not as familiar with trying to search the Internet.

 
Resources:
  • Technology resources:
    Firefox, PowerPoint
  • The number of computers required is 1 per 2 students.
  • Students Familiarity with Software Tool:
    All students have had prior exposure to PowerPoint and Firefox in their technology class at school. Some students depending on when they entered school, have less experience than others.