Tuck Everlasting
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Objective
Students will be able to support their position on controversial issues with researched evidence.
Summary:
Student teams will research and present their position on one of the following questions or a topic of their own, in a debate format:
Should there be a death penalty?
If death is a natural part of life, should we try to prolong life?
Should everyone who breaks the law be punished?
How much interference, if any, should people do to change the environment?
Learning Context:
This activity introduces relevant controversial issues that are brought up in the story, Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt. The pro and con positions of these issues will be researched and completed as a culminating activity at the conclusion of reading the book. Students will be allowed to debate their position as a team, and then reflect individually on how their position applies to the characters and events from the novel.
Time Allotment:
5 class periods. 1 Hr per class.
Student Choice:
Student teams may choose one of the following topics, or suggest a topic of their own:
Should there be a death penalty?
If death is a natural part of life, should we try to prolong life?
Should everyone who breaks the law be punished?
How much interference, if any, should people do to change the environment?
Research:
Within the team, students must determine which position that they will assume. Using the Internet, students will research both the positive and negative points of their topic. Students will use Inspiration to organize their ideas into a meaningful collection of evidence that not only supports their position, but also defends their position against rebuttals.
Presentation:
Students will prepare a short multimedia presentation using Hyperstudio or PowerPoint to be presented to the class. Before actually creating the multimedia presentation, the students must create a story board outlining their presentation upon which all members agree. Students may use Inspiration to create the story board. The purpose of the presentation is to serve as the opening statement in a debate between the pro and con views for each issue. Students must incorporate a defense against rebuttals into their presentation.
Research:
Each student will be responsible for finding supporting evidence as well as defense against a rebuttal for this evidence. This information will be added to a graphic organizer created by the team using Inspiration software.
Multimedia Presentation:
Each student will create at least two slides or cards representing their research to be added to the team's presentation. Explanatory notes must accompany the slides or cards. Student teams must create a story board of their presentation before actually creating the multimedia presentation. Storyboards can be created using Inspiration.
Debate:
Each student must have an active role during the debate and should present their evidence and defend it against rebuttals.
Team collaboration:
Students may work collaborative on the responsibilities outlined above.The overall product must demonstrate a contribution by each team member.
Teacher as facilitator:
During the group work, the teacher will act as a facilitator and help each team monitor their progress toward the goal. Student teams will be allowed to ask the teacher for guidance only after they have exhausted their own resources. All members of the team must mutually agree upon each question asked of the teacher. The teacher may also serve as an audience for practicing the debate. During the course of the project, the teacher should help guide the students to reflect upon on their own learning and not serve as an evaluator.
Debate Outline--An outline of the format that will be followed for the final debate.
Debate Rubric
Inspiration Rubric
Extensions to this activity:
Student teams can create a Hyperstudio tutorial on the position that they have taken on the controversial issue. The tutorial should be focused on persuading or convincing the user to change or more firmly establish their view on the controversial issue.
Student teams can create a resource web page for their position on the controversial topic.
Subject : English Language Arts
Grade : Grade Six
Area : Writing
Standard 1.0: Writing Strategies
Critique the credibility of characterization and the degree to which a plot is contrived or realistic (e.g., compare use of fact and fantasy in historical fiction).
Concept : Research and Technology
Benchmark or Example 1.4: Use organizational features of electronic text (e.g., bulletin boards, databases, keyword searches, e-mail addresses) to locate information.
Area : Listening and Speaking
Standard 1.0: Listening and Speaking Strategies
Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and relate to the background and interests of the audience. They evaluate the content of oral communication.
Concept : Comprehension
Benchmark or Example 1.1: Relate the speaker's verbal communication (e.g., word choice, pitch, feeling, tone) to the nonverbal message (e.g., posture, gesture).
Concept : Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
Benchmark or Example 1.4: Select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view, matching the purpose, message, occasion, and vocal modulation to the audience.
Benchmark or Example 1.5: Emphasize salient points to assist the listener in following the main ideas and concepts.
Benchmark or Example 1.6: Support opinions with detailed evidence and with visual or media displays that use appropriate technology.
Benchmark or Example 1.7: Use effective rate, volume, pitch, and tone and align nonverbal elements to sustain audience interest and attention.
Standard 2.0: Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
Students deliver well-organized formal presentations employing traditional rhetorical strategies (e.g., narration, exposition, persuasion, description). Student speaking demon-strates a command of standard American English and the organizational and delivery strategies outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0.
Concept : Using the speaking strategies of grade six outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0, students:
Benchmark or Example 2.4: Deliver persuasive presentations: a. Provide a clear statement of the position. b. Include relevant evidence. c. Offer a logical sequence of information. d. Engage the listener and foster acceptance of the proposition or proposal.
ISTE Profiles for Technology Literate Students (includes NETS for Students)
Grade : Grades 6-8
Numbers in parentheses following each performance indicator refer to the standards category to which the performance is linked. The categories are: 1. Basic operations and concepts
2. Social, ethical, and human issues
3. Technology productivity tools
4. Technology communications tools
5. Technology research tools
6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
Reprinted from National Educational Technology Standards for Students - Connecting Curriculum and Technology, copyright © 2000, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 541.302.3777 (Int'l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved. For more information about the NETS Project, contact Lajeane Thomas, Director, NETS Project, 318.257.3923, lthomas@latech.edu. Reprint permission does not constitute an endorsement by ISTE or the NETS Project.
Performance Objective 5: Apply productivity/multimedia tools and peripherals to support personal productivity, group collaboration, and learning throughout the curriculum. (3, 6)
Performance Objective 6: Design, develop, publish, and present products (e.g., Web pages, videotapes) using technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom. (4, 5, 6)
Students will be assessed on the following:
Presentation of information in the multimedia production
Quality of evidence presented and strength of rebuttals
Public speaking performance in the final debate
Organization of information using Inspiration
Depth of reflection on the evidence as it applies to the characters and events from the novel.