Harvest Festivals Expository Projectmsburtonisonline.pbworks.com/f/Harvest+Festivals+Project.doc · Web view(You must also bring in a copy of all ingredients in case some students

Harvest Festivals Expository Project

What is this project?

This project will give you the opportunity to research a Halloween-like celebration from another part of the world. What is a Halloween-like celebration? It’s a celebration that has similar themes to Halloween—themes like the changing of seasons, celebrating life, warding off evil spirits, the passing of loved ones, and preparing for winter.

What do we need to do for this project?

On Halloween, our class will have a special Harvest Day Festival. This will be a day to share some fine foods, interesting customs, and of course—all the research we’ve been conducting for the previous few weeks. In a nutshell, here’s what will occur:

Your group will present a PowerPoint to the class about the Halloween-like celebration you researched.

Your group will demonstrate a custom from this celebration or bring in a hand-made craft used during this celebration.

Your group will bring in a food/drink associated with the celebration you studied—enough for the whole class to share. (You must also bring in a copy of all ingredients in case some students are allergic to certain foods.)

You will create a Venn-Diagram on Poster Board that demonstrates the similarities and differences between the celebration you studied and Halloween.

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Why are we doing this?

Put simply, this project will help us with a variety of English related skills. For example:

We will be introduced to a variety of cultures from around the world.

We will gain independent research skills.

We will practice presenting information in front of a group

We will hone our ability to organize information into a clear, written form.

We will practice expository writing.

We will gain additional experience in reading challenging, non-fiction works.

We will be introduced to new technological skills.

We will make valuable real-life connections.

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Project Calendar (Steps to Be Completed)

Directions: Please follow the below instructions in order. Skipping around will cause you some confusion, and you might even forget about completing certain parts of this assignment. Have fun!

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1. Figure out what you need to research by reading through “Questions to Answer” on page 4. Due by:



2. Read “How to Take Research Notes” on pages 5 and 6. Next, research the Halloween-like celebration of your choice. (Carnival, Day of the Dead, or Walpurgis Night) Due By:


3. Create a Venn-Diagram that compares and contrasts the Halloween-likecelebration you researched to a typical Halloween. Due by:


4. Create a PowerPoint presentationfor the Halloween-like celebration you researched. Be sure to follow the directions I gave you on pages 11 and 12. Due by:

Questions to AnswerDirections: Research a variety of sources to find answers to the following questions. Note: You will write all answers on note cards—not on this page.

What is the main idea behind the celebration you’re researching? In other words, what is its purpose?

Which countries/lands celebrate this holiday? (Remember, different countries might celebrate under different names.)

Where are these countries/lands located?

Are there different names for this celebration around the world? If so, what are they?

How long is this holiday celebrated?

When is this holiday celebrated?

Is this holiday for all people or just certain people?

Where did this celebration first start?

When did people first start celebrating this holiday?

Why did this celebration start? (There may be more than one reason for this question, so be careful.)

Who started this celebration? Was it one person? A group of people?

Are there any legends or myths associated with this holiday? If so, what are they?

What are some customs or traditions that occur during this celebration and the time leading up to it?

What are the reasons for the customs people have for this holiday? In other words, why were these customs created?

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5. When you have finished creating your presentation, rehearse what you will say to the class. (Unpracticed presentations are usually unprofessional and don’t go well.) Due by:


6. Talk to your group members about making the food and crafts for presentation day. Make arrangements outside of school to finish these items on time. Due by:


7. Fill out the self-assessment rubric at the end of this packet.. Due by:

When were the customs for this holiday started? (Note: You may only be able to find the answer to this question for SOME of the customs.)

Which customs have symbolic meaning?

What are some foods and drinks that are eaten/drunk during this celebration?

What crafts, art, toys, or structures are built, used, or played with during this celebration?

If applicable, how is this holiday celebrated differently in different countries?

How is this celebration similar to Halloween?

How is this celebration different from Halloween?

What else do you find interesting about this holiday/celebration? (Please list things that were not mentioned in the above list.)

How to Take Research Notes

Directions: Please follow the below steps to help you complete your research. Read carefully, and don’t skip any steps.



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Figure out what you need to know. Refer to “Questions to Answer” on page 4.

Decide where you might find this information. Are there encyclopedias, non-fiction books, magazines, or websites that might help you? (Note: See page 7 of this packet for tips on how to research safely and efficiently on the Internet.)

Skim through the source(s) you decided to use. Is it likely to have answers to your questions? Why do you think so? QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

TURN OVER




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When you find a source that has information, grab the “Bibliography Page” (found on page 8) and write down the citation information for the source you’re using. (See the “References Cheat Sheet” on page 9 to figure out what you should write down.)

Once you’ve filled out your Bibliography Page, write down the answers to any questions you find. Do this on your note cards found on page 10 (copies must be made first) and then write down all notes exactly as they appear in the sources you found them. Remember: Do not put them into your own words yet.

Begin your research. Look for answers to the questions you have, but don’t worry about going in order. Note: You will need to read carefully. Don’t skim through anything.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.Check the accuracy of your source(s). How can you tell if the source(s) you plan on using will be reliable?


How to Search for Information on the Internet

1. Think about what to look for . What are you trying to research? What words can you type in the search box to help you find this information? Here are some tips to consider:

a. Avoid using unnecessary words like the, a, an, for, because, and other non-essential words in the search box. They will only make it harder for you to find what you’re looking for.

b. Do not type questions or full sentences in the search box. Again, the extra words will only complicate things.

c. If you’re searching for something that’s more than one word long, put quotation marks around it. For example: “Disney World”

2. Think about where to search . Before going to places like Google or Yahoo, try the online encyclopedias or dictionaries first. They provide lots of information, and you can trust it to be accurate.

3. Read web search results carefully before clicking on any links. Most search results are NOT what you’re looking for—even if they are at the top of the list. Read the explanation of each link carefully to see if it’s what you need.

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When you’ve finished finding all the answers to the questions you were given, organize your note cards into similar piles. (For example, questions about the history of your celebration might go in a “history” pile.) These will become your sub-topics.


When you’ve finished the above step, use your “similar piles” / sub-topics to begin your PowerPoint presentation. (To do this, follow the presentation instructions on pages 11 and 12.) Note: Remember to put your notes into your own words.

4. Beware what you click on . Moving pictures, flashing lights, and pop-up banners are usually advertisements that will take you to other, less helpful websites. These other websites can also have inappropriate information or lead to computer viruses.

5. When you find a website you think is helpful, read through it carefully. The answers you’re looking for are not likely to be highlighted and circled at the top of each webpage. Read through the entire page first before clicking on any additional links.

6. Review the accuracy of the information you’ve found. Just because something’s printed on the Internet, that doesn’t mean it’s true. Check with other sources (websites, books, etc.) to make sure the information you’ve found is correct. Also, review the website, itself. Sites with lots of ads, pop-ups, and flashing lights are probably not very reliable.

Bibliography Page

1.__________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

2.__________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3.__________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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4.__________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

5.__________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

6.__________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

References Cheat Sheet

Directions: Please use this page to cite the sources you’re using for your research project. Write down all sources in the exact same way you see them below. You should also follow these helpful tips:

Look carefully at how the below examples are punctuated. You should put punctuation in the same places.

If something is underlined below, you should underline it on your bibliography page, too.

Look at how and where the below lines are indented. You must follow these same rules.

Copy the capitalization rules below. Wherever a word is capitalized, you must capitalize, too.

1. When using a magazine or newspaper article, write the source as follows:

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Author’s last name, author’s first name. “Title of Article” Title of Magazine Date of issue: page numbers.

2. When using a book, write the source as follows:

Author’s last name, author’s first name. Title. City published in: Publisher name, copyright date.

3. When using an Internet site, write the source as follows:

Author’s last name, author’s first name, (if available). “Article or Web Pagetitle,” Web Site Title, URL, the date you saw the website.

4. When using a book encyclopedia, write the source as follows:

Author’s last name, author’s first name (if available). “Article Title,” Encyclopedia Title, edition or publication or copyright date, volume number, page number(s) of entire article.

Question: _______________________________________________________________

Answer:_________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Teacher Initial _____________ Source Number(s)___________

Subtopic________________________________________

Cut - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cut - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cut

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Question: _______________________________________________________________

Answer: ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Teacher Initial _____________ Source Number(s)___________

Subtopic________________________________________

PowerPoint Presentation Instructions

DIRECTIONS:

1. All slides must be done in color. Size and color of fonts should be chosen by how easy they are to see against the background. Remember—your audience needs to be able to see what’s going on.

2. Your presentations must be divided into sub-topics. (For example, all history notes should go together under one sub-topic, and all customs notes should go together under another sub-topic.)

3. Each sub-topic in your presentation must have its own slide color. For example, all slides that talk about the history sub-topic might be red, and all slides that talk about the customs sub-topic might be blue, etc.

4. Every sub-topic slide should have a title at the top that tells which sub-topic is being discussed.

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5. You must have a title page that lists the following: The name of the country (or countries) being researched AND a picture The name of the celebration being researched (Halloween, Day of the Dead, etc.) The names of all group members who participated in the PowerPoint

6. Every sub-topic must have at least two or three pictures to go with it. It may be a good idea to put these pictures on different slides than your information so you can make them bigger.

7. You must have at least 4 pictures in your presentation that take up an entire slide. In other words, these pictures should be so big that you don’t have anything else on the slide except the picture. Be careful, though. If you make them too big, they’ll be blurry.

8. DO NOT use any of the sound effect tools for this PowerPoint presentation. Later on, if you would like to add music from the culture you’re researching, I can show you how to do this.

9. DO NOT use any of the animation or slide transition tools.

How to Use PowerPoint

DIRECTIONS: The below instructions will help you figure out how to create a basic PowerPoint Presentation. REMEMBER TO SAVE YOUR WORK IN YOUR SCHOOL FOLDER.

1. How do I get started? Click on the PowerPoint icon on the desktop, and then click the big “P” that pops up. Choose the type of slide you would like to start off with by clicking on it and then clicking “okay.”

2. How do I decorate the background of the slide? Click on “format” and then “background.” Click on the tiny down arrow for a list of colors you can use to

color your slide.

3. How do I add pictures to a slide? Click on the picture you want to use, AND HOLD THE MOUSE CLICKER DOWN UNTIL A POP-UP

WINDOW COMES UP. Drag the cursor down to “copy image as” and then let go of the mouse clicker. Click on the slide you want to put the picture on. Click “edit” at the top of your screen, drag down to “paste,” and release the clicker button. Your picture

should appear.

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4. How do I change the font size, color, or appearance? Click on “format” at the top of the screen and drag down to “font.” Make any necessary changes, and then

click “okay.”

5. How do I create a text box for me to write in? In the toolbar on the left-hand side of the screen, there’s a picture of something that looks like this: AI

Click on this image. Click on your PowerPoint slide, BUT KEEP HOLDING THE BUTTON DOWN. Drag the cursor to the

right. You should see a rectangular box starting to grow in size. When the box has reached the size you want, let go of the mouse button. Click inside the box to start typing your text.

6. How do I start a new slide: Click on “insert” and then drag down to “new slide.”

7. How do I make a picture or text box fit on a slide? Click on the image or text box. When you do this, little white squares should appear around it. Click on one of the right squares AND HOLD THE BUTTON DOWN. Move the cursor to change the size of the image or text box, and then let go of the button.

8. How do I check the spelling? Click on “tools,” and drag down to “spelling.”

9. How do I delete a picture or text box? Click on the image or text box. When you do this, little white squares should appear around it. Hit the “delete.”

Presentation Grading Rubric

Directions: This sheet will be used to grade your Halloween presentations. Please make sure you have completed all necessary requirements.

GROUP GRADE – 30 Points Total

1. EVERY question on the “Organizer” sheet have been answered. (See the “Organizer” sheet for details.) 5 points

2. All PowerPoint guidelines on the “PowerPoint Presentation Instructions” sheet were followed. (This means you have the appropriate number of pictures, your notes are organized by color, there is a title page, there is a citations page at the end, you have sub-titles on each page, etc.) See the sheet for further details. 5 points

3. Your presentation includes CLEAR sub-topics. 5 points

4. Your presentation includes a food from your country/culture of study. 5 points

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5. Your presentation included a craft from your country/culture of study. (A craft is something that YOU made or brought in to show the class.) 5 points

6. Your presentation was professional looking, and you presented your information in a clear, mature manner. 5 points

INDIVIDUAL GRADE—30 Points Total

1. You played an active role in the research, PowerPoint work, and Presentation aspects of the group project. This means you were on task and helping out AT ALL TIMES. 6 points

2. You put in an equal amount of effort as your group members. This means you researched as much as they did, worked as often as they did, and presented as much as they did. 6 points

3. Your part of the class presentation was clear, professional, and done appropriately. 6 points

4. Your part of the PowerPoint followed all instructions and guidelines. 6 points

5. You were a Class Act group member during all group work sessions. This means you were pleasant, helpful, and courteous toward your group members. 6 points

The total points are divided by 2. Your total grade is a _____ / 30.

Self-Assessment Page

DIRECTIONS: Fill out the below questionnaire as honestly as possible. Keep in mind that other group members will be completing this assessment as well, so please don’t try to exaggerate. Of course, don’t sell yourself short either!

1. I believe that I worked as hard as I could on this assignment. (Yes / Most of the time / Sometimes / No)

2. I believe that I contributed AT LEAST as much as my fellow group members. (Yes / Most of the time / Sometimes / No)

3. I believe that I contributed MORE than my other group members. (Yes / Most of the time / Sometimes / No) If yes, please give an example:

___________________________________________________________________________________

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4. I believe that there were some members of my group who did not work as hard as they should have. (Yes / No / Sometimes) If yes, Please give an example:

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

5. I believe that I deserve a(n) _______ on this project. (Please enter a letter grade.)

6. I deserve the above grade because:

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

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Good luck, and have fun!

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

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Documents

Harvest Festivals Expository Projectmsburtonisonline.pbworks.com/f/Harvest+Festivals+Project.doc · Web view(You must also bring in a copy of all ingredients in case some students