Submitted by Barbara C. Anderson
Time Frame:
Seven 50-minute periods
Materials Needed:
- Computers
- Attachments (list of historical figures, project description and checklist, rubrics for written and oral presentations)
Description of Task:
Students will demonstrate knowledge of a key figure from the Middle Ages by introducing themselves as that person and presenting their background and importance. They will answer the question "Why am I remembered today?" In answering this question, they will describe their life and accomplishments. If possible, they will do their presentations in the context of a school event to which other classes would be invited.
- Students will choose their historical figure (or names may be drawn at random) from a list provided by the teacher (see attachment).
- They will then spend several days in class working on the research and writing.
- The remainder of the research and writing will be done at home.
- They will use the attached description of the project, checklist and rubrics to complete their project. (see attachments)
- They will hand in the written version of their presentation.
- They will present their completed speeches to the class.
- Students will take a multiple choice quiz put together by the teacher from questions prepared by the presenters.
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As before, the final presentation might be in the form of a presentation assisted by multimedia (e.g., using PowerPoint). If computers are available, an important part of the research process and gathering of material for the presentation will be done in computer labs equipped with Internet connection (or at home if all students are equipped, which is rarely the case). If this option is possible then some modifications need to be done to the final assessment and a precise rubric needs to be created to assess the effectiveness of students’ use of technology and multimedia to support their presentation. Also, students will be encouraged to use asynchronous/synchronous communication to try to contact experts in the field (e.g., historians, scholars, etc.), post questions on specialized web sites discussion boards, and to try to benefit from others’ expertise. This will be included in the rubric as a chance to gain extra points (“additional point section”) for those students who always want to do more. All traces of communication will need to be recorded and presented to the teacher as proof that such attempts have been made. The attempts (successful or not) will be rewarded though only the actual success of the enterprise will qualify for the maximum points.Finally, students’ final project will be published online (placed on the school server if existing) to be shared with others and stimulate future projects by modeling exemplary work.
References and Resources:
Lenard, Y. (1997). Trésors du Temps, Glencoe McGraw-Hill, New York.
Attachments:
NOTE: some attachments are in PDF form (get Acrobat Reader)
- (SA listepershist) List of historical figures for final task.
- (SA desc&cklst) Project description and checklist.
- (SA rubrorpres) Rubric for the oral presentation.
- (SA rubrwrpres) Rubric for the written presentation.
Rubric for multimedia presentation