Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Oral Presentation
Lesson 6:
From Unit Social Action Project (The)
Purpose:
Students will share their experiences volunteering for a philanthropic organization with others.
Duration:
Two Forty-Minute Class Periods
Objectives:
Students will list and describe the characteristics of a powerful speaker and then prepare a ten-minute informational speech.
Materials:
- The Social Action Project Final Assessment (Attachments One - Seven)
- How to Interpret Your Child's Results (Attachment Eight)
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Tell students to close their eyes and ask them to form a mental picture of someone they consider a powerful speaker. Have them note characteristics about their person’s manner while speaking. Ask students to open their eyes and share the name of the person they visualized as well as list some of the characteristics they noted.
- Add to the students' list any of the characteristics of a powerful speaker they may have missed. Show a videotape of two speakers (possibly political figures) and contrast them. Lead the students in a discussion about the qualities of a good speech.
- Assign a ten-minute speech that students will share with parents and peers on Social Action Night. This event will allow students to share their work with their parents, the school and the community. The speech should share students' experiences volunteering for a philanthropic organization and should include a visual (perhaps a slide show, a video, or a poster). This class period should be used to allow students to write, rehearse, and revise their speeches and to work on creating visual displays. Those who finish their speeches should practice delivering their speeches to other students.
Assessment:
- Oral presentations will be judged according to the following rubrics:
- An exceptional oral presentation is one where the speaker actively engages the audience using a clear, loud expressive voice and constant eye contact. Information will be organized in a logical way and the visuals are appropriate and engaging.
- A proficient presentation is one where the speaker might not have fulfilled all of these elements all of the time.
- A limited presentation might be from a student who has not adequately prepared.
- The Social Action Project Rubrics for all activities are included. See The Social Action Project Final Assessment (Attachments One - Seven) and How to Interpret Your Child's Results (Attachment Eight).
Bibliographical References:
Sebranek, Patrick, Verne Meyer and Dave Kemper. WriteSource 2000: A Guide to Writing, Thinking and Learning. Wilmington, MA: D.C. Heath and Co., 1995, Sections 389-401, Preparing a Speech.
Lesson Developed By:
Liz HollingworthWilliamston Community Schools
Williamston Middle School
Williamston, MI 48895
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
Social Action Project Final Assessment
Each eighth grader participates in an end-of-the-year project that allows the student to demonstrate proficiency in each of the subject areas. After completing a series of activities based on the content area objectives outlined by the district, the student’s abilities are determined to be at grade level, above grade level, or below grade level. Incomplete portions of the project are marked not scorable. The purpose of this rubric is to show the student’s parents and future teachers his/her proficiency in each subject area at the end of the eighth grade.
State of Michigan Curriculum Standards are numbered in parentheses.
Student Name:
| 3=Exceeds Content Standards | 2=Meets Content Standards | 1=Does Not Meet Content Standards |
| 0=Unscorable |
| I | LANGUAGE ARTS | ||||
| A. The student demonstrates an ability to purposefully use the craft of language including aesthetic elements and mechanics of writing to communicate effectively and creatively. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| B. The student is able to take action that affects the lives of others. Problem solving model. (1) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| II. | SCIENCE | ||||
| A. The student designs an investigation using the scientific inquiry/problem solving model. (1) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| III. | SOCIAL STUDIES | ||||
| A. The student can explain how individuals in the community and/or Michigan history have demonstrated good character and personal virtue. (II.2) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| B. The student demonstrates an understanding of the core democratic values and how a member of society who acts in a responsible way might affect other people. (7) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| IV. | MATHEMATICS | ||||
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A. The student can collect, organize, and examine data in different formats. (6) |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| B. The student can draw inferences based on statistics. (8) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| V. | COMPUTER SCIENCE | ||||
| A. The student is able to use technology to effectively research an issue. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| B. The student is able to use the computer as a tool for publishing. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| VI. | ORAL PRESENTATION | ||||
| A. The student is able to orally communicate effectively with an audience. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| B. The student is able to use appropriate visuals in an oral presentation. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
VI. COMMENTS
Handout 2Print Handout 2
Social Action Night Presentation
Each student will create a tri-fold board which will visually represent the activities of the organization that has been researched. The center panel should display the name, mission/ purpose of the organization and a picture (photograph or drawing) illustrating the activities of the organization. The left-hand side should display the history of the organization and should include a time-line from the organization’s inception to the present. The right-hand side should display graphs and charts about fundraising data and the group’s expenditures. The science experiment should be posted below the graphs.In addition, the student will prepare a five-to-eight-minute speech about the project and his or her experiences volunteering for this cause. The presentation should include the video, photographs or slide show from the social studies portion of this project.
Student Name:
Note to the evaluator:
The student should be prepared to answer questions after the presentation. Please circle a number below.
| 3=Exceeds Content Standards | 2=Meets Content Standards | 1=Does Not Meet Content Standards |
| 0=Unscorable |
A. Oral Presentation: The content of the speech should go beyond the visual display.
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| 1. Information organized in logical way | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2. Clear, loud, expressive voice | ||||
| 3. Eye contact with audience | ||||
| 4. Appropriate visuals (overheads, posters, etc.) | ||||
| 5. It is clear the student understands the information presented. | ||||
B. Visual Display:
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| 1. Directions have been followed. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2. Information is neatly displayed. | ||||
| 3. Presentation is organized logically. | ||||
EVALUATOR'S COMMENTS:
Handout 3Print Handout 3
Social Action Project Language Arts
The student will write a report describing the philanthropic organization he or she has chosen, its history, the fund-raising activities, the purpose of the organization, the role of volunteers, and the service components. It should include excerpts from an interview with a leader in the group, as well as the unique features of this organization. The student must also describe his or her involvement with the group and plans, if any, for future participation with this organization and its cause. There must be evidence of prewriting, drafting, proofreading, editing, revising, and polishing. The final draft must be at least five pages typed and double-spaced.
Student Name:
| 3=Exceeds Content Standards | 2=Meets Content Standards | 1=Does Not Meet Content Standards |
| 0=Unscorable |
State Standard 6 - The students will explore the constraints and possibilities of different types of text and purposefully use the craft of language including aesthetic elements and mechanics of writing (e.g., spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure, etc.) to communicate effectively and creatively.
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| A. Focus / Organization | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1. Topic clearly stated in introduction | ||||
| 2. Writing is focused on the topic | ||||
| 3. Supporting facts presented in logical order | ||||
| 4. Transitional words and phrases are used | ||||
| 5. Appropriate conclusion | ||||
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| B. Content and Research | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1. All required information has been included | ||||
| 2. Clear, interesting vocabulary and details | ||||
| 3. Used technical and non-technical resources for research | ||||
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| C. Grammar, Usage, Mechanics, and Spelling | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1. Complete Sentences | ||||
| 2. Subject-verb agreement | ||||
| 3. Appropriate punctuation and capitalization | ||||
| 4. Few or no spelling errors | ||||
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| D. Process Writing | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1. Prewriting and drafts are attached | ||||
| 2. Editing and revisions are apparent | ||||
| 3. Submitted work is a polished copy | ||||
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| E. Bibliography | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1. Has at least three sources | ||||
| 2. Written in correct style | ||||
| TOTAL POINTS= |
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÷ 5 = |
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(average) |
| State Standard 8 - The students will take action that affects their lives and the lives of others based on their understanding of ideas and issues from texts. | ||||
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| A. Taking Action | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1. Positive involvement with the organization is evident | ||||
| 2. Understanding of the social issue is clearly demonstrated | ||||
| TOTAL POINTS= |
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Handout 4Print Handout 4
Social Action Project Science
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method by generating questions about the organization’s impact on the environment and/or the community, and by designing experiments to investigate these questions.
Student Name:
| 3=Exceeds Content Standards | 2=Meets Content Standards | 1=Does Not Meet Content Standards |
| 0=Unscorable |
State Objective 1: All students will ask questions that help them learn about the world; design and conduct investigations using appropriate technology; learn from books and other sources of information; communicate their findings using appropriate technology; and reconstruct previously learned knowledge.
| A. Design (and, if feasible, conduct) experiments to investigate each question. | ||||
| 1. Hypothesis written out appropriately using scientific language. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2. The scientific method has been employed. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 3. Conclusions are accurate based on data. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL POINTS= |
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÷ 3 = |
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(average) |
Handout 5Print Handout 5
Social Action Project Mathematics
The student will demonstrate an understanding of data analysis and statistics by collecting data, creating visual displays, and examining the data to draw inferences about the economic base of the philanthropic organization chosen.
Student Name:
| 3=Exceeds Content Standards | 2=Meets Content Standards | 1=Does Not Meet Content Standards |
| 0=Unscorable |
State Standard 6 -- The student will collect and explore data, organize data into a useful form, and develop skill in representing and reading data displayed in different formats.
State Standard 7 -The student will examine data and describe characteristics of a distribution, relate data to the situation from which they arose, and use data to answer questions convincingly and persuasively.
State Standard 8 - The student will draw defensible inferences about unknown outcomes, make predictions, and identify the degree of confidence they have in their predictions.
DATA ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS: The student will collect and organize data into a useful form for interpretation using tables, charts, graphs, box plots, tree diagrams, stem-and-leaf plots, spread-sheets and/or data bases.
| A.Choose data about an aspect of your organization and use it to create at least one bar graph, one pie graph, and one plot. For example, the student might visually illustrate the ages, genders, and socio-economic levels of the members and volunteers in this organization, or he/she might analyze the ways the organization obtains and uses its money. Perhaps this might be the same data used in the science portion. These may be computer generated, but the graphs and charts must be original, and the data must be authentic. | ||||
| 1. All graphs, charts and plots are accurate. Data is authentic (not made up). | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| B. Each of the above visual representations should include a typed, double-spaced explanation where conclusions are drawn based on the data. | ||||
| 1. Written explanations are thorough and accurate. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2. The student draws defensible inferences based on the statistics. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL POINTS= |
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÷ 2 = |
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(average) |
Handout 6Print Handout 6
Social Action Project Computer Science
The student will demonstrate an ability to use technology to research the chosen philanthropic organization on-line via the Internet. The student will also publish his or her work in a professional manner using appropriate software.The student will also create an original pamphlet advertising the organization. It should include the organization’s name, mission statement, information about the group and how to become involved.
Student Name:
| 3=Exceeds Content Standards | 2=Meets Content Standards | 1=Does Not Meet Content Standards |
| 0=Unscorable |
“The technologically literate person is one who understands the role and impact of technology upon society, accepts the responsibilities associated with living in the technologically-oriented Information Age…and uses technology as a tool for obtaining, organizing, manipulating information and for communication and creative expression.”
-Michigan State Board of Education
-Model Core Curriculum, 1991
THE INTERNET AS A RESEARCH TOOL
| A.The student will use the Internet, CD-ROM, e-mail, and Web sites to search for information about the philanthropic organization chosen. | ||||
| 1. Used at lease three electronic sources. |
3 |
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1 |
0 |
| 2. Technology is used as a tool for obtaining information independently. | ||||
| PUBLISHING | ||||
A. The student demonstrates proficiency using desktop publishing software when creating an original pamphlet advertising the organization he or she has chosen.
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| 1. Information is thorough. |
3 |
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1 |
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| 2. Grammar and spelling are correct. | ||||
| 3. Finished product shows effort. | ||||
| TOTAL POINTS= |
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÷ 2 = |
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(average) |
Handout 7Print Handout 7
Social Action Project Social Studies
The student will demonstrate an understanding of how certain individuals have acted privately for the public good and how philanthropy fits into the role of a responsible citizen by researching the history of this organization and creating a time line.
In addition, the student will create a video or slide show to visually record his or her activities with this organization. This will be a component of the oral presentation on Social Action Night. This video/slide show should be used to analyze the effects of an individual’s actions on other people, and to address the question of civic responsibility.
Student Name:
| 3=Exceeds Content Standards | 2=Meets Content Standards | 1=Does Not Meet Content Standards |
| 0=Unscorable |
Michigan/Community History Connection
A. The student will research the history of this organization's involvement in the specific community and/or Michigan. Create a time line either of the people and the historical events that influenced the organization or of the organization’s history. The time line should include at least ten dates and be pasted on the tri-fold board for Social Action Night.
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| 1. The time line is thorough. |
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| 2. Research is evident. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 3. Directions have been followed. | ||||
| State Content Standard VII, Citizen Involvement-All students will consider the effects of an individual's actions on other people, how one acts in accordance with the rule of law, and how one acts in a virtuous and ethically responsible way as a member of society. | ||||
A. The student will create a video, a poster of photographs, or a slide show of his or her experiences volunteering with this organization. In this visual presentation, the question of the effects of an individual’s actions on other people should be fully explored.
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| 1. The presentation is creative. |
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| 2. An individual's effect on others is explored. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Handout 8Print Handout 8
How to Interpret Your Child’s Results
- What do the scores mean?
3=Exceptional (above grade level), 2=Proficient (at grade level) 1=limited (below grade level), 0=Not Scorable (did not do-see Comments).
- Who will look at these results?
Students, parents, and teachers. The students received a copy of their scores for each class before the end of the year. In addition, a copy of the Social Action Project Final Assessment Rubric is sent home to parents, another copy goes directly to the ninth grade teachers, and a third copy will be put in the student’s permanent file.
- How is this benchmark assessment useful to parents?
This assessment provides a “snapshot” of your child’s ability to apply what he or she has learned in science, social studies, math, and language arts at the end of the eighth grade. Parents might ask: “How easily did my child approach this task?” “Was my child able to do this complex task with little or no frustration?” “How responsible was my child in meeting deadlines?” “How much did my child depend on others to motivate him/her?” Answers to these questions will provide parents with valuable insight into their child’s ability. Using this information, parents can help students in the transition from middle school to high school.
- How is this benchmark assessment useful to the teachers?
A benchmark assessment is useful to teachers in several ways:- it gives next year’s teachers an individual and group look at student performance,
- it gives this year’s teachers valuable feedback on the effectiveness of this year’s instruction, and,
- it gives the school district a look at the effectiveness of the K-8 curriculum.
- Why didn’t this project get averaged into my child’s grade on the report card?
Grade level benchmark assessments across content areas are cumulative. Letter grades in course work are specific to content and process being taught in a unit of study. The grades cumulate into an average score. Benchmarks are designed to give an accurate picture of a student’s competencies in applying what has been learned to other subject areas. For example, this benchmark tested how well a student applies a math concept to concepts learned in social studies by using a graph to interpret information, and then how well the student can communicate the meaning of the graph through writing.
- Why did my child have to do this?
District short term and long range goals established by the Board of Education require benchmark assessments in each of the content areas for each grade level. Pilots are to be developed this year with all grade levels having developed and implemented benchmarks by 2000-2001. Presently there are three grade level assessments: the fifth grade service learning for language arts, the sixth grade Island Project, and the eighth grade Social Action Project. A second grade and fifth grade math benchmark assessment are also currently being developed.
- What if this project was too hard for my child?
The Michigan Department of Education has determined that there are certain things every eighth grader should be able to do upon completion of the eighth grade. This project is an indicator of how ready your child is for ninth grade. It was designed with assistance from the Michigan Department of Education and nationally recognized assessment specialists (through a special grant from the Council of Michigan Foundations, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Lilly Endowment) and is an accurate indicator of your child’s ability to do eighth grade work. - What if this project was too hard for my child?
Unit Contents:
Overview:Social Action Project (The) Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Introduction to the Project
- 2.
- Letter Writing
- 3.
- Phone Calls
- 4.
- Research Paper
- 5.
- Creating the Pamphlet
- 6.
- Oral Presentation
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