La's Orchestra Saves the World Unit Tasks
In this assignment, we were asked to create 10 tasks focused on technology and performance for our ELA students to complete based on Alexander McCall Smith's La's Orchestra Saves the World. Since this book was a fairly easy read but still dealt with complex issues and characters, I decided that it would be appropriate for the 9th grade level. Ideally, I would teach this book while they learn about World War II.
Below I have summarized each activity as well as attached the handouts for each of them. My exemplar for task 6 can be found here on my teacher's blog. I hope you enjoy what I have created!
Summary of 10 tasks:
1. Pre-reading task using Delicious.com: In this task, I ask students to research the novel before we begin reading it in class. Using the online bookmarking website, students will search for a variety of media related to appropriate topics regarding this novel. I believe this activity will get the students to start thinking about the book and the issues it will address. It is also different because instead of making predictions, they will have completed research that will aid their reading.
2. Blogging: Instead of asking students to complete arduous writing assignments, I will ask them to create a blog and write about anything that inspires them in the book. I have not set strict due dates for each blog but instead have asked that they complete a certain amount by a certain date, to allow flexibility regarding their other coursework and personal lives. I will be blogging along with them and they will have a live conversation regarding the text as they comment on each other's blogs.
3. Dynamic Text: This novel is rich with fabulous imagery and language. In order to celebrate the literary choices Smith has made, students will utilize the program Adobe Flash CS4 to animate words from the novel. A little disclaimer regarding this task: I had created this task when I had the purchased version of Adobe Flash CS4 and a PDF file of its tutorial guide. For the tutorial mentioned in this task, I am referring to a few pages in this guide which defines several of the terms mentioned on the handout. If I was to use this task, I would also use the tutorial for handouts.
4. Radio Broadcast: Students will create podcasts as radio broadcasts to simulate one that La would have heard during World War II. They will also incorporate appropriate images and videos for a visual aspect using Windows Movie Maker.
5. Tableaux Vivants: In this activity, groups of 3 to 4 students will recreate a scene from the novel with digital photos of tableaux vivants. They will then assemble them in a presentation using Microsoft PhotoStory 3.
6. Soundtrack: Students will choose three characters and create a two song soundtrack for each character. The songs will convey the changes the characters experience, the first song being a selection of how the character was in the beginning of the novel and the second song reflecting how we perceive the character by the end of the novel.
7. Play/Script Creating: In groups, students will choose a scene or chapter from the novel and transform it into a play script.
8. Peer Response: Using the website a.nnotate.com, students will provide constructive feedback for another group's script.
9. Scenecaster: Instead of drawing a storyboard, students will be able to create an online 3D storyboard using the website www.scenecaster.com. They will be asked to comment on the scenes of other groups and also to learn how to prepare for the filming of their play.
10. Instant Message Conversation: In this post-reading activity, the students will be asked to create an instant message conversation between 2-3 characters from the play. This assignment should reflect their knowledge of the story as well as provide their insights into the relationships between the characters.
Below I have summarized each activity as well as attached the handouts for each of them. My exemplar for task 6 can be found here on my teacher's blog. I hope you enjoy what I have created!
Summary of 10 tasks:
1. Pre-reading task using Delicious.com: In this task, I ask students to research the novel before we begin reading it in class. Using the online bookmarking website, students will search for a variety of media related to appropriate topics regarding this novel. I believe this activity will get the students to start thinking about the book and the issues it will address. It is also different because instead of making predictions, they will have completed research that will aid their reading.
2. Blogging: Instead of asking students to complete arduous writing assignments, I will ask them to create a blog and write about anything that inspires them in the book. I have not set strict due dates for each blog but instead have asked that they complete a certain amount by a certain date, to allow flexibility regarding their other coursework and personal lives. I will be blogging along with them and they will have a live conversation regarding the text as they comment on each other's blogs.
3. Dynamic Text: This novel is rich with fabulous imagery and language. In order to celebrate the literary choices Smith has made, students will utilize the program Adobe Flash CS4 to animate words from the novel. A little disclaimer regarding this task: I had created this task when I had the purchased version of Adobe Flash CS4 and a PDF file of its tutorial guide. For the tutorial mentioned in this task, I am referring to a few pages in this guide which defines several of the terms mentioned on the handout. If I was to use this task, I would also use the tutorial for handouts.
4. Radio Broadcast: Students will create podcasts as radio broadcasts to simulate one that La would have heard during World War II. They will also incorporate appropriate images and videos for a visual aspect using Windows Movie Maker.
5. Tableaux Vivants: In this activity, groups of 3 to 4 students will recreate a scene from the novel with digital photos of tableaux vivants. They will then assemble them in a presentation using Microsoft PhotoStory 3.
6. Soundtrack: Students will choose three characters and create a two song soundtrack for each character. The songs will convey the changes the characters experience, the first song being a selection of how the character was in the beginning of the novel and the second song reflecting how we perceive the character by the end of the novel.
7. Play/Script Creating: In groups, students will choose a scene or chapter from the novel and transform it into a play script.
8. Peer Response: Using the website a.nnotate.com, students will provide constructive feedback for another group's script.
9. Scenecaster: Instead of drawing a storyboard, students will be able to create an online 3D storyboard using the website www.scenecaster.com. They will be asked to comment on the scenes of other groups and also to learn how to prepare for the filming of their play.
10. Instant Message Conversation: In this post-reading activity, the students will be asked to create an instant message conversation between 2-3 characters from the play. This assignment should reflect their knowledge of the story as well as provide their insights into the relationships between the characters.
| pre-reading_delicious_activity.docx |
| Blog Task |
| Dynamic Text Task |
| Radio Broadcast Task |
| tableaux_vivants.docx |
| Character Soundtrack Task |
| Script/Playwrig |
| a.nnotate.docx |
| scenecaster.docx |
| Instant Message Conversation Task |
