Running Head: INSTRUCTIONAL INQUIRY PLAN

Instructional Inquiry Plan

Catherine DuBois University of New England EDU 743 April 26, 2011

Running Head: INSTRUCTIONAL INQUIRY PLAN

Topic "If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person's point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own (http://cultureofempathy.com/References/Quotes.htm). Assuming this is the case, it is our jobs as teachers to enhance the opportunities and strategies for students to use projecting throughout their education. Projecting is being able to empathize with people and situations that one may not be familiar with. "If you could actually stand in someone else's shoes to hear what they hear, see what they see, and feel what they feel, you would honestly wonder what planet they live on, and be totally blown away by how different their "reality" is from yours. You'd also never, in a million years, be quick to judge again, (http://cultureofempathy.com/References/Quotes.htm). Projecting can teach students valuable lessons regarding social injustices such as prejudices and stereotypes. They may be enlightened to the strengths, weaknesses, struggles, and challenges of others and may even begin to reflect upon their own lives in a more positive way. Given the feasible positive effects of engaging in projecting, I feel as though lessons which incorporate such activities will better my students academically, as well as socially and emotionally. Thus, young people will grow not only as students, but also as individuals and a society. The following lesson was developed to provide students the opportunity to gain experience with projecting by looking at the world from the eyes of a Holocaust prisoner in the surroundings of a concentration camp. Such a lesson will enable students to understand the horrible atrocity that occurred due to unnecessary judgments and accusations, and enable students to become more conscience of the unnecessary judgments and stereotypes they may make on a daily basis. Students will do so by choosing one of two projects offered. Students will either develop a journal with at least five, one page entries from the point of view of a prisoner in a concentration camp. Within this journal they must address the idea of prejudice or stereotyping in at least three entries. Students will also have the option to develop a newspaper with at least five articles. These articles must include one about a prisoner in a concentration camp, one about a Nazi, and one that discusses a factual event. Context Ninth grade students will be engaging in this lesson at the end of a literature unit on Night, by Elie Wiesel. Throughout the unit students should have watched two videos pertaining to the Holocaust. These videos include an interview of Elie Wiesel by Oprah Winfrey, as well as

Running Head: INSTRUCTIONAL INQUIRY PLAN

the film Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Students should have taken notes on the videos and reflected in their journals about the challenges of the Holocaust and how they relate to their own personal lives. Materials/Resources Students will need the novel Night, by Elie Wiesel, prior notes on the Holocaust from discussions, videos, and other resources used throughout the unit, paper, writing utensils, peer editing sheets, and computer access. Learning Objectives By completing this project students will be able to project and deepen their understanding of the struggles, challenges and experiences of those who were victims of the Holocaust. They will also be able to think and feel as those who lived through the Holocaust. Students will be able to empathize with others who have been through incredibly tough challenges and demonstrate an understanding of the first person point of view by seeing and writing from the perspective of those who have experienced serious adversity. Students will demonstrate an understanding of themes presented in Night and the Holocaust, but also recognize how such themes are present and relevant in todays society as well. Students will also understand the themes of comradeship by engaging in peer editing with a comrade from their class. Instructional Activities (Students will receive the project assignment and the teacher will read the instructions at the end of class, prior to day one of the instructional activities. This is to allow students to have time to review the project and begin thinking about what they may want to do. However, they will need to make their final choice of project by the beginning of class on day one). Day One: Students will enter the class, retrieve their journals, and sit down at their desks to wait for further instructions. Although previously covered earlier in the year, the teacher will review the definition of point of view and first person point of view. The teacher will then proceed to provide students with their daily journal prompt. The prompt will read, Answer the following questions from the first person point of view or a prisoner at a concentration camp or a Nazi soldier: 1) What are your feelings regarding Hitler? 2) Describe the concentration camps. 3) What do you think about prisoners/soldiers? (Student will choose the opposite of their point of

Running Head: INSTRUCTIONAL INQUIRY PLAN

view). Students will also be asked to reflect upon this exercise and explain why it might be important that they see from anothers perspective. Students will be given about five to ten minutes to complete these questions and once finished the class will discuss responses in a whole group. The teacher will ask students to put away their journals and take out their project assignment handouts. The teacher will then connect the journal prompt to the project they will be completing during the next week. After instructing students to begin working on either their journals or newspaper articles, the teacher will walk around the room to speak with each student about their project. The teacher will ask which project the student chose and then respond to any questions or concerns the students may have. Students should take their work home to continue working on their rough drafts. Day Two: Students will enter the classroom and sit down at their desks. The teacher will first engage in a while class mini-lesson. The teacher will review themes of Night and the Holocaust with the class. Examples of how these themes are in the novel and how they are universal should be discussed. The teacher should address how such themes should be present in some way throughout the students projects. When the discussion comes to a close, the teacher will divide the classroom into two sections. One section will be students who chose the journal as their project and the other will be for those who chose the newspaper as their project. While the teacher conducts a five minute mini-lesson for the one group, the other will work on their project. The mini-lesson for the journal group will consist of the teacher instructing students on how to format their journal entries. Students must include a date, (also keeping in mind the time period of the Holocaust) and they must also use language appropriate of that from the time period of the Holocaust. (This means students should not use present day slang or texting shorthand as they possibly would in their own journals). The mini-lesson for those completing the newspaper project will include instruction on how to include quotation marks in writing and the proper use of punctuation within quotations. Students will also be informed of the format of an article. They should maintain the perspective of a journalist when writing, with the exception of quotes from Jewish prisoners or Nazis. They should also include a place and date at the beginning of each article.

Running Head: INSTRUCTIONAL INQUIRY PLAN

Students will continue to work on their projects throughout this class while individually conferencing with the teacher. The teacher will monitor student work to ensure that students are on task and successfully working towards the completion of their projects. They must finish their rough draft for homework. Days Three and Four: Students will work independently at home to complete their rough drafts. These will be due on day five. Day Five: Students will enter the computer lab for this class session so the computers are available to any student that wishes to use one. The students will be instructed to take out the rough drafts of their projects. Students will then be instructed to read through their own rough drafts making any corrections that they see need to be made. When the students have finished, they will write down what they believe are three weaknesses of their project. The teacher will then break the students into partners and the students will peer edit each others papers. Having prior experience peer editing, the teacher will briefly review with the students the peer editing procedures and handouts. Students will discuss what they feel are their weaknesses and address such weaknesses with their partner. Once students finish peer editing, they may begin their final draft. Days Six and Seven (Weekends Days) Students will continue to work on their projects and have a final draft completed by day eight when they return to school. Day 6: Students will enter the classroom and be instructed to take out their rough drafts, peer editing handouts, and their final drafts. Student will be given five minutes to review their final drafts and make any necessary corrections they may have missed. Students will then hand in their completed final projects on this day. Students will have the option to present their project for 5 extra credit points. Assessment This is an assessment of their learning throughout the unit on Night. Students will be assessed using the Collins method. The FCAs for this project will include:

Running Head: INSTRUCTIONAL INQUIRY PLAN

Journal1. Students write in the first person point of view from an accurate perspective of a prisoner in the Holocaust. (20pts) 2. Students have at least 5 entries, in which at least 3 of those entries address themes relevant to the Holocaust. (20 pts) 3. Students complete a rough draft, peer edit, and make necessary revisions for final draft (10 pts) Newspaper1. Students write from the perspective of a journalist, presenting accurate information regarding the Holocaust. (20 pts) 2. Students have at least 5 articles in which one article is about a Jewish prisoner, one is about a Nazi, and one article is about a factual event. (20 pts) 3. Students complete a rough draft, peer edit, and make necessary revisions for final draft (10 pts) Differentiation Differentiation is a very important aspect of teaching. It is vital that it is included in all lessons to ensure that each student has his/her needs met as effectively as possible. Throughout this project, students will have their choice of which project they would like to complete. Students will also be able to decide which events, themes, and emotions they wish to include and/or portray through their writing. Through conferencing I will address the individual strengths and weaknesses of each student. The students will be able to review and edit their papers in a three different ways (independently, with a partner, with conferencing) to ensure they have every opportunity to make the necessary corrections using a method that is most effective for them. Summary Projecting is a necessary skill that all students may benefit from in one way or another. Whether they are gaining better insight into characters within a novel or gaining a better understanding of society and social injustices, projecting will help students in the future. It is important that teachers provide the opportunities for students to engage in projecting to ensure that students learn to empathize. It is the hope that with an increase in empathy, students will increase their understanding of different human challenges, experiences, and achievements and begin to reflect upon the actions and judgments of themselves and the society in which they live.

Running Head: INSTRUCTIONAL INQUIRY PLAN

References

Wilson, L. (2006). Writing to live: how to teach writing for today's world. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. http://cultureofempathy.com/References/Quotes.htm