An Exclamation Publishing Company Project:
Autobiographies & Informational Posters

Author(s):

Amanda Brodzinski (18286)
(inspired by: Cindy Singer)

Grade Level:
4th Grade

Timeframe:

Class periods? 2 weeks (10 days)
Number of hours? Minutes? 30-45 minutes each day

Lesson Description or Explanation

The students are employees of a publishing company that will be presenting autobiographical books at an upcoming conference. The students’ job is to each read one of the books (autobiographies) and design an informational poster for each book to be presented at the conference. The posters must meet certain requirements (rubric) and be completed on time in order to be presented at the conference. Their supervisor (the teacher) will be checking progress along the way and providing feedback. Their final job review depends on a job well done!


Indiana Curricular Standards

Language Arts Standards:
4.2- Reading: Comprehension and Analysis of Nonfiction and Informational Text
- Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. At Grade 4, in addition to regular classroom reading, students read a variety of nonfiction, such as biographies, books in many different subject areas, magazines and periodicals, reference and technical materials, and online information.
4.4- Writing: Processes and Features
- Students write clear sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea. Students progress through the stages of the writing process, including prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing multiple drafts


ISTE Standards

Technology Standards for Students:
1. Creativity and Innovation
- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.\
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.

2. Communication and Collaboration
- Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance,to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

Assessments
Formative/Summative

Completed, representative informational poster (completed in PowerPoint) on an autobiography with all parts included and presented to the class (meeting requirements of a rubric shared with students); demonstration of tools used in development of poster (checked throughout unit to assess progress: learning log/reading progress checks allows teacher to see where students are, use and application of research, book review form, timeline)


Prior Knowledge

Curricular Knowledge or Skills:
Basic research skills (internet and library); ability to read and write informational paragraphs; comprehension strategies for reading, note taking and summarizing

Technology Knowledge:
Information processing; basic computer skills including PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Encarta


Technology

Software:
Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 (Presentation/Poster)
Microsoft Excel 2007 (Learning Log)
Microsoft Word 2007 (Writing)
Encarta (Research)

Hardware:
Projector/Screen
Computer (Laptop)

Procedure


Day 1:

Introduce students to scenario:
“You are all employees of a publishing company called Exclamation, Inc. You all have a job to do. You have been asked to make presentations at an upcoming conference. Your job is to read autobiographies. You will take notes as you read them. You will incorporate a timeline, a book review, and summary activities into an informational poster. Finally, you will present your poster at a conference & receive a ‘job performance review’ following your presentation.”

Rubrics and expectations will be handed out and discussed.

Day 2:

Employee Training Session:
What is an autobiography? Students will be engaged in a short lecture including partner checks of comprehension and an introduction to a learning log (students will be taught to use sticky notes for note taking as they read, every few days they will go to the computer, open their learning log and enter info. based on their sticky notes, summarizing, note taking, and comprehension strategies will be reinforced.)


Day 3-6:

1. Students will read, research, and review.
· Students will select autobiographies during a library time
· Students will read their autobiographies.
· Students will research information on the computer
· Students will review the information to determine what is most important, to answer questions

Day 7-9:

1. Employee Training Session: Informational posters. (Show examples)
· Ask students: What is the purpose? How is information arranged? How is information summarized to include the most important or interesting information? How is the information laid out effectively?

2. Informational poster, step 1:
· Poster design (based on lesson on what informational posters are and the style samples presented by teacher)



3. Informational poster, step 2:
· Review Autobiography Book (capturing the ‘gist’, provide students with the four essential questions in number 1 of day 7-9, and discuss how they could be answered, or how the answers could vary depending on the autobiography)

4. Informational poster, step 3:
· Create autobiography timeline (highlighting influential dates and events)

5. Informational poster, step 4:
· What are the person’s major accomplishments? (Should answer question ‘What was their impact on others?’, minimum of three, explained thoroughly)

6. Review informational poster rubric (poster and presentation of poster requirements)


Day 10:

1. Student presents Informational poster to the class.

2. Following the presentations, students will discuss:
· How did the ‘conference’ go? What did you learn about autobiographies (activity) and the way information is presented? What did you learn about informational posters and the arrangement of information to effectively inform?
· Students will be scored on the Performance Rubric.

Differentiated Instruction:

ESL
Depending on level, may do same assignment with assistance and added guidance from classroom teacher and ELL staff or do an adjusted activity (fewer requirements or adjusted rubric)

Challenge/Extend
Option of adding items to their poster

Special Needs
Depending on need, adjusted requirements for activities and final poster and assistance with computer time); other adjustments include guidance in the choice of autobiography to be sure it is at their independent reading level