ELL Class Unit, April 2013

Good day!

Let me tell you what our ELL students are currently doing in our ELL classes (Burlington, grades 6 – 12). They are doing Unit 5 – A Personal Research Project: Learn what you want! You see, I know that in education, we most always are directing the students on what to learn about; what to study. Our direction and guidance is key, but I think it is also good for the mind and soul to be able to explore a topic or subject that “they’ve always wanted to learn more about.”

Mr. Chiocca had to obviously approve each student’s topic. We started with 10 “I wonder” statements created by the students. They needed to come up with, and write 10 statements about topics or subjects that “they’ve always wanted to learn more about.” Most research was then done online, with support from me, about how to cite properly, and that you cannot “cut and paste,” but that you must read, learn and then paraphrase or restate what you’ve learned “in your own words.” I know that too often, students are told to do projects that they may not “love,” and so I wanted the students to really enjoy learning more about their chosen topic. Here were the options on how you could make and then share your project with the class:

"Self-directed ELL Personal Research Project: Learn/ Work on what you want!" April 2013

Students can pick one:
1. Choose to write a 3-5 page paper; then present to the class about your work;
2. Design a poster; then present to the class about your work;
3. Create an app, a website, a blog, a wiki, etc; then present to the class about your work;
4. Make a video/ photo slide show; then present to the class about your work;
5. Create a digital presentation (Haiku Deck, Power Point, Google Presentation, Prezi); then present to the class about your work;
6. Write a song, collection of poems/ raps/ short writing pieces; then present to the class about your work;
7. Videotape you interviewing someone; then present to the class about your work;
8. Create art; plant a garden; design an architectural model; engineering model; then present to the class about your work;
9. Build a model car, airplane, creature, toy; then present to the class about your work.

Students have begun presenting, and I can share one clip from a student’s project. He wanted to do a “Biography Study” of famous Indian Actors because he loves Bollywood. Me too now! Here’s a clip from the classic Bollywood film, Sholay.