OVERVIEW & Student VersionQ2 Anchor Assignment

Night of the Notables and Q2 Anchor Assignment

2005-2006

Summary and Rationale

This unit will attempt to address the Portland Public Schools Second Quarter Anchor Assignment by correlating numerous Portland Public Schools Reading and Writing Standards and State of Oregon Social Studies Standards. My purposes for correlating many standards while accomplishing this anchor assignment are first, to create scaffolding to assure that students develop the skills and knowledge necessary for the completion of the anchor assignment, second, to assure that an adequate number of additional standards are being addressed during each quarter to meet the requirements for the year, and finally, to make efficient use of the diminishing time available to prepare for the State Reading Test and State Writing Assessment.

In accordance with best practices of curriculum design I have followed backward design principles. In particular, I have followed Understanding by Design, by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins. I have outlined: the desired results, the acceptable evidence that will demonstrate that students have achieved the desired results, and the scaffolding, the instruction and learning experiences that students will require in order to achieve the desired results.

The second quarter anchor assignment asks students to write a chapter of a biography of an historical person. To create a greater motivating force for seventh graders than the writing of an anchor paper, I have added a visual presentation and speech performance, called “Night of the Notables”, to the narrative anchor assignment. I learned about "Night of the Notables" from Dan Wood, instructor at Concordia University. Each student learns basic information about the notable while creating a visual display. Questions that guide the research help students to develop a sense of the setting, background, goals, obstacles and conflicts, and human characteristics of the notable historical figure. I will present examples of narrative, teach principles of narrative writing and model narrative writing before students begin writing process on the anchor assignment. Meantime, to keep motivation going throughout multiple drafts, students will be provided time and opportunity to find or create props and costume pieces, probably at the level of reader’s theatre costuming—just for suggestion of time period, occupation, social status, etc. After the anchor is completed, the teacher will model transforming the third person narrative to a first person speech. This revision of perspective can be a powerful way for students to understand the difference between those voices, and can be fun, as well. After rehearsing speeches, students will invite parents to a performance. A “name the notable” game will add a sense of fun, and refreshments will be served to add an element of celebration for many weeks of good efforts.

Night of the Notables and Anchor Assignment

What You Will Learn

  1. In order to create a compelling piece of writing based on research, we must
  2. Pose relevant and interesting questions
  3. Use primary as well as secondary sources, if possible
  4. Make use of the organizational features of written material
  5. Use effective information gathering and organizing methods
  6. Evaluate the usefulness of information
  7. Convey information clearly and accurately
  8. Document the sources of information
  9. Present the information effectively
  1. Researching, reading, and presenting both the facts and details and a chronology (sequence of events) about the life of an historical figure provide a general, literal understanding of the figure’s life story.
  1. Finding and presenting possible connections between facts and details (such as categories and order of importance) and finding and presenting possible cause and effect relationships between the events of the life provide an interpretation or inferential understanding of a life story.
  1. To provide an analysis and evaluation of information from various sources about the life story of an historical figure we may:
  2. Compare information provided in different sources to check for similarities and agreements
  3. Contrast differing accounts and explanations to check for conflicting information
  4. Attempt to understand the reason for the differences
  5. Distinguish among facts, supported inferences, and opinions
  6. Determine the purpose behind the author’s selection of information to present
  7. Identify what information is important for the purpose of the presentation
  1. Examining how professional writers use the elements of literature, such as point of view, setting, and conflict to enable the reader to experience a sense of place, time, culture, and mood, can help student writers to create effective narratives about historical persons as well as of living persons and imaginary characters.
  2. Examining how professional writers use literary devices, such as imagery and metaphor, can help student writers to convey stories and ideas effectively to their readers.

Essential Questions for Research and Writing

Essential questions are “thought provoking, have more than one correct answer, and require inquiry rather than recall.” They will provide focus for research and writing.

a)What were the notable’s aspirations and goals?

b)What were the obstacles, problems, and conflicts that sometimes stood in the way of the achievement of the notable’s goals?

c)In what way was the life remarkable, despicable, or admirable?

d)What human qualities were most influential in shaping the life?

e)Which traits were most difficult and most beneficial?

f)What belief system, religious, personal or political, influenced the life?

g)What other people deeply influenced the life?

h)What are two or three important lessons a young person could learn from the life?

Your Tasks

1)Students will create a visual presentation of the life of an historical notable that includes:

a)Timeline: Establishes the larger historical context of the life, includes dates of birth, death, and important events

i)Must stretch across the top of the display board and be at least 6” wide

ii)Must have accurately divided time segments

iii)Must be illustrated and labeled

b)Map: labeled and colored physical map of where the notable lived their life

c)Map: “life journey” map or 3D “life journey” model

d)Background artwork that suggests the setting, with explanation

e)Background artwork that suggests the society of the time, with explanation

f)An artistic border in a style or using symbols that reflect the time period

g)Appropriately attired “paper doll” of the notable

h)Major problem or challenge the notable figure faced

i)Major and minor real-life characters of the notable’s life, both family and public

j)How the notable did what they are known for and how they were recognized (or not)

k)The notable’s message to the world

2)Students will participate in a game with the audience by writing a list of five interesting facts about the life of the notable that avoids “dead giveaways”; these facts will be used in a game in which the audience tries to guess the identity of the notable. This activity will take place before the presentations.

3)Students will write a thoughtful chapter in the biography of an historical notable from one of the listed time periods, providing an adequate scope of historical context to illuminate the notable’s life and including responses to the Essential Questions developed by the students and teacher.

Verbatim District Anchor Assignment: “Research an historical figure and produce a narrative that relates a chapter in his or her biography. You should include information about the time, place, and the event in your account.”

4)Students will write (revise from third person) a first person account of the chapter in the life of the historical notable.

5)Students will present a first person account (speech) of the chapter in the life of the historical notable.

a)Delivery requirements

i)Good posture

ii)Eye contact with audience

iii)Clear speech

iv)Audible speech

v)Non-verbal techniques

vi)Confidence due to knowledge of subject matter

6)Students will write a letter to the publisher of a textbook that both evaluates the general structural features and graphic aids and also evaluates the presentation of the notable by that textbook. The letter should make helpful suggestions for improvements in future editions.

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Beverly Daggett, Fernwood12/05