http://fhtms.sbschools.net/users/bwight/Odyssey04/middleageswebquest2.html

Grade level: 5-8

Core Subject Area: Social Studies / History

Length of activity: 2 weeks

Targeted Information Technology Performance Task: Grade level 5, Task 1

1. Student can turn on the computer and log on to the network
2. Student can open a program either through the start button menu or clicking on an icon.

5.15 Students design and create media products that successfully communicate

1.18 Students use computers…to research, gather information and ideas, and represent information and ideas accurately and appropriately

IT5-6: 1 Students demonstrate proficiency in the effective use of technology by

Social Studies content standards addressed:

6.4 Historical Connections

6.12 Institutional Access

Brief Overview: Students will construct and present a power point presentation in accordance with the attached instruction sheet. The project is designed to allow them to view characteristics of the historical time period know as the Middle Ages and is targeted specifically at this time in Europe. Students will be able to identify the characteristics of feudalism and monarchy and make a judgement about the "institutional access" of different groups and the characteristics of castles unique to the time period, including daily life within the castle walls. They will also share information on entertainment, clothing, art and music. The PowerPoint presentation is being used to support an oral presentation on the topic.

Implementation: This activity is designed to be introduced, completed and assessed in two weeks. This assumes an average of one hour a day for 10 days. It assumes students are in the midst of a (towards the end) unit on the middles ages. It assumes some prior knowledge, which may have been obtained immediately prior to the activity.

Day one: (This assumes you have a one year team with no peer mentors.) Review of and demonstration of technology skills required. Students are provided with written instructions, for use later, on how to:

1. open the program
2. create a new slide
3. view slide formats within PowerPoint
4. Save pictures and insert them onto a slide.
5. Save to their network folder
6. Create a new folder on their personal drive that where the project will reside.
7. How to toggle between the browser and the open program.

Each of the above is demonstrated to the students in the computer lab with a projection device, with the students following along the directions. This takes about 15 minutes

After the demonstration, students adjourn to the machines. Although the class is not begun this way on any subsequent days, it proceeds today as follows (the process below takes about 25 minutes. Teacher must be adamant that everyone stays together, otherwise those that forge ahead will miss the things they do not know and be a distraction later. It is pretty easy to monitor because you know what you want to see on their screens.):

1. Students have been pre-instructed that they may only proceed as told so that the preliminary tasks can be done together.
2. We turn on, log on and wait there.
3. We open the program and bring it to blank slide. Point out the new slide command on task bar for subsequent slides.
4. Save the presentation at this point, all together, create new folder named power (everyone must name it the same thing!!), save there.
5. Step students through different slide views
6. Open browser; show them how to toggle back and forth.
7. Take them to project web page. Take them through saving the image at the top of the page to their power folder so that all images are in the same place. Be sure to have them rename the image before they save.
8. Take them through the insert command to place photo into their slide.
9. At this point class is almost over and they will be bridling, let them start the project.
10. Collect the instruction sheet before they leave.

Day Two through day seven: Students will need about 5-6 days on the computer to complete the task. It is more than just inserting photos as the web sites provided give them some brief info that will have to be read and understood. Students will demonstrate varying levels of competence on day two. 25-30% will not need assistance to get going, 25-30% will need one or two quick reminders and the balance will need more help. The difference from day one is you now have tutors.

Day eight through ten: presentations

Exceeds

Meets

Nearly meets

Below

(This rubric should be used in connection with assignment criteria on project web site)

1. Student’s PowerPoint presentation includes more than required slides per topic or add’l topics.
2. Each slide has more than minimum required text and graphics.
3. Art slide contains medieval music attached.
4. Slide show and ind. slides are clear, unified in design and appearance.
5. All pictures reference source in caption.
6. PP meshes seamlessly w/ presentation.

1. Student’s PowerPoint presentation includes all required slides.
2. Each slide has the minimum required text and graphics
3. Art slide contains medieval music attached.
4. All pictures reference source in caption.
5. PP appropriately supports oral presentation

1. Student’s PowerPoint presentation includes all required slides.
2. Some or all slides do not meet requirements for text and graphics
3. All pictures reference source in caption
4. PP somewhat supports presentation.

1. Student’s PowerPoint presentation includes less than all required slides.
2. Some or all slides do not meet minimum requirements.
3. PP does not support presentation.

Evidence assessments

e.

This is assessed with student check-off on an ongoing basis, not as a part of this unit. with general use all students can do this task.

f.

This evidence is assessed through observation with check-off as it is taught at beginning of unit. Students are asked to perform this task by circulating teacher, specifically toggling between PowerPoint and Internet browser. Records on master student task list.

This evidence is assessed through observation with check-off as it is taught at beginning of unit. Students are asked to perform this task by circulating teacher, specifically creating a social studies folder on their network drive, with a separate folder within it for the PowerPoint.

This task is an important component of the overall project as images are moved from the internet to the PowerPoint project. Successful completion of the project is used as evidence of the ability to complete this task. (students on our team are also taught to save and insert pictures to and from their network drive)

Exceeds

Meets

Nearly meets

Below

(This rubric should be used in connection with assignment criteria on project web site)

1. Student’s slide presentation exceeds minimum requirements for each topical category
2. Student clearly explains characteristics of each category and makes a clear connection to or comparative statement regarding present day circumstances.

1. Student’s slide presentation meets minimum requirements for each topical category
2. Student clearly explains characteristics of each category and makes a clear connection to or comparative statement regarding present day circumstances.

1. Student’s slide presentation does not meet minimum requirements for each topical category
2. Student clearly explains characteristics of each category but can’t clearly compare it to present day circumstances.

Student does not clearly demonstrate characteristics of each topic nor adequately explains/compares them.

Exceeds

Meets

Nearly meets

Below

1. When presenting government slide student:

1. When presenting government slide student:

1. When presenting government slide student:

structure.

Student is not able to clearly explain the monarchy/feudal structure of society at this time in history.