Scotland:
A Multigenre Collection
Renee R. Carpenter
November 1, 2005
Table of Contents
Nessie - The Loch Ness Monster
Wanted Poster
The Thistle
Seed Packets
Robert Burns Night
An Invitation
S
C
O
T
L
A
N
D
An Acrostic Poem
Saltire’s Diary
A Diary Entry
Scotland: A Multigenre Collection
I chose Scotland as my topic of study because of my involvement in Scottish games and gatherings. A member of Clan Ramsay, I have gotten to meet many people from all around the world. Among these people is our Clan Chief, Jamie Ramsay, The Earl of Dalhousie, Scotland.
I am honored to share a common link with so many fascinating people. The culture, geographical features, and customs of my ancestral homeland intrigue me. It is my desire to travel there some time in the future. For now I am satisfied with my opportunity to “visit” Scotland through this multigenre project.
Our clan publishes a quarterly newsletter. I plan to submit some of the components of this project for possible inclusion in an upcoming edition.
Ready for Research?
Ready for Fun?
A Multigenre Project
An Invitation for Fifth Grade English as a Second Language Learners
November 1, 2005
You are invited to participate in a project that offers you the
opportunity to research a place of your choice and present
your research in multiple ways.
It is a multitext/multigenre project.
Your project is due on November 29 and is worth 75 points.
The Project:
Consists of 2 parts:
Part 1 – The multitext/multigenre project
Part 2 – A journal entry, reflecting on your experiences and thoughts while creating the
project.
The Project – Week of November 1
Select a place that interests you. It may be somewhere locally, like Lincolnton or Lake Norman. It may be some other place in North Carolina, like Charlotte, the Outer Banks, or Grandfather Mountain. You may decide to research a state, like New York, Texas, or Florida. You may even decide to look at the larger picture and research a country like, Mexico, Argentina, or the United States. Perhaps you will want to choose a country that connects to your family’s past or somewhere you have visited. The decision is up to you.
After you decide your place to research, we will begin collecting sources of information for you to read. These sources will include a variety of texts in a variety of genres. Examples of possible texts are books, magazines, the Internet, videos, and encyclopedias. You may even want to interview someone you know who has lived in or visited the place you chose to research.
The Project - Weeks of November 8, 15, 22
Begin to think about how you will present your information. You will need to choose at least 3 different genres (types) to present your research. Some genres you may want to consider are the ones we have used in class.
Examples: “I” Poem Acrostic Poem
Journal Entry Friendly Letter or Post Card
Brochure Found Poem
Upon completing your research, create your 3 writing products following these steps:
1) Rough draft or sloppy copy
2) Revised copy with corrections made on your sloppy copy
3) Final copy or neat copy
You need to present your project in a way that ties all of your work together and relates to your topic. Some of the formats you may want to think about are a scrapbook, a special container, or mobile. I will share some examples in class.
The Project - Week of November 29:
Bring your completed project to class to share with your classmates.
RUBRIC
Multigenre Project
Your multigenre research and presentation: 50 points
Cover Sheet with title of your project, your name, the date / 2 pointsTable of Contents with the titles of each of your written pieces.
Give a brief description (annotation) of the genres used to present each piece of writing. / 3 points
A short written description of why you chose your particular topic / 2 points
Three written pieces in three different genres. These written presentations must relate to the topic you chose. / 30 points
A bibliography of sources you used in your research. Each source must be annotated (brief description of the information found in the source).
Use APA style to list author, title, and publication information. This will be presented in class and examples will be given. / 5 points
Your method of presentation. It must be creative and connect your information in a format that ties everything together. / 8 points
Reflecting on Your Experience With the Multigenre Project
Your Journal Entry: 25 points
A journal entry of at least one page describing your experience with the research, creation and presentation of your multigenre project.· Your ideas should be presented in a clear, logical manner.
· You should share your feelings about the project, both positive and negative.
· Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word usage.
· Write, using your best handwriting.
· Give your journal entry a title that reveals how you felt about the project or what the project meant to you. / 25 points
Multigenre – the Motivator
A Reflective Essay
Reflecting on my multigenre project I couldn’t help but think what a rewarding learning experience it has been. As I contemplated a title for this essay the word motivation consistently appeared in my choices. Yes, the project has been a great motivator. The more I learned about Scotland, the more I wanted to share. The more genres of writing I explored, the more genres I wanted to create. Limiting my choices seemed to be the most difficult part of the process.
In past research projects I had seldom, if ever, given thought to the fact I was reading and learning through various genres or the impact those genres could have on the learning process. The experience has been improved just by this new awareness.
Considering the impact a multigenre project could have on my students has been enriching. Having just moved from a regular second grade classroom to the position of ESL teacher at our school, I do not plan to do the project with my students at this time. I do plan to incorporate the concepts on a smaller scale. As we study topics, such as Thanksgiving, in our classroom I will invite the students to create two to three genres of writing to showcase what they learn about the topic(s).
The possibilities are numerous. Perhaps they will choose to create a Thanksgiving acrostic poem or a turkey “I” poem. Some may wish to create an invitation to the First Thanksgiving Dinner with a menu included. Others may be in search of the plumpest turkey and choose to make a wanted poster to help locate him. Then there is the possibility of a diary entry from Old Tom himself as he ponders his fate on Thanksgiving Day. I anxiously await their presentations. Although the students will not be conducting independent research, the learning experience will remain similar to my project because it involves learning about a topic while presenting the information learned through a multiple genre presentation.
In the ESL classroom, I anticipate the students to need more modeling of the genres of writing. They may also need support as they decide what information to include in the project and which genres will best showcase that information.
Overall, I believe this learning experience has been one of the most rewarding of my career/studies. I see it as a model that has no limits. Not only will my use of this model grow as my confidence grows, I see myself continuing to grow as a learner along with my students. More and more ideas will be revealed as we grow together.
Multigenre! What a way to connect all the components of language arts! What a
motivator for students and teachers!
Annotated Bibliography
Scotland – A Multigenre Presentation
Blundell,N. (2004). Scotland. New York, New York: Barnes and Noble Books.
The author, a leading journalist, has written 30 factual books. In his book, Scotland, Blundell presents the history, geography, arts and culture of Scotland. Anyone interested in a study of Scotland will find this book valuable. The information is arranged in sections and the book is filled with full page, color photographs that bring Scotland to life. Of the books reviewed for this research project, this one was the most in depth, yet pleasurable to read. The information on Robert Burns and Burns Night was most beneficial in the completion of the project.
Docherty,F.M. A geological view of loch ness and area. Retrieved October 20, 2005 from
the World Wide Web:
http://www.nessie.co.uk/nessie.nessgeo.html
This author provides information on the legendary Loch Ness Monster (Nessie). In this particular entry, the area where “Nessie” supposedly resides is described in detail. The site is intended for anyone interested in the Loch Ness Monster theory or the Loch Ness area, in general. In contrast, the other entry on the Loch Ness Monster appearing in this bibliography, is less formal. The information there is presented in diary form. The specifics for the area of Loch Ness provided in this source enlightens the reader and gives the theory some credence.
Gittings,B.M.,(2002). Gateway to scotland.Retrieved October 6, 2005 from te University of Edinburgh Web site:
http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/scotland/scotland.html
The author, affiliated with the University of Edinburgh, has developed an extensive website on Scotland. He touts it as “the best starting point for information about Scotland on the Internet.” It is a valuable source for anyone interested in Scotland as it features the ability for all pages to be translated into many languages, including French, German, Spanish, and Japanese. It was the most extensive of Web sites reviewed during this research project. It offers links to Scotland’s newspapers, telephone directories, frequently asked questions, maps, films, music, and tourist information – just to mention a few. The vast volume of information and links gave a broad picture of Scotland, enhancing the research experience.
Annotated Bibliography – Scotland
Nessie’s Diary. Retrieved October 20, 2005 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.nessie.co.uk/nessie.html
This entry presents information on the Loch Ness Monster through the eyes of “Nessie,” himself – the ultimate authority on the topic. The information, including sightings of the famous monster, is presented in chronological order. “Nessie’s Diary” would especially appeal to young researchers since it includes animation and cartoon likenesses of “Nessie.” It enhanced the research with its wealth of photographs of “Nessie” and the area.
Mathie, J. (No date). Favourite scottish recipes. Sevenoaks,England: J.Salmon Ltd.
The granddaughter of a farmer, Mathie realized the importance cooking had played in the lives of Scottish families. She has compiled a collection of her family’s favorite recipes. In this book she shares the best in traditional Scottish foods with others interested in authentic Scottish dishes. This book of recipes is unique with the author’s inclusion of photographs, depicting places of interest throughout Scotland. The book is important to research of Scotland, as the reader realizes the importance foods play in the culture of the area.
Scotland.Retrieved October 26, 2005 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.met-office.gov.uk
This website, hosted by a government entity, gives information about the weather and climate of Scotland. The information is useful for anyone planning to travel to, or around, Scotland. Unlike some of the other websites that offering this same type of information, this site gives past and present weather for the area. It provides averages and trends in weather, thus allowing the researcher to draw some general conclusions on the climate and weather of Scotland.
The Thistle: Scotland’s National Emblem. Retrieved October 21, 2005 from the World
Wide Web:
http://www.scotlandsource.com
This entry gives the legend behind Scotland’s national flower, the Thistle. Although brief, it gives a clear explanation of how the Thistle was adopted as Scotland’s national emblem. Unlike other sites providing information on the Thistle, this one also sells products adorned with the emblem. The photographs on the website were available to download for inclusion in the research project.
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