Introducing students to stories of a different place or culture can be challenging. The experiences of those we read about can be foreign, or seem otherworldly, and we may find it difficult to understand why things are so different in other contexts. With that in mind, learning about that context, and hopefully understanding and appreciating that different context is a goal I hope to always accomplish with my students, regardless of the story we explore. In my teaching with technology, I hope we can gain a better understanding of Iran and its context within through the graphic novel "Persepolis."
Prior to reading the novel, I want to send my students on a Web Quest to find information about various aspects of Iranian life, both prior to and following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, to set the story in the novel. Students will be given personal laptops from a recently acquired laptop cart (so exciting, although not always functional!) and assigned topics, either personally or in a small group. They will hunt for information on topics such as how the government was pre and post revolution (Shah vs Islamic Rule), the two sects of Islam, education in pre and post revolution, rights of people pre and post revolution, etc. Prior to this lesson, I hope to instruct students on how to find credible sites online, and use search engines properly. Students will compile information they gathered on their computer, and then we will consolidate the information via Padlet.
I will create a Padlet page that will be collaborative for the class. They will upload their information onto the Padlet, by making it concise through bullet points, and then present their findings to the class as the Padlet is displayed on the board (I also got a projector this term after pestering the tech people of the Berkley School District for a month!). After we have this conversation, we will begin to explore the novel and refer back to the Padlet throughout. We will add observations we make in the novel about the information we had previously found, and create a more comprehensive page of information that can be used even later. I'm still trying to think of a good culminating use for the site other than for reference for future classes, and would love ideas on how I could wrap up the site/extend it even further.
Kareem,
ReplyDeleteI think your idea is awesome because it helps to scaffold students and orient them in the historical context of the novel. Often understanding texts thoroughly is predicated on prior knowledge, yet not all readers have the requisite prior knowledge. In this lesson, you deliberately orient students and provide them with an opportunity to gain the knowledge they'll need to better understand the text. What I might suggest is making certain groups of students responsible for discovering certain information about Iran and "teaching" it to the rest of the class. Through this jigsaw-like activity, cooperative learning would be promoted. Additionally, students would have a direct purpose and narrow focus which would lead to more profound learning.
Kareem,
ReplyDeleteI really like this idea for your lesson. I'm hoping to do a similar project with my students and the current novel we are reading. I really like how you're having the students do their own research. You could easily do a PowerPoint regarding the Iranian Revolution and present it to the class, but I like that you're making the students do the research on their own. Hopefully that will cause the information to stick a little better. As for the question you posed, could you maybe have this Padlet build into a final assessment? Could the Padlet possibly serve as a resource for the final assessment? Maybe expand the Padlet to synthesize the information in the book and the factual information? For example, have students use examples from the book that point out how the historical information had an influence on the book. These are just a few ideas that I can think of for the Padlet. I remember you talking about this lesson in 650 and I hope it goes well!
Hey Kareem - I'm such a fan of this web quest idea - such a great way to teach students to be proactive in finding answers to their own questions. And I like the padlet idea too - the collaborative product piece of the assignment hopefully will hold students accountable during the exploration/find information phase.
ReplyDeleteAs for the question you pose as to how to convert this padlet into a step along the way to a larger project - maybe you want to repeat this activity in succeeding units? Have students web quest/compile findings into a padlet, and the result (after a few units) will be a few online bulletin boards with comprehensive information on differing topics/contexts. From here, maybe you could come up with some sort of culminating assignment that asks students to use information from these padlets in order to convey some sort of new perspective on diversity of experiences around the world?
Not sure that's helpful, but I guess I'm thinking along the lines of Shari's final assignments. Seems to me she has a pattern of asking us to use the ideas from over the course of the semester in order to compile some sort of proof of new perspective on the topic at hand.
First off, way to go with getting the school district to get you a projector. I am sure that can be quite a long and bothersome process, especially since it seems that TCEC has so little technology, and I can attest that having technology available, even if you don't use it often, is helpful. You seem to have a great and well-organized plan for how you are going to implement the technology flawlessly in order to enhance the lesson.
ReplyDeleteI also really like how you are bringing a new perspective and world view that many of them probably don't know about, and especially content that you have a lot of knowledge and passion for, and will seem to serve your purpose of introducing the novel well.
Kareem cheese,
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of exploring culture using already existing factual resources. Many times it is hard to talk about culture using credible sites because culture is something that continues to grow and change on a daily basis, something that I think makes it beautiful. It is important to teach students how to research at an early age. Researching is something that is emphasized in college which is why I think teaching students early on is important. I like that your lesson teaches students about more than one aspect of the culture; politics, religion, education etc. that ultimately tie into the novel itself. Another idea that you can explore using Padlet could be to have students write about their opinions of what they found. You could have students list their favorite researched information or give them a "free write" to write about how they would feel living during this time, or about any thoughts they have around the assignment, . This can make students think about the novel in a creative way while also having them imagine themselves living in this time period/culture.
Kareem,
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. I think we often miss the critical piece of laying that historical context, and the experience is much better then they're in charge. One bit of advice: Provide an old-fashioned worksheet with guiding questions that requires them to put the information into their own words as they research. Otherwise, this could quickly turn into a "Cut and Paste Fest," as I've learned the hard way.
Congrats on securing that projector. I'd love to hear if/how that's changing your teaching.
Mr. Hakim,
ReplyDeleteI have learned so much just from reading this plan that you have, not only about incorporating technology into a lesson, but about the history of a place seldom mentioned when I studied the subject in high school and college. I can definitely see how Padlet could be instrumental to this lesson, and I appreciate the amount of planning and thought that you have used in preparing this lesson. Please let me know how it turns out.
Best,
JGG