Project
Ellis, E.S. (1998). Watering up the curriculum for adolescents with learning
disabilities – Part 2: Goals of the affective dimension. Remedial and Special
Education, 19(2), 91-105.
This strategy is an example of how to promote effective group work.
Preview the task
• The team analyzes the task parameters to anticipate the audience and goals
for educating the audience.
• Clarify expectations regarding the nature of the project:
 How it will be evaluated
 Due dates
 Presentation and content expectations
 Expectations regarding collaboration and individual accountability
Rough-out a plan
• The team can use the planning form (Figure 1) to structure the overall
planning process associated with researching and presenting.
• Students first determine the potential topics and subtopics associated with
the research and then provide an overview of key ideas that might be
presented to the audience.
• Next, the team identifies their basic plan for investigating, experimenting,
and /or inventing something to learn more about the topic.
• Finally, the team creates a tentative plan for presenting their findings to
their audience.
• The planning form is used recursively by students. Thus, as development of
the project proceeds and more is learned about the overall topic, the form
may be revisited and revised several times.
Figure 1
Overview of basic Topics and Subjects (tentative)
How to make “peace” instead of making war—
The Peace Corps
Why What Who
How
Why the Peace What the Peace Corp is Who its for How the Peace Corps works
Corps was created What the Peace Corps Who created it How somebody joins the
does Who funds it Peace Corps
Who works in it
Figure 1 continued…
Use Figure 2 for the next 3 steps
Organize tasks & resources
Jot down job assignments
Examine obstacles & develop strategies
• Identify the various tasks that are required to complete the project
• Brainstorm to identify potential resources that might be used to completed
each task
• Determine the strengths and talents of individual team members and make
job assignments
• Brainstorm to anticipate what obstacles may be encountered as each task is
undertaken and how these obstacles might be overcome
Basic plan for Investigating, Experimenting, and/or Inventing
*Check with Karen’s mom *World Book Truth or Myth Survey
(she was in the Peace Corps) *Library (books or films?) (what students know about the
* Grolier’s CD Encyclopedia *Library computer abstracts? Peace Corps)
*Text
*Net?
*Call the United Nation Proposal
*National Geographic for starting our
own “mini-Peace Corps”
at school
Tentative Plan for Presenting
Take a tour on the “Peace Corps train”
Whistle stop #1; Have students take that Whistle stop #4: Read letters etc. from real Peace
“Peace Corps Survey” Corps members (Karen’s mom)
Whistle stop #2: Explain Peach Corps web Whistle stop #5: Show collage – needs of community
that a “Student Peace Corps” could help fix
Whistle stop #3: Show home-made video
about Peace Corps Whistle stop #6: Present steps to creating local Peace Corps
Clubs in schools
Figure 2
Figure 2
Commit to goals
• Students make commitments with regard to the quality of the overall
project and presentation
 Use of specific collaboration skills
 Use of effective habits of the mind
• Figure 3 illustrates a “Commitments Contract” that the team completes
Organize Jot down Examine obstacles
tasks & resources job assignments & develop strategies
Task
Peace Corps Web
- locate info
- design web
- produce cool
looking chart
1
Potential Resources
*Karen’s mom was in
Peace Corps
*Grolier CD
encyclopedia
*Marice – artwork
*Text
*Library *Net
Who… Does What?… By when?
Karen – get info from mom 10/12
Ed – Grolier’s CD & Net 10/14
Kim / Ed – check out library 10/14
Karen & Marice – design web 10/17
Potential Obstacles/ Ways to Overcome
Can’t find enough info
Call Information to get United
Nations telephone number –
call (Ed)
Task
Video tape Karen’s
mom – Peace Corps
experiences
*get copies of old
letters duplicated
Potential Resources
*Karen’s mom
*Ed’s video
camera
*film
Who… Does What?… By when?
Team creates interview 10/16
questions
Karen video tapes
Ed interviews Karen’s mom 10/17
Karen copies old letter 10/18
Task
Design collage
*take pictures
*create visual
display
Potential
Resources
*35 mm camera -
Marice
*Film - Marice
*$$$ to develop
film – Karen’s Dad?
Who… Does What?… By when?
Team brainstorms pictures
needed of Tuscaloosa 10/17
Kim takes pictures 10/18
Kim – Pictures developed 10/20
Marice & Kim –
make collage 10/21
Potential Obstacles/ Ways to Overcome
Marice may forget to take the
pictures or get the film developed
Kim will call & remind
Task
Design “Myth or
Fact” Survey
about Peace
Corps
Potential
Resources
*Ideas about
making a survey
from Mr. PeCorpsno
*Use ideas form
Peace Corps web
*Make copies to
hand out
Who… Does What?… By when?
Karen & Ed – make draft 10/14
of survey
Mr. PeCorpsno feedback 10/22
Kim types & makes 10/23
handouts
Potential Obstacles/ Ways to Overcome
Can’t get feedback from
Mr. PeCorpsno
Use Mrs. Underwood?
3
4
2
Potential Obstacles/ Ways to Overcome
Can’t get a camera
See if Karen’s mom can be
a “guest presenter”
Figure 3
Target timelines
• The team creates a timeline that outlines due dates associated with each
key task associated to the project
Commitments to the quality of project and presentation
By signing my name below, I am making a commitment to:
1. Developing a high quality product that I will be proud of.
2. Creating a product that will make sense, be interesting and informative to my audience.
3. Being neat and careful.
4. Doing my share on time.
5. Doing my best.
Commitments to collaborating effectively
Check 3 that will be primary goals
 Listening without interrupting  Respecting different opinions,
skills & abilities
 Giving “I” messages
 Turn-taking & involving everyone  Encouraging & complimenting
others
 Consensus building
 Offering assistance  Recognizing and celebrating
others’ successes
 Giving negative feedback
 Communicating about difficulties  Recognizing unique talents of
others
 Peacefully resolve conflicts
Other
Commitments to using effective habits of the mind
Check 3 that will be primary goals
 Using & keeping timelines  Organizing ideas & being clear  Being open minded
 Resisting impulsiveness  Being accurate  Being creative
 Engaging in challenging tasks  Noticing how you & others think  Viewing an idea in unusual ways
 Persisting during tough times  Using information resources  Presenting an idea in usual ways
Other
Signatures of team members