Grades: 9-12 Curriculum Connections: English language arts/writing Standards Connections: National Council for the Teaching of English/International Reading Association Standards for the English Language Arts:
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Standard 2: Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
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Standard 6: Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
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Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
Required Software: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0/5.5; Microsoft Excel version 2002; Microsoft Word version 2002; Microsoft PowerPoint® version 2002, the Office XP presentation solution; Microsoft FrontPage® Web site creation and management tool version 2002
What's in this Lesson:
Teacher Guide (including How to Begin)
Resources
Student Activity, Step-by-Step:
Step A: Make Your Plan Step B: Gather Your Data Step C: Develop Your Biography Step D: Publish and Celebrate!
Teacher Guide
Summary: Sometimes, the most amazing stories can be found in your own backyard. That's what students will discover when they do in-person research and develop "living biographies" about people right there in your community.
Objectives:
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To conduct original research on the life of a community member, using a variety of techniques and technologies
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To create a multimedia, multifaceted biography based on original research
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To celebrate community achievements through the presentation of these "living biographies"
Prerequisite Skills:
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Familiarity with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft PowerPoint
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Ability to conduct Internet research using Internet Explorer
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Introduction to the use of photos, graphics, and audio and video clips Microsoft Office XP
Time Allotted:
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Three to four class periods, plus work outside of class
How to Begin:
1.
For this project, your class will work in teams of four to focus on one community sector (Public Service, Healers & Helpers, Business Leaders, and Elders) and select a biographical subject within that sector to interview and research. Teams working in the same sector coordinate to avoid duplicating biographical subjects.
1.
Before launching the project, divide your class into the teams of four.
2.
You can either assign teams to sectors or let them choose their own.
2.
Preview the Web sites listed under Resources, and save the ones you like best as Favorites.
3.
Download the Bio Team Planner Excel workbook listed as an Office XP tool under Resources. The planner consists of several tabs to help teams manage their entire biography project, including scheduling, developing interview questions, and keeping track of archival material. Save the planner on your classroom network or on floppy disk for students to share.
4.
One benefit of using technology to create biographies of living people is the possibility of integrating sound, video, photos, graphics, and more. Do everything you can to line up access for your students to audio and video recorders, digital cameras, and scanners (any of which may be loaned by parents or the school media center). The extra effort will be well worth it, in terms of vivid final projects and the development of student skills.
5.
Bring your class together for a discussion about the untapped wealth of interesting lives in your community. What could be more interesting than hearing your mayor's story in her own words--or gathering tales of your town's history from a senior citizen who was there as the events unfolded?
6.
Review the basics of etiquette in reaching out to the public, and spend some time compiling a list of local, off-campus research resources that students might tap.
7.
Photocopy and distribute the Student Activity pages, and turn your students loose to discover the human wonders of their own hometown!
Description: Where can you find lives that inspire? Try your own hometown! With this project, you'll identify a hero--sung or unsung--in your community and develop a multimedia biography celebrating that person's life.
Step A Make Your Plan
Software: Microsoft Excel 2002, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0/5.5
What to do: Get your biography team up and running.
1.
Your teacher has divided your class into teams of four. Each team will choose a community sector to focus on in your town, and within that sector, a subject for your biography. You'll also need to decide who's going to do what on your team and begin working out a schedule. Here's how to get started.
2.
Gather your team together and open the Bio Team Planner Excel workbook that your teacher has provided. You'll see that the planner has five tabs along the bottom: Overview, Schedule, Questions, Sources-Materials, and Other-Misc.
3.
Click the Overview tab. Along the top are spaces to fill in with team member names above four different team roles. Here's what the roles mean:
1.
Interviewer: This person takes the lead role in interviewing your biographical subject, including scheduling the interview, finalizing the question list, conducting the interview, and transcribing the notes.
2.
Researcher: This person leads the team in conducting background research over the Internet and in the library, including gathering facts about local history during the subject's life.
3.
Archivist: This person collects and keeps careful track of all "artifacts" such as photographs, printed material, videotape, yearbooks--whatever material you can gather about your subject. The Sources-Materials tab is set up to help the Archivist do his or her job.
4.
Editor: This person will make sure that your final biography is complete, accurate, and free of typographical errors.
No matter what roles they play, all team members are expected to take part in the initial brainstorming of subjects and questions, as well as the collaborative writing of the biography.
Decide who is going to play which role, and add your names to the proper spaces above the role names on the Overview sheet.
4.
Next, decide together which local community sector your group will focus on. The choices are listed on the Overview sheet:
1.
Public Service: This category includes politicians and government officials, from the mayor to the folks who run your community center.
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Healers & Helpers: Doctors, firefighters, emergency workers, police officers, and counselors all fall into this category.
3.
Business Leaders: This category includes people who own their own small businesses, those who work for big ones, and everyone in between.
4.
Elders: This category includes any senior citizen, including those who might otherwise fall into one of the other categories.
Once your team has selected its sector, delete the other three on the Overview sheet.
5.
Next, your team should brainstorm to come up with at least five possible biographical subjects from within your community sector. Consult local Web sites using Internet Explorer and check your local newspaper, city directory, yellow pages, senior citizen centers, and other sources for ideas.
6.
Discuss your possible subject choices and select your first choice. Rank the others in order of preference, in case your first choice is not available.
7.
Now, get together with the other teams who are focusing on your sector. Compare notes on your subject choices. Are there any duplicates? If so, negotiate so that one team moves to its second choice instead. Also share your prospect lists in case any team needs more suggestions at some point in the future.
8.
Make initial contact with your team’s chosen biographical subject, and begin making arrangements for the research you will conduct with him or her in Step B. Tell the subject that:
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He or she has been specially chosen from among many possibilities to be part of a collection of biographies of local leaders.
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You want to conduct an in-person interview that will last about an hour (and, if possible, one additional face-to-face meeting either before or after the interview).
3.
You also request access to any available material--from photo albums to newspaper clippings to birth certificates--that will add to his or her life story.
4.
The finished biography will be unveiled as part of a community celebration and then donated, along with the others that your class creates, to the local library or town historian to be part of community history.
9.
Use the Schedule tab to work out a timeline for your project work, taking into account your biographical subject's schedule and the due date for your final biography. Assign tasks (some of them are filled in as examples) to team members and make sure everyone checks the Done column when a task is completed.
Step B Gather Your Data
Software: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0/5.5, Microsoft Excel 2002, Microsoft Word 2002
What to do: Now it's time to dig into the making of the biography.
1.
Your team's first big data-gathering project will be the interview with your subject. To prepare:
1.
Brainstorm to list all the questions you'll need to have answered about your subject's life. Use the Questions tab in your Bio Team Planner worksheet.
2.
Divide your list into factual questions (such as, "Where and when were you born?") that could be answered through secondary resources such as birth and marriage records, genealogy Web sites, newspaper articles, and so on; and emotional/point of view questions (such as, "How did you feel when you got into medical school?") that can only be answered in the interview.
3.
Gather as much factual data as you can before the interview, from your subject and from print and online sources (including resources your teacher has identified for you). Fill in answers to these kinds of questions before the interview, and confirm them as part of the interview.
4.
Narrow your list of questions down to a manageable number for a one-hour interview. Save the others as backup.
5.
Secure an audio or video recorder for the interview.
6.
Because the Interviewer will be the one who actually conducts the interviewer, she or he should practice beforehand, using another team member as a stand-in for the subject.
2.
Conduct your interview. Afterwards, the Interviewer should go back to the Questions sheet and add notes under each question about where to find it on the tape.
3.
Meanwhile, the Researcher should lead other team members in searching for additional source documents about your subject and about the larger context. As you find these:
1.
Log them on the Sources-Materials page.
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Scan or photograph them for use in your report.
3.
Record the factual information in the proper spots on the Questions sheet.
4.
After the interview and research process, your entire team should look through the filled out Questions sheet and pinpoint any areas where more information is needed. Once you fill in these missing pieces, you'll be ready to being writing.
Step C Develop Your Biography
Software: Microsoft Excel 2002, Microsoft Word 2002, Microsoft PowerPoint 2002
What to do: Now it's time to pull all your data together into a finished work.
1.
Using your data as your foundation, create an outline that divides your subject's life story into four chapters. For example:
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Birth and formative experiences
2.
Early adulthood/professional life
3.
Most important accomplishments
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Plans and hopes for the future--the "legacy"
2.
Each team member should start Word and take on one chapter, integrating information and quotes from the interview as well as from the other materials compiled by the Research and Archivist. Each chapter should also integrate context--what was happening in your community and the world at the time--and any available graphics.
3.
When each team member has completed a draft, read through the chapters together, looking for major problems with transitions and consistency of tone. Then the Editor will take over to fine-tune.
4.
While the Editor is working, the rest of the team should begin crafting a PowerPoint presentation that captures the highlights of the biographical subject's life story.
1.
Devote two to four slides to each chapter or phase of the subject's life.
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Give prominence to photos and graphics.
3.
Add snippets of voice or video recording from the interview.
4.
Save often!
5.
The entire team should review both the written biography and the PowerPoint presentation. As a final touch, create a title that features both the biographical subject's name and an interpretive phrase (following the example of Frederick Douglass: The Black Lion). Add this title to a decorative title page for your Word document and a title slide for your PowerPoint presentation.
6.
Review, proofread, edit, and polish your work, and then turn in the finished project to your teacher. You're almost ready to go public!
Step D Publish and Celebrate!
Software: Microsoft Word 2002, Microsoft PowerPoint 2002, Microsoft FrontPage 2002
What to do: Now it's time to share your biography with the world.
1.
There are many ways for your class to make a splash about the lives you've discovered through these biographies. Following are several that you can do on your own or in combination with one another.
1.
Special Edition: Make a clean printout of your Word biography, bind it in a special cover, and present it to the subject at a ceremony at his or her workplace or home or at your school.
2.
Presentation Celebration: Hold a special assembly at your school to screen the PowerPoint presentations that your class put together. Invite all of your biographical subjects to attend and have each say a few words after his or her biography is screened. If possible, hold similar ceremonies in places where your subject might gather with peers: the senior citizens' center for an elder, for example, or the hospital for a doctor.
3.
Biography Anthology: Compile the biographies (in Word and PowerPoint) together into a bound volume and donate copies to your local library, school library, and historical society.
4.
Web Publishing: Check out some of the publishing resource sites your teacher has linked for you. Many accept nonfiction submissions by teens--so send in your biographies!
5.
Your Own Web Site: Use FrontPage to create your own class anthology Web site that links all the biographies together. Each team can save its Word and PowerPoint files as Web pages so they can be viewed in Internet Explorer (this may take a little fine-tuning). If possible, post this site so that researchers from your school and community can learn all about your biographical subjects.
2.
Whatever path you choose, be sure to use Word to write your biographical subject a heartfelt letter of thanks. You can be sure that the feeling is mutual!
