Designing Museum Exhibits for The Grapes of Wrath: A Multigenre Project
Review Publish Date: 2021-05-04 08:59:56
Reviewer: INFOhio Reviewer
Rubric Version: Reviews Review Rubric Version 0.92
Endorsements
Flexible Learning Endorsement |
Summary: Using "The Grapes of Wrath" as a backdrop, students conduct research on issues that the novel addresses, publishing their findings in a multigenre museum exhibit. As students read The Grapes of Wrath, many important issues from the depression era surface. This unit asks students to focus on one issue as it applies to the novel. Working alone or with a partner, students create artifacts in a variety of genres for a museum exhibit that will demonstrate important facts about the research topic and its significance to viewers. The unit begins with a brief overview of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl before students conduct research using an online tool. They then explore an online, interactive museum to gather ideas for their own exhibits. After reading the novel, they create exhibits using artifacts that represent issues from the novel and then display them for the class.
Usability
Meets
Expectations
Flexibility and Adaptability
Meets
Expectations
Inclusive Teaching
Meets
Expectations
Research-Based Strategies
Does not Meet
Expectations
Usability : 3/6 Top
a. Materials follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
Reviewer Notes: Great Depression and Dust Bowl Web Exploration - broken link
Why Cite Information Sources? - broken link
b. Material(s) are not overly resource intense that would require consistent high-speed internet access, such as large video files and multiple high-resolution photos.
c. The visual design of materials is clean and coherent, lending itself to ease of learning.
Reviewer Notes: Student work is arranged into sessions before reading, during reading, and after reading the Grapes of Wrath. Extension and reflection opportunities are available. Flexibility and Adaptability: 3/6 Top
d. Materials are flexible to allow students to access and complete work online or offline as needed.
e. Materials can support and/or facilitate learning in hybrid and/or online delivery methods.
f. Teacher supports, documentation, and/or guides for effective use are present.
Reviewer Notes: When students read and write as they conduct research, they frequently compose in more than one genre. The types and kinds of reading and writing intertwine and blend together. Their work becomes multigenre. Tom Romano describes how multigenre texts work: "Multigenre allows us to ‘meld fact, interpretation, and imagination,' into a series of self-contained pieces called crots that appear in forms that include poetry, prose, drama, and exposition" (Writing with Passion 109). Multigenre can also increase engagement and interest among students. Grierson et al. write: "When thoughtfully used, multigenre writing offers teachers a meaningful way to explore literature and incorporate the principles of good writing, including the uses of alternative genres." (59) The authors agree that they "have not found another model that creates such enthusiasm and energy for writing among their students." (59)
In this lesson, students meld together fiction, nonfiction, and art through their research on the depression era and The Grapes of Wrath. Student interest in the historical novel is raised by using a multigenre approach.
Further Reading
Romano, Tom. 1995. Writing with Passion: Life Stories, Multiple Genres. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.
Romano, Tom. 2000. Blending Genre, Altering Style. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton Cook.
Grierson, Sirpa T. et al. "Exploring the Past through Multigenre Writing." Language Arts 80.1 (September 2002): 51-59. Inclusive Teaching: 3/6 Top
g. Content is presented with an objective view on topic and is free of bias.
h. Content creates student experiences that enable all children to reach empowering and rigorous learning outcomes regardless of their race or income.
i. Content cultivates an awareness and acceptance of a variety of ages, cultures, races, religions, and gender roles and identities.
Research-Based Strategies: 5/14 Top
j. Content builds on prior learning
k. Content leads to further learning by gradually removing supports and requiring advanced skills and concepts.
l. Content provides for authentic learning, application of literacy skills, student-directed inquiry, analysis, evaluation and/or reflection.
m. Content engages students through discussion questions and other supports that build toward independence.
n. Uses technology and media to deepen learning and engage students.
o. Content includes options for differentiation to meet needs of all learners.
p. Instructional approaches used are reflective of best practices and research on what works in education.
Reviewer Notes: NCTE/IRA NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
1.
Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
3.
Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4.
Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5.
Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6.
Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
7.
Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8.
Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
9.
Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
11.
Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12.
Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information). |
Usability
Flexibility and Adaptability
Inclusive Teaching
Research-Based Strategies
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Endorsements
The Accelerating Learning endorsement indicates that the material meets or exceeds expectations for both the Standards Alignment and Research-Based Strategies indicators.