Subject/Skill Area: Communication of ideas through media
Basic Method: Exploratory Learning through Cooperative Groups (aided by Internet Links)
Grades: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th
 

Competency Goals:

This project meets many Language Arts, Information Skills, and Computer Competencies found in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (click on the appropriate grade level and subject area to read the full goal).

 Language Art Goal 4 and Goal 5
 Computer Goal 2

 Language Art Goal 4 and Goal 5
 Information Skills Goal 5
 Computer Goal 2 and Goal 3

Language Art Goal 4 and Goal 5
Information Skills Goal 5
Computer Goal 2 and Goal 3

Language Art Goal 4 and Goal 5
Information Skills Goal 5
Computer Goal 2 and Goal 3

    Computers (at least on for every pair of students)
    "Inventions" -- old gears, wire racks, cooking utensils, etc. (things that do/did serve a specific
            purpose as opposed to generic items such as wire)
    3 1/2" floppy disks
    Paper
    Pencils
    Netscape Navigator (Netscape Composer)

Review:

    1) The teacher will review the writing process (pre-writing, draft, editing, final product).
    2) A reminder of any special procedures dealing with the computers is also helpful.

    1) Explain that many items in our world can serve more than one purpose.
    2) The teacher will ask students to get into pairs.  (These pairs may be assigned for younger
        children.)  One student from each pair will go get one item from the pile of "inventions."  This
        item MUST be used for another purpose other than the one it was designed for.
    3) The teacher will allow the students 5-10 minutes to brainstorm about their "invention."
        Students should use an organizational chart (webbing or mapping) to help record their ideas.
    4)  Once students have an idea, they can use the digital camera to take pictures.  (See individual
        camera manuals for operating instructions.)
    5) The teacher will explain to the students that they (individually) need to write an informative
        newspaper article or advertisement to explain what the invention is and what it is used for.
    6) After each student has a draft of his/her paper, he or she can word process it using Netscape
        Composer or another word processing program as long as he/she can copy the information to
        Netscape Composer for the finishing touches.  Students MUST check their work for
        grammatical errors!  Students can also use Photoshop to crop, resize, and adjust pictures taken
        with the digital camera.
    7) For more information on this process, visit Tips for Creating Web pages

Closure:

If possible, students Modern Fashion and Inventions web pages should be posted on the Internet.  After all projects are finished, students can visit the "Museum of Modern Inventions" where their Invention web pages are located.

Assessment:

The final product, both the web page and the written portion of the project are tangible assessments.  General observations made while students are working also give great assessment information. The following rubric may be used to assess the :

    Is there mapping or webbing used for brainstorming?
    Is there a draft?
    Is there another, grammatically corrected paper?
    Is the paper word processed correctly?
    Are the pictures the proper size and format?
    Did the article or advertisement describe the invention with detail?
    Does it name the inventor(s) and include an interview with the inventor(s)?
    Does the paper communicate the ideas effectively?
    Is the web page visually pleasing (easy to read)?

If wanted, a formal test may be given to determine to learners' computing skills.